Waffle House Closures Signal Severity of Hurricane Helene
The closure of Waffle House locations in Tallahassee marks a 'red' on the Waffle House Index, indicating significant community impact from the Category 4 storm.
- Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm in Florida’s Big Bend area on Thursday night.
- The storm has caused at least six deaths and left more than two million people without power.
- Waffle House closed all its Tallahassee locations, a rare move that signaled the storm's severity.
- The 'Waffle House Index,' created by former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate, uses the chain's operational status to gauge community impact.
- By Friday morning, at least one Waffle House location in Tallahassee had reopened, providing a much-needed service to the storm-affected community.
Forbes 
Mashable 
