Not to mention that both are typically loaded with sodium. As far as waffles, the best ones barely need a drizzle of syrup and you can pick them up ;)

Usually the chicken is good and the waffle is crap. Less often, the reverse is true with a good waffle and crappy chicken.
However when prepared correctly, I love the combo! And don’t get me started on places that go cheap on the syrup. I want real maple syrup. I want to smell the trees!

The BEST waffle, that fits your description, is a stroopwafel. I remember discovering them in Amsterdam many years ago, before they were served on UA flights and everywhere else. But that's a sweet snack or dessert, not breakfast to me.

Yeah, not the corn syrup crap. I'm fortunate to have several relatives in Wisconsin that make homemade maple syrup from trees in their land. Its light years better than anything I can find in a store. I suppose the unfortunate thing is since we don't really eat pancakes and waffles, we don't use it a lot.

I volunteer to take any syrup you won't use. :D

The best waffle that fits my description is no longer made - at the original Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland (prior to moving and then closing). And it was the best waffle that also one could order with Fried Chicken - and it was the only place I've ever been where the two worked wonderfully together. It probably didn't hurt that everything was made to order (yes, including the chicken), and so while you had to wait, and wait, and wait - it was worth the wait.

BTW, I don't love stroopwafels. They're ok, but no love.

I'm quite fond of this recipe for waffles (have never made pancakes with it because I am solidly Team Waffle). Makes a huge batch but we freeze up the extras and then can just toast them up in the morning.
Classic Sourdough Pancakes or Waffles | King Arthur Baking

I love my Steen’s. ;) I use it on pancakes, waffles and biscuits among other things. 😋

https://www.steenssyrup.com

We got a mason jar from my uncle last Easter. We still have about half left. We're going there again this Easter so I may have a jar and a half. We just really don't eat pancakes and waffles here. Although I almost talked my wife into letting me buy a waffle iron and panini press each at about 75% off on Black Friday last year. I'm not a fan of single-use kitchen items, but the prices were right. I should have just bought them and told her I found them in a box in the basement :). Even with the waffle iron, I'd probably be more likely to press hash browns in there than waffle batter...that's tucked way back in my mind from some cooking show I saw years ago.

You can use maple syrup on more than just pancakes and waffles. :) You can put them on the hash browns as well or as a substitute for honey on pizza. :p As a glaze on fish or pork or beef actually... (although you might want to thicken it even more first).

As for kitchen items, depending on the stove you have, I'd probably get one of those cast iron grill plates and maybe one of those iron press things that they put on hamburger patties....might take up a bit more space but much more useful than a panini press.

I'll cover shipping for it. :D

Was thinking... If we could convince the Quebec government we're serious about waffles and pancakes, maybe they'll open up the syrup reserve for us...

Is this the Original Pantry? Might have to try that when I get to LA!

Food of the gods!!. Perfect dutch breakfast is stroopwaffels and a pint of Heineken!

Fored to express a preference, I'd go with pancakes,but will be trying chicken and waffles when in LA later in the week!.

No offense, but none of these things sound very good to me, other than pork, which we have used it on as a spicy-sweet glaze. I just don't like savory foods to taste sweet I guess. I know that's not a mainstream opinion and am not criticizing your recommendations. I've ordered chicken and waffles once to try it, and it's fine, but I'd prefer the two to be separate.

And you have a point about the thickness. It seems slightly thinner than the maple syrup I've had elsewhere, which I consider a positive, so it does need to thicken as a glaze.

I could get on board with that, but probably as a mid-morning snack :). Preferably while walking through one of the outdoor markets.

Fair enough. My point was, you can use maple syrup on a lot of things, you just have to give it a try. You might not like the result, but it's often worth a try.

As for it's viscosity, considering how much you have to boil down sap for it to become syrup, it's no wonder why it's so expensive. That's part of the reason why a lot of the manufacturers add corn syrup to help thicken it up (and lower the cost).

As many have already said, I prefer the waffles if they're fresh-made. If they're frozen out of a box then I'll go for the pancakes. (Actually, I prefer French toast to either of them -- but that wasn't the question.)

The main reason to prefer waffles? They don't tend to drink they syrup themselves. More pancakes than not seem to absorb the syrup without getting any moister, so there's just a little bit of flavor in your mouthful of what might as well be pencil eraser gum (yep, some pancakes are that bad!).