Viva La Waffle Announces Closure Amid Changing Customer Trends in Lafayette

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — What began as a food truck turned brick-and-mortar is closing its doors at the end of May.

Viva La Waffle, which first launched as a popular food truck in Lafayette, initially shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic—something that was all-too-familiar for a lot of locally-owned businesses. However, it was brought back in 2021 as a brick-and-mortar restaurant that focused on its well-known, waffle-centric options.

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A Fresh Look and Menu

Then, a little under a year ago, the restaurant entered into partnership with Tim and Greg Metcalf, who worked to revamp the options at the restaurant, which was looking for fresh looks and menu items to grow its customer base.

"This is the first time this group, including Chef Collin Cormier, has worked together, and are introducing a full line of coffee to the Viva menu," the Metcalfs said in a statement at the time.

READ MORE: Viva La Waffle Getting Upgrade With Well-Known Lafayette Restaurant Owners Joining the Team

However, the restaurant struggled to keep a steady audience, and sales appear to have stagnated over time. A post in the Closing in Acadiana Facebook group broke the news, and Tim Metcalf made an announcement on social media confirming the end of an era.

"If I can impart any wisdom to you guys, it's please support your local businesses," he said in the video on his personal page.

Support Your Local Businesses

Metcalf currently operates multiple Dean-o's and Prejean's locations around the Lafayette and Acadiana area. He knows first-hand the importance of supporting local businesses.

Likewise, a number of Acadiana businesses have closed in recents years, with customers seemingly drifting to larger chains and bigger names. But local businesses still remain the backbone of the local communities, and local business owners frequently encourage customers to support not just their establishments, but all local businesses in order to support a thriving, local community.