With more than 1,500 restaurant locations across the Southeast that are typically open 24 hours every day of the year, a closure is a big deal, so much so that emergency officials informally determine how bad a storm is based on the Waffle House Index.
"If a Waffle House store is open and offering a full menu, the index is green. If it is open but serving from a limited menu, it's yellow. When the location has been forced to close, the index is red. Because Waffle House is well-prepared for disasters… it's rare for the index to hit red," according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The Panama City location is expected to reopen after Hurricane Michael passes.
#HurricaneMichael is legit people. The @WaffleHouse in Panama City Beach, Florida is now closed. pic.twitter.com/qxIfEzM3BI
— Mark Arum (@MarkArum) October 9, 2018
The Category 4 storm has 140 mph sustained winds and is expected to make landfall Wednesday afternoon.
The calm before the storm. A view from Panama City. Be safe @WaffleHouse Nation! #HurricaneMichael pic.twitter.com/pmlwyY7Mtv
— Waffle House News (@WaffleHouseNews) October 10, 2018
About the Author