Why the government turns to Waffle House when tracking emergencies

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"(In the 'Waffle House Index,') green means the restaurant is open as usual, yellow means it’s on a limited menu, and red means the restaurant’s closed," Yu wrote.

"It just doesn't happen where Waffle House is normally shut down," Philip Strouse, FEMA's private sector liaison for the Southeast, told Markeplace in 2015. "... They're the canary in the coalmine, if you will."

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He added that the index "gives us a pretty good feel right away of what's going on at what time.

Waffle House officials said disaster preparedness is a major part of their ethic, including plans to rent generators as needed and a pared-down menu for efficiency.

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Unfortunately, vice president Pat Warner said, the emergency menu doesn't include bacon − or waffles.