Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1911, from Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, where it first was served.
Wikipedia
A Waldorf salad is a salad generally made of fresh apples, celery, peanut and walnuts, dressed in mayonnaise, and usually served on a bed of lettuce as an appetizer or a light meal.
The salad was first created between 1893 and 1896 at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City (the precursor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which came into being with the merger of the Waldorf with the adjacent Astoria Hotel, opened in 1897). Oscar Tschirky, who was the Waldorf's maître d'hôtel and developed or inspired many of its signature dishes, is widely credited with creating the recipe. In 1896, Waldorf Salad appeared in The Cook Book by "Oscar of the Waldorf"; the original recipe did not contain nuts, but they had been added by the time the recipe appeared in The Rector Cook Book in 1928. The dish is featured prominently in an eponymous episode of the sitcom Fawlty Towers.
Other ingredients, such as chicken, turkey, grapes, and dried fruit (e.g. dates or raisins) are sometimes added. Updated versions of the salad sometimes change the dressing to a seasoned mayonnaise or a yogurt dressing. A variation known as an Emerald Salad replaces celery with cauliflower. The salad also may include zest of oranges and lemons.
"Waldorf Salad" is the third episode of the second series of the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers. Directed by Bob Spiers, it first aired on 5 March 1979.
Usage examples of "waldorf salad".
Somehow Profane managed to get frozen strawberries in the French dressing and chopped liver in the Waldorf salad, plus accidentally dropping two dozen or so radishes in the French fryer (though these drew raves from the customers when he served them anyway, too lazy to go after more) From time to time the Brazilian would come charging through the kitchen crying.
The stains were gone, but there was now a piece of apple from the Waldorf salad on his face.
He didn't touch the Waldorf salad, the broccoli, the baked potato, or the wedge of blueberry cobbler.
Kennedy VII had his mistress's rustic retreat swept and garnished and ready for guests A table in the pnvate dining room adjoining the master suite (which was proposed as Elizabeth's apartment) had been set with the Irish major dome's idea of a light lunch- marinated mushrooms, poached froglegs in champagne aspic, stuffed green olives, smoked salmon, plovers' eggs a la Christiana, ham souffle with asparagus tips, glazed quails cerisette, cold roast hippanon, Waldorf salad, pat6 de foie gras, sourdough breadrolls, oranges rubanees, and carob-chip cookiesIt was the first festive and civilized meal that the five leaders of the Munah evacuation had seen in months They fetl to in an atmosphere of bittersweet celebration.