Waffle House, which has a reputation of keeping their restaurants open in even the most dire of circumstances, announced that 365 locations across the United States have closed down because of the coronavirus pandemic:

Waffle House closes 365 locations across the U.S.https://t.co/7v69sqbNqp — WAFB (@WAFB) March 24, 2020

We’ve told you about Waffle House before and their response to hurricanes, so it’s a big deal:

Any reporter who has covered a natural disaster before knows the Waffle House does not close easily https://t.co/0D2BYayUzC — Sarah D. Wire (@sarahdwire) March 25, 2020

This just doesn’t happen:

I lived in Atlanta for 2.5 years. Everything would close from time to time. You know the one thing that never closed? Waffle House. https://t.co/BMOWPQuyeW — Frank Pallotta (@frankpallotta) March 25, 2020

Have you heard about the Waffle House index?

Time to familiarize yourself with the Waffle House index if you don't already know it https://t.co/NxLvTkYgKF — Nick Riccardi (@NickRiccardi) March 25, 2020

Good question! We’re glad you asked. This thread is pretty informative:

The Waffle House Index is an informal measure of disaster severity. Waffle House has incredible resiliency plans including limited menus to maintain minimal operation. So for them to close? Like, actually close? That’s a Big Deal. https://t.co/pnVi7d1nMY — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

I know it sounds ridiculous. But Waffle House isn’t a normal restaurant chain. It’s one that serves Hurricane Country & practices its disaster plans at least annually. It’s a chain that has trailer-restaurants ready to roll into devestated areas to restore service ASAP. — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

365 Waffle House locations closed would usually mean 365 locations at Level Red on the Waffle House Index. But the index is for storm damage, where closing down is a proxy for severe damage & flooding. It hasn’t been calibrated to a pandemic before. — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

It’s not all Waffle Houses closed across the region. Yet. But if Waffle House could safely operate, they would. I’ve been in the room with their emergency managers. They understand their role. They know they’re both service & symbol. pic.twitter.com/p9NbWX8akR — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

The Southern US is mostly not takung steps to minimize deaths from this pandemic. A few states & cities are stepping up to make hard calls, but most are blowing it off. If this is what it takes to get that danger across?

If now they finally treat this risk seriously? GOOD. — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

It doesn’t need to be this bad.

People don’t need to die. People don’t need to starve or be evicted or lose their healthcare. Hospitals don’t need to be overwhelmed. America has resources, people, ingenuity, money, & compassion. You have everything you need for better choices. — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

Q: Pfft, it’s just because they can’t do table service! A: Oh honey, do you really think Waffle House, who trains specialized jump teams to rapidly reopen facilities with pumps & generators, can’t deploy emergency takeout? Takeout has been running 24/7 for over a week! — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

Q: Is this… is this as bad as it gets? A: That’s negotiable. Your choices shape our future. All 2037 locations could close if failure to voluntarily shelter in place forces a full lockdown. Or the deathcounts can rise & we may discover Level Black of destroyed buildings. — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

Q: Pfft, they’ll reopen later! It’s no big deal. A: Waffle House Index is

Level Green: normal operations

Level Yellow: reduced operations

Level Red: closed

Level Black: destroyed Hitting Red is a big deal because of how many contingency plans exist to maintain Green or Yellow. — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

Q: Are we doomed? A: That’s negotiable. Your choices shape our future. You can tell your mayors, governors, senators, & representatives you want strong, aggressive responses to this pandemic, valuing public health & long-term results more than immediate gratification. — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

Q: But they were forced to close! A: Yes! That’s the point!!#WaffleHouseIndex exists as a proxy for disaster severity because if is physically possible, Waffle House will be open. Energizer bunnies & Monty Python’s Black Knight can’t live up to Waffle House resiliency. pic.twitter.com/VTqbUK0iWh — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

Q: Pfft, it’s just business to temporarily shutter a location during slow times. A: Oh honey, it’s a Waffle House founding principle since 1955 that they are ALWAYS open. They net over $1 billion a year. A brief profitability dip is worth protecting their resilient reputation. — Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) March 25, 2020

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Related:

The Waffle House 'Jump Team' is on the ground in Wilmington and feeding first responders https://t.co/YTRbMKmlKL — Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) September 14, 2018

No big deal, just the Waffle House CEO personally overseeing recovery operations in North Carolina https://t.co/VHPuaZDdMe — Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) September 17, 2018

‘What a picture’! Waffle House truck serves free food outside Panama City location hit by Hurricane Michael https://t.co/S9qvkNPSag — Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 15, 2018