This week, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) engaged in a lively social media conversation by clarifying that Waffle House IDs, which some customers flaunt, are “not sufficient” for travel identification purposes.
A traveler shared a snapshot of their bright yellow Waffle House ID on social media, which quickly garnered about 2.1 million views, alongside numerous likes and shares.
In response, the TSA remarked that such IDs do not meet federal standards and are not valid at airport security checkpoints. “Respectfully, no… a Waffle House ID isn’t a suitable alternative to a proper ID (sorry),” they stated on social media.
Curiously enough, many users started chiming in, intrigued by the post. One person even asked, “How do you get this?” while another quipped, “And I thought this was America.” Clearly, a mix of disbelief and envy was in the air, with one commenter saying, “I’ve never been so jealous of an internet stranger.”
Another user left a curious inquiry about obtaining a Waffle House ID, to which someone explained, “To be honest, we take a lot of documents to get that badge, in order to get more documents than our Real ID.” There was even a joke suggesting Costco cards had suddenly become the latest form of identification.
A few weeks prior, the TSA also cautioned travelers against using Costco cards as ID, humorously noting that while they enjoy Costco’s offerings, those cards are definitely not on the list of valid IDs.
Back in May, TSA had outlined actual identification requirements, stating that a flyer would be necessary to secure a new ID featuring the star in the upper right corner required for flying.
In terms of acceptable identification, besides regular IDs, the TSA acknowledges other forms like a valid U.S. passport or passport card, Global Entry cards, Department of Defense IDs, permanent resident cards, and Border Crossing cards.
