Reddit Inc, the social media company currently trading as much as 70% above its initial public offering (IPO), has a unique origin story that ties it to a popular restaurant chain – Waffle House. Founded by Alexis Ohanian, Steve Huffman, and Aaron Swartz, Reddit was born out of a simple breakfast outing that changed the course of Ohanian’s life.
The story goes back to Ohanian’s college days at the University of Virginia, where he had planned to pursue a career in law. However, a fateful trip to a local Waffle House near the campus led to an epiphany that made him rethink his career path. Ohanian walked out of his Law School Admission Test (LSAT) to grab breakfast at Waffle House and never looked back. This decision ultimately led to the founding of Reddit in 2005.
In a heartwarming tribute to this pivotal moment, Waffle House installed a plaque at booth 19, marking it as the “site of Alexis Ohanian’s Waffle House Epiphany.” Ohanian himself has credited Waffle House for changing his life and has visited the location multiple times to reflect on the journey that started with a simple meal.
The connection between Reddit’s founding story and a popular restaurant is not unique. In a similar vein, NVIDIA Corporation, one of the leading tech companies, was also founded in a casual dining setting – Denny’s. Co-founders Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem came up with the idea for Nvidia during a breakfast meeting at a Denny’s location in California.
Both Reddit and NVIDIA’s founding stories serve as a reminder of the serendipitous moments that can shape the trajectory of a company. These instances highlight the importance of creativity, collaboration, and seizing opportunities, even in unexpected places like a local diner.
As Alexis Ohanian and Jensen Huang’s stories demonstrate, inspiration can strike anywhere, even in the most unlikely of places. Whether it’s over a plate of waffles at Waffle House or a cup of coffee at Denny’s, these anecdotes add a touch of humanity and relatability to the success stories of these tech giants.
