Waffle House Founders Die a Month Apart

The second half of the Waffle House empire is no more -- co-founder Tom Forkner has died ... one month after the death of his partner, Joe Rogers Sr.

Waffle House confirmed Forkner's death. Co-founder Joe died in early March.

Waffle House was founded in 1955 in Georgia. It's one of the only restaurant chains that's open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It has more than 1,500 locations across the country.

Tom -- who was 98 years old -- joins Joe, at 97, in the big waffle house in the sky.

RIP