Tallahassee Waffle House Steps Up For America Hours After Hurricane Helene

Less than eight hours after Hurricane Helene slammed into Perry, Florida as a CAT 4 monster with bad intentions, a Waffle House just west of the storm track opened up in Tallahassee and restored calm to the area. 

At 7 a.m. Friday, Tallahassee resident and reporter James Call spotted the yellow sign that stood out after a worrisome night for many who wondered what the storm would bring. 

"Gave proof through the night that the waffles are there," one Twitter analyst wrote while trying to provide a lighthearted moment after the deadly storm ripped through the southeast. 

On Thursday, with the storm barreling towards the Florida Big Bend, Waffle House ordered all stores closed in Tallahassee out of caution for what's coming. You're correct to assume that's typically a bad sign. 

Accoriding to WTXL in Tallahassee, FEMA uses Waffle House closures to determine just how bad these storms will be. 

"Known as the Waffle House Index, this is a term that former FEMA head, Craig Fugate, came up with in 2011," WTXL Meteorologist Henry Rothenberg told viewers. "As Fugate stated, ‘If you get there and Waffle House is closed, that’s really bad!’

"With Waffle House’s reputation for staying open during extreme weather events, or quickly reopening after one, Fugate determined this as a good way to figure the impacts to a community and the ability to get resources to the damaged community.

"The index has three levels – Green, Yellow, and Red."

Hurricane Helene was a red level for Waffle House. 

Friday morning, with the storm pummeling Georgia, South Carolina and most of North Carolina, Waffle House was back to its normal self providing a warm meal to those who might have very few options in a storm zone. 

God bless Waffle House. Never take these places for granted. 

"If WH is open, it was a good sign. Go get y’all bellies filled and tip your servers PLEASE," a Twitter analyst added. 

Well said.