Every once in a while, you meet someone so genuinely decent that you immediately want to support whatever it is they’re doing. Within just a few minutes of meeting Zeus at the Secret Waffle Society on the corner of Greenwood and Bond in Downtown Bend, I knew that his dream was one worth supporting. Quick with a kind smile and an immediately palpable warmth of spirit, Zeus (along with co-founder and partner Cassandra Donohoe) genuinely cares about this community and that no one, regardless of how much money they have to spend, goes hungry.
The Secret Waffle Society is a delicious study in dichotomies. It’s Bend’s best-kept secret (as it exclaims, brightly painted on the side of the cart), but also on one of the city’s busiest intersections. They sell sweet and savory stuffed waffles that are both deceptively simple and handcrafted with pride. They’re fighting food insecurity one person at a time and treating it like their privilege and not a chore. Zeus makes kindness look easy in a time when we could all use a little bit more of it.
Everything I tried was delicious and decadent, from the mouth-watering elote-style pickles to the Bavarian cream waffle, which tastes like a fried Boston cream donut that explodes flawless custardy goodness in your mouth upon the first bite. I also wouldn’t sleep on the lemon meringue waffle (which I haven’t stopped thinking about since I had it) or the maple sausage and cheddar waffle which tasted like the nostalgia I had for camping when I was a kid (the heaping side of Log Cabin syrup helps, too).
I chatted with Zeus a little about waffles, food insecurity and a few other things:
The Source: Tell me about yourself and your history with food!
Zeus: As an only child with two parents who worked well beyond 40 hours a week, I had to learn to cook relatively early on. One of my favorite and easiest foods to make were Belgian waffles from my trusty waffle maker I received as my 14th birthday present. After joining the military, I quickly learned that hardly any of my male counterparts had any sort of cooking skill whatsoever, so I was the designated chef for my six-year stint in the service.
tS: What are the origins of the food truck?
Z: It was a stoner-engineered dream born while working at a local dispensary. Sitting around selling thousands of dollars in marijuana merch and no snacks to be seen! A friend and I discussed the dismal market of good cheap munchies and an abundance of decadent, over-the-top, $7.49 for a bar of chocolate type stuff. So why not come up with something cheap and loved by all?
tS: What do you think goes into making the perfect waffle?
Z: Selflessness. Waffles are treats. Treats are meant to be enjoyed with others. Giving yourself a treat is never as good as getting one from someone else. The most perfect waffle is the one you didn’t have to make, so I’d say the way to make a waffle perfect is to share it.
tS: I know you’ve been doing a lot of work toward feeding the less fortunate in the community. What made you want to do that and how did you get involved in doing so?
Z: This one is easy, it’s the right thing to do! Snap, WIC, and EBT all consider a hot meal a luxury item and that’s some nonsense, plain and simple. Hot food is a human right.
tS: What do you hope people take away from a meal from SWS?
Z: I hope they feel like they had a moment at the carnival. A second outside of time where everything freezes and they melt into comfort. I hope it feels like the second day of winter break when you exhale and know you aren’t doing anything for two whole weeks and it’s time to be unabashedly self-indulgent. I hope they take away the break they deserve.
tS: Anything else you would like to add?
Z: You can’t eat Love or Money. Stocks and prayers can’t sustain life. However, real, tangible food does. Get out there and buy some emergency food for yourself. Then buy some food to share with those who are already in their own emergency. We can all make it together happy and healthy! If you don’t know who to give food to or how to help, you can always donate with us at SWS, or come by, and we will give you more resources where you can help!
At the end of November, The Secret Waffle Society’s lease will be up in its spot downtown and it’s still looking for the perfect place to call home, whether it be the cart, or more preferably, a brick and mortar. I can’t imagine having better neighbors than this crew, who care so much about our community and the people that make it one. Shoot them a message with any ideas at swsbend@gmail.com.
Secret Waffle Society
1123 NW Bond St., Bend
instagram.com/swsbend/?hl=en
Click Here for GoFundMe Page: Stop food insecurity in Bend with the Secret Waffle Society.
This article appears in the Source November 13, 2025.
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