The Waffle House Index is an informal measure of disaster severity.
Waffle House has incredible resiliency plans including limited menus to maintain minimal operation. So for them to close? Like, actually close?
That’s a Big Deal.
Waffle House has incredible resiliency plans including limited menus to maintain minimal operation. So for them to close? Like, actually close?
That’s a Big Deal.
I know it sounds ridiculous.
But Waffle House isn’t a normal restaurant chain. It’s one that serves Hurricane Country & practices its disaster plans at least annually. It’s a chain that has trailer-restaurants ready to roll into devestated areas to restore service ASAP.
But Waffle House isn’t a normal restaurant chain. It’s one that serves Hurricane Country & practices its disaster plans at least annually. It’s a chain that has trailer-restaurants ready to roll into devestated areas to restore service ASAP.
365 Waffle House locations closed would usually mean 365 locations at Level Red on the Waffle House Index.
But the index is for storm damage, where closing down is a proxy for severe damage & flooding.
It hasn’t been calibrated to a pandemic before.
But the index is for storm damage, where closing down is a proxy for severe damage & flooding.
It hasn’t been calibrated to a pandemic before.
It’s not all Waffle Houses closed across the region. Yet.
But if Waffle House could safely operate, they would. I’ve been in the room with their emergency managers. They understand their role.
They know they’re both service & symbol.
But if Waffle House could safely operate, they would. I’ve been in the room with their emergency managers. They understand their role.
They know they’re both service & symbol.
The Southern US is mostly not takung steps to minimize deaths from this pandemic. A few states & cities are stepping up to make hard calls, but most are blowing it off.
If this is what it takes to get that danger across?
If now they finally treat this risk seriously?
GOOD.
If this is what it takes to get that danger across?
If now they finally treat this risk seriously?
GOOD.
It doesn’t need to be this bad.
People don’t need to die.
People don’t need to starve or be evicted or lose their healthcare. Hospitals don’t need to be overwhelmed.
America has resources, people, ingenuity, money, & compassion.
You have everything you need for better choices.
People don’t need to die.
People don’t need to starve or be evicted or lose their healthcare. Hospitals don’t need to be overwhelmed.
America has resources, people, ingenuity, money, & compassion.
You have everything you need for better choices.
Q: Pfft, it’s just because they can’t do table service!
A: Oh honey, do you really think Waffle House, who trains specialized jump teams to rapidly reopen facilities with pumps & generators, can’t deploy emergency takeout? Takeout has been running 24/7 for over a week!
A: Oh honey, do you really think Waffle House, who trains specialized jump teams to rapidly reopen facilities with pumps & generators, can’t deploy emergency takeout? Takeout has been running 24/7 for over a week!
Q: Is this... is this as bad as it gets?
A: That’s negotiable. Your choices shape our future.
All 2037 locations could close if failure to voluntarily shelter in place forces a full lockdown.
Or the deathcounts can rise & we may discover Level Black of destroyed buildings.
A: That’s negotiable. Your choices shape our future.
All 2037 locations could close if failure to voluntarily shelter in place forces a full lockdown.
Or the deathcounts can rise & we may discover Level Black of destroyed buildings.
Q: Pfft, they’ll reopen later! It’s no big deal.
A: Waffle House Index is
Level Green: normal operations
Level Yellow: reduced operations
Level Red: closed
Level Black: destroyed
Hitting Red is a big deal because of how many contingency plans exist to maintain Green or Yellow.
A: Waffle House Index is
Level Green: normal operations
Level Yellow: reduced operations
Level Red: closed
Level Black: destroyed
Hitting Red is a big deal because of how many contingency plans exist to maintain Green or Yellow.
Q: Are we doomed?
A: That’s negotiable. Your choices shape our future.
You can tell your mayors, governors, senators, & representatives you want strong, aggressive responses to this pandemic, valuing public health & long-term results more than immediate gratification.
A: That’s negotiable. Your choices shape our future.
You can tell your mayors, governors, senators, & representatives you want strong, aggressive responses to this pandemic, valuing public health & long-term results more than immediate gratification.
Q: But they were forced to close!
A: Yes! That’s the point!!
#WaffleHouseIndex exists as a proxy for disaster severity because if is physically possible, Waffle House will be open.
Energizer bunnies & Monty Python’s Black Knight can’t live up to Waffle House resiliency.
A: Yes! That’s the point!!
#WaffleHouseIndex exists as a proxy for disaster severity because if is physically possible, Waffle House will be open.
Energizer bunnies & Monty Python’s Black Knight can’t live up to Waffle House resiliency.
Q: Pfft, it’s just business to temporarily shutter a location during slow times.
A: Oh honey, it’s a Waffle House founding principle since 1955 that they are ALWAYS open. They net over $1 billion a year. A brief profitability dip is worth protecting their resilient reputation.
A: Oh honey, it’s a Waffle House founding principle since 1955 that they are ALWAYS open. They net over $1 billion a year. A brief profitability dip is worth protecting their resilient reputation.
Extremely minor errata:
365 red (closed) + 1627 green (open full menu, takeout-only) = 1992 total Waffle House locations.
(Added 365+1672=2037 previously)
365 red (closed) + 1627 green (open full menu, takeout-only) = 1992 total Waffle House locations.
(Added 365+1672=2037 previously)
Q: This seems like a lot. Like, a LOT. Didn't Hurricane Katrina only closed 107 locations?!
A: The previous record was Hurricane Irma shutting down 157 locations. All but 14 were up within 2 days of the storm's end, with another 9 running on generators.
A: The previous record was Hurricane Irma shutting down 157 locations. All but 14 were up within 2 days of the storm's end, with another 9 running on generators.
Q: So is this a good thing or a bad thing?!
A: Yes. It's both.
It's good because we need to distance & to slow down this pandemic so our healthcare system has a chance to keep us alive.
It's bad because shit has spiralled massively out of control to need this lockdown.
A: Yes. It's both.
It's good because we need to distance & to slow down this pandemic so our healthcare system has a chance to keep us alive.
It's bad because shit has spiralled massively out of control to need this lockdown.
Updated: Another 53 closed today.
20% of Waffle Hourses closed within 24 hours. This exact moment is going in future textbooks on American disaster response.
Will it be the first sign of the southeast getting a grip on pandemic response? Or an example of too little too late?
20% of Waffle Hourses closed within 24 hours. This exact moment is going in future textbooks on American disaster response.
Will it be the first sign of the southeast getting a grip on pandemic response? Or an example of too little too late?
