The Waffle Houses I've seen that ARE posted are on a yellow sign that says "No weapons" or "No firearms" and is usually located at the end opposite of the door; generally close to the dumpster.
Again, this is just for SC; NC law is most likely different.
Most of the posted WH's in NC that I've seen are posted the same way--a sign about 12 feet off the ground, at the back of the building--unless you're LOOKING for it you'd never see it. I think they put it there thinking that the creeping sneaking thugs who are going to rob them will see it while they are sneaking up on the building... :banghead:
I went to one of the Waffle Houses in Greenville NC with another member of OCDO for lunch this past summer, and it took us nearly 10 minutes to find the sign.
As for the law and "statutorily compliant" signage in NC, the law is VERY vague (like MOST NC firearms laws). There is no proscribed verbiage or symbols for "gun ban" signs in NC Statute. There are no size, color or location specifications. The law only says that a sign must be posted "conspicuously", whatever THAT means...
§ 14‑415.11. Permit to carry concealed handgun; scope of permit.
(c) A permit does not authorize a person to carry a concealed handgun in the areas prohibited by G.S. 14‑269.2, 14‑269.3, 14‑269.4, and 14‑277.2, in an area prohibited by rule adopted under G.S. 120‑32.1, in any area prohibited by 18 U.S.C. § 922 or any other federal law, in a law enforcement or correctional facility, in a building housing only State or federal offices, in an office of the State or federal government that is not located in a building exclusively occupied by the State or federal government, a financial institution, or on any other premises, except state‑owned rest areas or state‑owned rest stops along the highways, where notice that carrying a concealed handgun is prohibited by the posting of a conspicuous notice or statement by the person in legal possession or control of the premises. It shall be unlawful for a person, with or without a permit, to carry a concealed handgun while consuming alcohol or at any time while the person has remaining in his body any alcohol or in his blood a controlled substance previously consumed, but a person does not violate this condition if a controlled substance in his blood was lawfully obtained and taken in therapeutically appropriate amounts.
So actually, if an establishment fashioned their signs per the guidelines of the NC statute (which deals ONLY with CC), then OC would be legal...
I suppose to the garbage man, the Waffle House signs are "conspicuous", but to patrons who park in front and go in through the main entrance, they are quite literally invisible.
Anyway, when I went with a friend to that WH in G-Vegas, after we found the sign, we went in anyway, because it said "No Illegal Firearms". Since both our handguns are 100% legal, and we both have NC CHPs, and WH doesn't serve alcohol or charge admission, and NC is an Open Carry State (we were OCing) the way WE saw it, the signs didn't apply to us. The management and employees didn't say a word to us.
We both got big plates of loaded-up hashies, and left good tips... :banana: