In a storm, always look to the Waffle House for comfort and information. Seriously.

[trof]

MOBILE, Alabama -- The folks in the northeast who are hard hit by Hurricane Sandy are discovering something that we here here in the hurricane-prone Gulf coast have always known, that is that as Waffle House goes, so goes the rest of the region.

It is a fairly easy and fundamental thing that we in the South have come to depend on. Very simply, if Waffle House is open, then everything is OK.

Here’s the deal. The folks at FEMA, those storm-chasing heros who spend their time hunting down and repairing the damage from storms, often use all the resources at their disposal to monitor a community’s response to a storm: They find out the status of the local Waffle House.

It's a simple method to determine the viability of a community and its response to a storm. And it’s very effective.

This is not new to me. Back in 1998, when I was dispatched with two other folks in the run-up to Hurricane Georges, I discovered the power of the Waffle House. We stopped in Gulfport, Miss., to discover that the only joint in town that was serving food was -- don’t get ahead of me here -- a Waffle House.
http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2012/10/post_46.html

[Skittles]

1. I loves me some Waffle House

yes INDEED!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

2. Mmmmmm......Waffle House.

Buttermilk batter, maple syrup and grits.


I'm sorry, what were you saying?

[jmowreader]

7. It's the hash browns and chili

And also the jukebox containing, supposedly, songs about Waffle House.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

10. Ah, yes, Waffle House Family I-XII nt.

[frazzled]

3. That's gonna be hard in a storm in New York City

I don't think there are any Waffle Houses there. Are there?

If you want to see how lower Manhattan is doing, maybe check out whether the pastrami-slicing machines are working at Katz's.

[trof]

4. There ya go. Each region has its indicator.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. White Castle, perhaps? nt

[Autumn Colors]

15. Nope, none there

According to their website, there are no Waffle Houses in the city (or state) of New York or anywhere in New England. The nearest one to Manhattan is 70 miles away in Pennsylvania.

[valerief]

6. We don't have them in New England, but we have IHOP. nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

8. Ah, yes, the famous IHOP-Waffle House line.....

http://www.theonion.com/articles/masondixon-line-renamed-ihopwaffle-house-line,9630/

?3769

(Although to be fair, there are plenty of IHOPs in the South as well....)

[valerief]

18. Ha! That does seem to be a regional divider! nt

[cbayer]

9. True. When we were driving through the tornado ravaged areas last year,

the day after the worst of it, the Waffle Houses were just about the only things open.

The employees were mopping up water, boarding up windows and serving coffee and food.

It was pretty remarkable.

[SomethingFishy]

11. I can't even look at a Waffle House without thinking of Bill Hicks

"I was in Nashville, Tennesee last year. After the show, I went to a Waffle House. I'm not proud of it, I was hungry. And I'm eating, I'm alone and I'm reading a book, right? Waitress walks over to me: 'Hey, what you readin' for?' Is that like the weirdest f#cking question you've ever heard? Not what am I reading, but what am I reading...for. 'Well, God damn it, you stumped me. Why do I read? Hmm...I guess I read for a lot of reasons, and the main one is...so I don't end up being a f#cking waffle waitress.' But then, this trucker in the next booth gets up, stands over me and goes: 'Well, looks like we got ourselves a reader.' What the f#ck's going on here? It's not like I walked into a Klan rally in a Boy George outfit, God damn it. It's a book!"

[Bosonic]

12. Popular during any calamity

[ThoughtCriminal]

19. "Dead Like Me" always made me hungry for pancakes and bacon

Extra crispy

[titaniumsalute]

13. smothered and covered

[Buns_of_Fire]

16. Don't forget scattered!

And peppered, too. (I used to know the entire litany, but they've added a few things in recent years.)

[WorseBeforeBetter]

14. The Northeast has diners, far superior to Waffle House.

But I get the gist... whatever works for people.

[Angry Dragon]

17. I have been to the Waffle House in Gautier