Natural Disaster Strikes And The Waffle House Rocks!!!

All the recent bad weather has prompted a lot of news about natural disaster and the government  response to it. I found an article at The Huffington Post titled 'The 'Waffle House Index': FEMA Impressed By Chain's Disaster Preparedness.

My first reaction to the title was one of surprise that any government agency, especially a massive bureaucracy like FEMA would be impressed by a Private Sector Company. The Private and Government Sectors always seem at odds with each other.

So what does the Waffle House, one of my favorite late night stops when breakfast is needed at 1am, have to do with Disaster Preparedness? 

It seems that the Waffle House plans to keep their restaurants running and open in times of disasters can reflect the severity of a disaster in and around the restaurants locations.

'Its hurricane playbook explains how to reopen a restaurant and what to serve if there is gas but no electricity, or a generator but no ice. An important element is limiting the menu so the company's supply chain can focus on keeping certain items stocked and chilled or frozen.', from the article.

'Waffle House tenacity and preparedness are so watertight that FEMA Director Craig Fugate has joked that he watches a "Waffle House Index" of disaster magnitude. He can tell how bad a disaster's been by how much of its menu Waffle House is serving.'

'For example, if a Waffle House store is open and offering a full menu, the index is green. If it is open but serving from a limited menu, it’s yellow. When the location has been forced to close, the index is red. Because Waffle House is well prepared for disasters it’s rare for the index to hit red. For example, the Joplin, Mo., Waffle House survived the tornado and remained open.'

'As FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate explained to the Wall Street Journal, "If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That's really bad. That's where you go to work." The only other chains with comparable disaster management are Wal Mart, Lowe's and the Home Depot -- none of which serve pork chops or hash browns topped with chili.'

So when disaster hits, and a great meal is needed. Check to see if the Waffle House is open for business. If it is closed you know the electricity is going to be out for days.

Maybe we all should have out the Waffles House's playbook on our bookshelves.

Oh and those freaking Pork Chops on a plate in front of us!!!!

Randy