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Waffle House: Always there through the storm

By Kareem Gantt

WILMINGTON, NC - SEPTEMBER 15: People wait in the rain to enter a Waffle House a day after Hurricane Florence hit the area, on September 15, 2018 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina as a Category 1 storm Friday and at least five deaths have been attributed to the storm, which continues to produce heavy rain and strong winds extending out nearly 200 miles. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
WILMINGTON, NC - SEPTEMBER 15: People wait in the rain to enter a Waffle House a day after Hurricane Florence hit the area, on September 15, 2018 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina as a Category 1 storm Friday and at least five deaths have been attributed to the storm, which continues to produce heavy rain and strong winds extending out nearly 200 miles. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) /
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When a natural disaster such as a hurricane knocks out many restaurants, there is one that will always be there to serve — Waffle House.

It was mid-September in Wilmington, North Carolina when Hurricane Florence decided to pay the city a devastating visit.

Florence, which was just a Category One hurricane when it made landfall, knocked out power to the entire city and even cut it off from all civilization for a time. While things were indeed sour in the city nicknamed the “Port City,” there was one place that was giving its storm-ravaged residents a beacon of normalcy — Waffle House.

In fact, in its location in downtown Wilmington, it lost power completely. In true Waffle House spirit, however, it brought in portable burners and continued to serve customers in darkness. This is Waffle House’s credo, as it always strives to keep the yellow light on through the storms.

In many ways, Waffle House is the epitome of the “24/7” restaurant.  While other chains close their doors during the storm, Waffle House keeps theirs open, closing only if things get dour. In fact, in all my years growing up in the South, I don’t think I’ve never once seen a Waffle House close, and I’ve been through my share natural calamities.

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There may be stories out there that detail the remarkability of Waffle House to stay open during natural disasters, but I don’t think that it doesn’t get the appreciation that it truly deserves. Their workers make minimum wage, but still, truck in to serve customers who are in search of a tiny morsel of normalcy and a hot meal.

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For us in the South, that normalcy is Waffle House.

Sure, we have Denny’s and IHOP, but you can count on those chains shutting their doors when the weather turns rough.

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Not Waffle House. This is a chain that doesn’t run and hide, but instead, will make sure you have a hot two-egg plate with scrambled hash browns when you need it the most.

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