Topline

Dozens of locations of the 24-hour breakfast restaurant Waffle House in Florida will close their doors at 2 p.m. Wednesday as Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in the evening, making the storm a “Red” on the state’s Waffle House Index “ will, which can happen quickly Explain the severity of an upcoming weather event.

Important facts

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Crucial quote

“If a Waffle House can serve a full meal, it probably has electricity (or runs on a generator),” Fugate said in a FEMA agency blog post several years ago. “A limited menu means that one area may not have running water or electricity, but there is gas for the stove to make bacon, eggs and coffee: exactly what hungry, tired people need.”

Important background

Waffle House closed all of its Tallahassee locations and a nearby location in Crawfordville, Florida, last month to prepare for Hurricane Helene, which killed more than 20 people in the state. The company relies on weather forecasts and government advisories when making decisions, and also tends to follow mandatory evacuation orders, USA Today said. On September 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 in the Big Bend area of ​​Florida. The storm moved through Florida and much of Georgia overnight before devastating western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. More than 200 people have died and hundreds more are missing in the southeast.

tangent

Not only is Waffle House known for staying open through the worst of times, it’s also known for bouncing back quickly. During Hurricane Irene in 2011, Waffle House lost power to 22 restaurants in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Within a few days, all but one had reopened. Weldon, North Carolina, went without electricity and served scrambled eggs and sausage biscuits cooked on a gas stove. In a blog post, Waffle House said it has taken its post-disaster business strategy particularly seriously since Hurricane Katrina closed more than 100 locations and destroyed seven in 2005. Despite the damage, “those that reopened quickly were packed with customers.”

Further reading

ForbesHurricane Helene is heading over Georgia toward the Tennessee Valley – here’s what you need to knowFrom Mary Whitfill Roeloffs
ForbesMore than 2 million people without power as Hurricane Helene hits Georgia as a Category 1 storm (Photos)From Siladitya RayForbesWhy Helene is particularly worrying for meteorologistsFrom Marshall Shepherd