This article is contrary to my understanding of the WHI. Waffle House doesn't know any more about a coming storm than FEMA, but how quickly (and fully) the Waffle Houses open after a storm is a good indicator of how much damage was done and how quickly the area is bouncing back.

I wish the article would communicate more about how WaHo does this. I see they tend to stock their stores with generators, but is that the only thing? Does WaHo have longer shifts, reducing the need for staff missing shifts? Why is WaHo a better indicator than other services, like public transit?

> Golden hashbrowns, gravy-smothered biscuits and crispy waffles with a hearty helping of maple syrup are among the classic Southern comfort foods

There are a lot of foods I associate with the south, but maple syrup is definitely not one of them.

I'm playing roulette with Mother Nature today. She's a wily player.

The "Stay open at all costs" mentality is dangerous to employees. All but one restaurant was closed today that I could find. Their workers have personal nneeds, too. Such as waiting in lines for hours, boarding up their home, filling sandbags, packing up, and running away, all of which I did, too. Except waiting in lines for hours for sandbags. Nonetheless, that one diner, Recipe Box, was slammed, 'cuz we all wanna eat on the run. I don't know what the right answer is.

A realtime Hurricane Milton Waffle Index map

https://walzr.com/waffle-house-index

(submittted by HNer https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41793716)

I thought this index was over, as Waffle House faced legal issues? And is now closing earlier than it would have. The index fell because it became an index (what’s the name for that?)

Previously: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15105662