Driving north-south on interstates 94 or east-west on 10, among others, and you’d be hard-pressed to miss near the exit ramps a familiar sign consisting of 11 yellow squares, each containing a black letter used to spell two words that epitomize a different type of Southern comfort.
More than offering a hearty and relatively wholesome breakfast after a long night of entertainment or weary travel, or even serving a few classic lunch options and dinner dishes, Waffle House also represents something else of discernable and reliable value. (Noteworthy factoid: Back in the mid-1960s, Waffle House briefly served Chick-fil-A sandwiches under license, too, until they overshadowed the restaurant chain’s original fare. You don’t mess with hash browns.)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), meteorologists, weather forecasters and disaster planners use Waffle House’s schedule to determine atmospheric and climate severity. Basically, authorities use Waffle House activities and behaviors to gauge how dangerous a hurricane or tornado or other weather phenomena might be.