[devilbunny]

As others have noted, they have teams of people they bring in to staff the place in case of disaster. They are, as far as I can tell, very good to their employees, who are mostly low-skill workers dealing with an often drunk and raucous clientele. But if you want to get paid in cash every week, they will do it.

Waffle House isn't a great meal, even for a cheap diner, and it's not meant to be. It's hot and freshly cooked, though, and in the middle of a disaster that's something you might not be able to get at home (cf. the Mellow Mushroom owner in Asheville giving out pizza a couple of days after Helene - people like the pizza, but the quotes were all saying "it was just so nice to eat something hot"). And it's always open.

People starting companies who want to build loyalty: look at them. And learn. There's no southerner who doesn't know that you can get a cheap, fresh, and adequate meal from WH when everyone else is closed. You don't have to wonder if it's a 24-hour location: they all are. You see the sign, you can go.

[everforward]

Can confirm; Waffle House is almost never what I want, but damned if I’m not excited every time I go because it’s 3am, I’m drunk, and I don’t have to eat Taco Bell.

The reliability really is a thing. I don’t even look for hours on a Waffle House, I just assume that if I can drive there they’re open.

[devilbunny]

When you're slogging up I-81, just trying to do two more hours on the road before you sleep, and those yellow-and-black letters appear...