In nucleate boiling the ‘bubble waiting period’, that is, the time duration between the departure of a grown bubble and the start of the formation of a new bubble from a cavity, plays a crucial role for the total heat transfer. Experiments were performed to study the influence of the heater surface characteristics on this parameter. A femtosecond pulsed laser was used to produce nano- and micro-patterned surfaces with roughness in the range of micrometers on stainless steel heater surfaces. Boiling experiments were conducted on a vertically oriented heater at atmospheric pressure and with degassed deionized water. Bubble generation, departure, sliding, detachment and inception of the next bubble have been recorded by high-resolution optical shadowgraphy. Bubble waiting periods were found to be longer for low-wettability smooth and rough surfaces. High-wettability rough surfaces showed a shorter bubble waiting period. The shortest (approximately 3 ms) and the longest (approximately 30 ms) bubble waiting periods were found for well-wetting surfaces with Sq = 0.18 µm and for low-wetting surfaces with 0.12 µm, respectively. These corresponding roughness heights are denoted as ‘optimal roughness heights’.