Texans Consult Their Whataburger Apps For Power Outage Updates-Will This Become A Thing In The Carolinas?
The Lone Star State is known for many things, two of them being storms and Whataburger. And now, the two come together in an unusual partnership as Texans consult their Whataburger apps for power outage updates after Hurricane Beryl.
Why Whataburger Apps For Power Outage Updates Sounds Familiar
For those of you who are familiar with the common perception that if you see a Waffle House open, the storm has passed, it’s similar to that thinking. Many refer to that phenomenon as ‘The Waffle House Index.’ And, it’s looking like Whataburger may be joining in on the action in a similar way.
According to MSN, people in hard hit Houston are looking to Whataburger apps for power outage updates. Albeit inadvertently, the app seems to be helping folks determine where power is on in the area following Beryl.
Over 2.2 million lost power on July 8. My in-laws were among those. And, many waited nearly 2 weeks for restoration of power. So, with most Whataburger locations being open 24 hours, a closed restaurant is a tell tale sign of no electricity in the vicinity.
How Whataburger Apps For Power Outage Updates Works
Therefore, a quick check of the Whataburger apps for power outage updates makes a little sense. The Houston area has 127 locations. And, an orange W shows the spot is open, while a gray W in the app points to a closure.
Recently, we’ve had a wave of Whataburger expansion into the Carolinas. So, perhaps one day we can add Whataburger apps for power outage updates to our tool chest along with the Waffle House Index.
So, here’s a refresher concerning the Waffle House Index. According to wafflehouse.com, if after a hurricane you see a green indicator at a Waffle House, it means the restaurant is serving a full menu. Damage is limited and the lights are on.
Yellow at a Waffle House indicates the restaurant is serving a limited menu with power coming from a generator. And, the food supply may not be optimal.
And, finally, red means that location is closed and could point to severe damage and unsafe conditions. Apparently, FEMA pays attention to the Waffle House index after storms make landfall. After all, Waffle House is basically viewed as the gold standard of post hurricane response and how to be there for its communities when needed most.
In academic papers, the company is rated among the top four for disaster response along with Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe’s. So, these are lofty goals to shoot for if Whataburger ever hopes to be mentioned among the heavy hitters in this arena.
