Waffle House Closures in Florida Signal Severity of Hurricane Milton

Dozens of Waffle House locations in Florida are set to close by 2 p.m. Wednesday as Hurricane Milton advances towards the state, illustrating the storm’s severity through the “Waffle House Index.” This index, a term coined by former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate in 2011, uses the operational status of the restaurant chain as an informal gauge of disaster impact.

The pending closures involve Waffle House establishments situated in and around Tampa, Fort Meyers, Orlando, Ocala, and Daytona. Meanwhile, locations in Gainesville and Miami will remain operational. According to the company’s announcement on social media platform X, the closures will be updated as circumstances evolve with the storm’s progression.

As of Wednesday morning, Hurricane Milton was classified as a “catastrophic Category 5” storm, forecasted to hit Florida’s central west coast, encompassing the Tampa area, by late Wednesday or early Thursday. The National Hurricane Center has reported the hurricane’s movement across the Gulf of Mexico, causing significant concern for potential damage.

The “Waffle House Index” employs a color-coded system: green if the restaurant is open with a full menu, yellow if operating with a limited menu, and red if the location is closed, indicating severe conditions. This index has become a reliable indicator for officials and residents assessing a disaster’s impact on a community. Fugate notably remarked, “If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That’s really bad.”

Waffle House’s decision to shut their doors aligns with the anticipated intensity of Hurricane Milton, which could be a once-in-a-century event for the Tampa and St. Petersburg areas. The closures suggest substantial destruction is expected, reminiscent of previous scenarios where the restaurant chain’s operations have been disrupted by significant weather events. For instance, the company closed locations during Hurricane Helene last month, with Hurricane Helene resulting in over 20 fatalities in Florida.

FEMA and other emergency preparedness organizations often monitor businesses like Waffle House, as they are key in understanding the socio-economic recovery of a region post-disaster. A closed Waffle House indicates potential help is needed, a methodology used by FEMA since the restaurant’s reliable operation during Hurricane Charley in 2004 and later disasters such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.