Even Waffle Houses are closing as Hurricane Ida nears Louisiana. ‘A worrying sign’

As Hurricane Ida nears Louisiana, some Waffle House restaurants near the coast are closing and bracing for impact, a “worrying sign” of what’s to come.

A strong Category 4 hurricane, Ida is expected to make landfall Sunday, bringing heavy rain and winds up to around 150 mph, the Biloxi Sun Herald reports.

Waffle Houses are famous for keeping up their 24/7 service regardless of what kind of natural disaster or catastrophe comes through, McClatchy News has previously reported.

Because of this, federal, state and local officials often use Waffle Houses to gauge the severity of destruction in a community - an unofficial system known as the Waffle House Index. In this way, Waffle House gives authorities a clearer picture of where help is needed most, McClatchy reported.

Simply put, if a community’s Waffle House is out of operation, the community is probably in very bad shape.

So, when several locations shut down in preparation for an incoming Category 4 hurricane like Ida, residents take notice.

“Seriously a worrying sign ahead of #Ida,” a local news reporter tweeted. “The Waffle House in Morgan City is closed until the storm passes.”

At least four other locations have also closed in Louisiana, in Houma, Raceland, Thibodaux, and Boutte, the Waffle House website shows.

All five of the closed Waffle Houses are in Hurricane Ida’s path, based on National Hurricane Center predictions.

Many more of the small yellow diners are still keeping the lights on across the Gulf Coast, though some with only a limited menu.

In the hours and days after Ida tears across the U.S., people will likely continue to turn to the breakfast chain as a barometer for where things stand, using the Waffle House Index.

“The Waffle House Index is divided into three tiers: Green if a store is open and offering a full menu, yellow if it’s open with a limited menu and red if it’s closed,” McClatchy reported.

This story was originally published August 29, 2021 at 12:14 PM with the headline "Even Waffle Houses are closing as Hurricane Ida nears Louisiana. ‘A worrying sign’."