Anyone who’s been familiar with the Bedford County side of the lake in the last 10 years knows that at the heart of Drifter’s is Waller’s. This is where the story of Drifter’s truly begins.

Waller’s was first opened by Waller Perrow in Summer of 2011. The next nine seasons, Waller’s built a reputation around the lake for having the highest quality proteins, seafood, cocktails and of course, customer service, which we like to refer to as the guest experience.

Jaclyn Westfall was first to join the Waller’s team at the end of the 2017 season where she served and bartended the remainder of that summer. Ryan Walters joined the team in the 2018 season, with both himself and Jaclyn stepping into management positions.

During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Ryan & Jaclyn both learned a multitude of insight about the restaurant industry, guest experience, and industry standards. They quickly were immersed in various aspects of the business and eventually began to develop a deep love for not just the restaurant industry, but for the restaurant itself, as well as the Crystal Shores family & surrounding community. As the idea of one day owning this establishment began to emerge, they sought to pursue this dream one season at a time, until the Summer of 2020.

The window of opportunity finally came in 2020 between a perfect storm of COVID-19 and Waller Perrow transitioning to a new business venture in Mariner’s Landing.

Ryan and Jaclyn were honored to have the opportunity presented to them to carry on the legacy that Waller’s started, beginning their journey as business owners during the summer of 2020 with a new name – Drifter’s. But outside of the name change, Ryan and Jaclyn both knew little else needed to be altered.  The restaurant they fell in love with from the beginning would stay the same, just with a new name & logo.

Our passion continues today with one goal – the opportunity to make an impact. We believe this starts with our incredible team, which ultimately translates to our guests, and from our guests to the larger community.

Drifter’s and Waller’s are truly one in the same at heart. The standards of food quality, customer service and providing an all-encompassing experience for guests, remain. Our goal is to continue to pursue excellence in everything we do, and give each and every one of our team members & guests an experience they’ll never forget – and one that makes them leave feeling like part of our family.

At the end of the day – it’s all about people! Our community, our guests, our team. We could not be who we are today without all of you, and YOU are what makes this all possible season after season.