WAFFLE HOUSE doesn’t just serve up hash browns to customers – they help save their lives with their own storming chasing department.
The fast food restaurant is known for staying open through severe weather systems across the United States.
The Waffle House Index is used to determine whether a store stays open or not[/caption]
A sign on a closed Waffle House on Highway 19 in anticipation of Hurricane Milton[/caption]
Waffle House’s storm chasing department in action, who determine the Index range[/caption]
They have their own storm center, with an entire operations team tracking the worst of the storms.
And they have their own Waffle House Index, to determine the severity of Mother Nature’s wrath.
The crack team will determine whether or not a Waffle House will stay open or close due to the weather.
And with dozens of 24/7 stores closing in Florida on Wednesday afternoon at 2 pm, it shows the severity of Hurricane Milton.
The restaurant hopes that shutting down certain locations will show diners how bad the Category 4 system is.
And that will help encourage them to evacuate, with fears Milton could be deadly if residents don’t flee.
The Waffle House Index has moved into the red zone for the hurricane, which is set to make landfall in the early hours of Thursday.
This is the most severe warning they can give for Tampa, Fort Myers, Orlando, Ocala, and Daytona.
They have decided to keep their Miami and Gainesville doors open for now.
As the terrifying winds of Milton approach, the Waffle House Index has gone viral on social media.
But most have only just realized its origins, which date back to 2011.
Ex-Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Craig Fugat coined the phrase.
It came after a tornado ripped through Joplin, Missouri, and two of Waffle House’s stayed open.
“If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That’s really bad,” he said at the time.
HOW THE WAFFLE HOUSE INDEX WORKS
Here’s how the Waffle House Index works – and what it means ahead of Hurricane Milton
- Red – Waffle House is closed down, indicating locals will be in need of major help
- Yellow – Waffle House is open, but there is only a limited menu due to no water or electricity
- Green – Waffle House is open and serving a full menu
“If a Waffle House can serve a full menu, they’ve likely got power (or are running on a generator).
“A limited menu means an area may not have running water or electricity.
“But there’s gas for the stove to make bacon, eggs, and coffee: exactly what hungry, weary people need.”
Waffle House’s Storm Center is open in preparation for a natural disaster.
They use weather forecasting and government advice to help them make their decisions.
FEMA uses it along with other businesses to help gauge how a community is recovering from a storm.
Others include Target, Walmart, and Lowes.
Last month, Waffle House closed some eateries in Florida in preparation for Hurricane Helene.
The deadly system went on to kill 200 people, with dozens still missing.
The Waffle House Index has been around for nearly 15 years following a tornado[/caption]
Hurricane Milton is heading towards Florida, and will make landfall on Thursday[/caption]
