Many Charleston Restaurants Pledge to Remain Open Ahead of Hurricane Dorian

George Street cafe Caviar & Bananas took to Instagram this morning to let customers know that it will be open for breakfast. The post stated, “Y’all, we won’t let Hurricane Dorian stop us from making sure you get your coffee and pastry fix! Come see us before you head out!”

Many bars and restaurants have pledged to remain open during the storm — as long as they have power and employees can make it into work. If you are planning on heading out today or tonight, your best bets are usually Waffle House, locally-owned bars, and hotel restaurants. Always call ahead to be sure.

Waffle Houses close so infrequently that the Federal Emergency Management Agency uses the restaurants as a barometer for disaster recovery, utilizing an informal “Waffle House Index” to measure the severity of tropical storms and hurricanes in a particular area. Essentially, if a Waffle House closes that’s a sign that a storm was — or in this case, is anticipated to be — severe.

The Waffle House Index

Green: Waffle House is serving a full menu and electricity is on.

Yellow: Waffle House is serving a limited menu, may be low on food supplies, and is likely using an electrical generator.

Red: Waffle House is closed. (This is probably a good indication that it’s time to evacuate.)

Let’s all hope the Waffle Houses stay open in the Lowcountry.

• Caviar & Bananas [Instagram]
• Hurricane Dorian: What’s Open on Tuesday? [ECHS]
• At Least One Waffle House Has Closed in Anticipation of Hurricane Florence [EN]