People are keeping a close eye on Waffle House as Hurricane Florence churns toward the East Coast — and there’s a weird reason why

AP

• Waffle House is famously known for staying open during natural disasters. 
• The chain’s policy has provided an unofficial way for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to track the severity of a natural disaster. If a Waffle House closes, it suggests the event was bad enough to potentially have devastating effects on the economy. The reverse is true if it stays open.
• Waffle House has not yet confirmed whether it will be closing restaurants during Hurricane Florence. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has an unusual way to track the severity of a natural disaster, and it involves Waffle House restaurants. 

The 24-hour, 365 days-a-year chain is famous for staying open during natural disasters, so when it closes, it suggests that the event was especially bad and likely to have devastating effects on the economy. The reverse is true if it stays open.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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