In the Southern U.S., spotting the iconic Waffle House sign means a hot meal any time of day, a stop on a long drive, or a place to gather with friends. Waffle House is Americana at its best and a symbol of pride for Southerners. Following the 2011 Joplin Tornado, FEMA Director, Craig Fugate created the Waffle House Index, an informal metric that helped FEMA determine the impact of a storm based on if the local Waffle House restaurants were closed or open. But even before the index, continuity of operations was ingrained in the culture of Waffle House. We are joined in this episode by Will Mizell, VP of People for Waffle House to talk about how they prepare, respond, and recover from a disaster. While it may not make fiscal sense to remain open, Waffle House keeps operations going for the communities they serve. Don’t be surprised if you happen to be in a Waffle House after a bad storm, the person working the grill may very well be the CEO.
