Florida Waffle Houses Are Closing Due To Hurricane Ian & Now Floridians Are Worried
A total of 21 Waffle House locations across Florida have closed this Wednesday due to the emergency related to Hurricane Ian’s passing, confirmed a company spokesperson to Narcity. Floridians are now sharing on Twitter that this is the signal to start taking this natural disaster seriously.
The "Waffle House Index" has been around for some time now, and it is used as a way to measure a storm’s severity and how bad it can hit a community, according to an AccuWeather report. Former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator, Craig Fugate, introduced the term in May 2011.
This food chain is known for being prepared and keeping its doors open even during disastrous weather conditions. So, when the restaurants are closed, it means it is time to find a safe place yourself.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, locals are still posting humorous "hurricane scales" on Twitter — and yes, Waffle House closures mean the worst.
"The key to hurricane panic is the following: 1. if Disney closes 2. if you go to the store to buy water, and even the Dasani is gone. if the Dasani water is still there, even if all the others are gone, you’re fine. 3. if Waffle House closes," user @lesUCF tweeted.
\u201cthe key to hurricane panic is the following: \n\n1. if Disney closes\n2. if you go to the store to buy water, and even the Dasani is gone. if the dasani water is still there, even if all the others are gone, you\u2019re fine. \n3. if Waffle House closes\u201d— \ud835\udc0b\ud835\udc04\ud835\udc12\ud835\udc0b\ud835\udc04\ud835\udc18 (@\ud835\udc0b\ud835\udc04\ud835\udc12\ud835\udc0b\ud835\udc04\ud835\udc18) 1664226319
Also, some Floridians are educating foreigners about how of an "oh f*ck" situation the closure of these restaurants is.
On Wednesday, bestselling author and political strategist Rick Wilson, who’s a Florida native, wrote that "If you didn’t take it seriously before, this is The Sign," referring to the Waffle House closures in the storm’s path.
\u201cThey've closed the Waffle Houses in the storm's path.\n\nIf you didn't take it seriously before, this is The Sign. \n\nYou still have time to go, folks.\u201d— Rick Wilson (@Rick Wilson) 1664369511
The 21 affected restaurants are closed from Bradenton to Naples, Florida. According to Waffle House officials, those locations are in the projected path of the hurricane, with a few located in low-lying, potential flood zones.
These closures came after Key West, FL, was hit by this natural disaster on Tuesday night, leaving the area heavily flooded.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
