Judging Hurricanes By the “Waffle House Index”

Thursday, 01 September 2011 | by Pat's Picks

Next time a big hurricane hits, don’t turn on the weather channel—just head to your nearest Waffle House. When gauging the severity of a storm, Southerners turn to something called the “Waffle House Index.” The Wall Street Journal says if a restaurant is open, that’s a good indication that things aren’t that bad. If your local Waffle House is serving a limited menu—yellow on the Waffle House Index—it means they’re getting their power from a generator and have, at best, limited supplies. On the rare occasion that Waffle House is closed? “That’s really bad,” says a FEMA administrator. The chain, which spends very little on advertising, has built a loyal customer base “around the goodwill gained from being open when customers are most desperate.”