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?
As a southerner who has also pondered this, I think it's simply the basic nature of the menu and local nature of the employees.
Food is basically just pre-made batter, eggs, potatoes, and processed meat; all of which holds well and only requires limited refrigeration. Staff is pretty basic crew: Cooks and customers can order directly at the register if waiter isn't available.
Add to that a culture of staying open at all costs and there you go.
They have jump teams that come in and help get things back up and running. Since the training of the staff is standardized, jump team members can staff the restaurant and get it back up and running while the regular employees take care of personal matters.
Here'e an old article about how they do it.[1]
The Waffle House storm center.[2]
They have an emergency menu mode. Only a few items are available, and those are all ones which can be prepared rapidly in bulk.
Waffle House locations deliberately do not use any systems which require continuous Internet connectivity.
[1] https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/waffle-house-stay-open-...
> 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.
In the south, the term "maple syrup" is shorthand for "maple-flavored sugar-based syrup-like product"
It's been a while since I've been to a Waffle House, but IIRC they offer both a classic and a maple syrup.
The South... and most other places.
Well, what else do you suggest that I put on my fried corn mush?
It's likely maple-flavoured corn syrup, so rest easy :)
See also: a new incarnation of this kind of thing a few months back,
Lacking official sources, some Texans use Whataburger app to track power outages
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?)
Who sued them over this? staff that had been endangered? waffle house seems to be proud of this WHI and mentions it on their website even. [1]
[1] https://www.wafflehouse.com/how-to-measure-a-storms-fury-one...
It's my understanding that WH brings in a dedicated storm team to run affected stores rather than putting the screws on their regulars during a crisis.
Goodhart's Law. https://xkcd.com/2899/