On New Year's Eve, one of Sarasota's oldest and popular restaurants will be closing its doors. A city staple since 1951, The Waffle Stop has been known for its classic American breakfast and lunch, its most famous guest, and its dedicated current and final owner. 76-year-old Dolly Hollinger, who started working at the restaurant first as a waitress and then as a manager, said along with the cost of things since the COVID pandemic, she has also been facing staffing challenges, with barely a handful of dedicated cooks and waitresses staying on to keep the coffee brewing and the griddle burning. Throughout the week, after news of its closing emerged, local fans of Elvis in the community, those nostalgic for the era of their youth, or those who cherish the coziness of home-style breakfast have been trooping in to say "Goodbye Dolly." "It's a lot of tears. I'm so sad that I'm leaving. They say this is one of the last breakfast restaurants around," said Dolly Hollinger, owner, of The Waffle Stop. For more than 34 years, Hollinger has been getting up early to open the restaurant located on South Washington Boulevard.