[FoxNews] As Hurricane Florence, now a Category 2 storm, drives toward the East Coast, Waffle House is monitoring the impending dangerous weather by activating its storm center.The popular Georgia-based diner chain, renowned for its 24-hour service 365 days per year, has an emergency routine that’s so well-regarded, the Federal Emergency Management Agency unofficially uses the restaurants' status as an indicator for the severity of a natural disaster.
After several Waffle House locations closed or were serving only a limited menu in 2004 when Hurricane Charley hit Florida, FEMA officials noted the severity of the storm damage based on the fact that the chain never closes.
“If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That’s really bad. That’s where you go to work,” then FEMA administrator Craig Fugate said.
When a storm strikes, local officials will put out a call to the nearest Waffle House and find out what’s on the menu. The “Waffle House Index” has three, color-coded levels: green means the restaurant is open and serving a full menu; yellow indicates the menu has been scaled back and there may be water but no power; and red indicates the restaurant is completely shut down—and the area is likely in need of serious assistance.
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