The coronavirus has taken a heavy toll on businesses everywhere. Mainly businesses that house large gatherings of people like restaurants and entertainment centers such as sporting arenas, bars, clubs, and concert venues.
https://www.facebook.com/WaffleHouse/photos/a.463036702703/10158208864927704/?type=3&theater
One establishment that has taken a major hit is Waffle House, a regional cultural icon that employs nearly 45,000 people and is most known for having its locations in the southern states of America.
Just one month ago the franchise had 1,992 restaurants open and running but on March 25th, 2020 they gave a public update on Facebook saying they closed almost 1/4 of their restaurants due to the coronavirus lockdown.
https://www.facebook.com/WaffleHouse/photos/a.463036702703/10158273431142704/?type=3&theater
Their post stated that 418 have officially closed and only 1,574 remain open. The ones that remain open that are in states experiencing a lockdown are only allowed to fulfill carry-out orders. No one is allowed to come inside to sit down and eat. Waffle House also didn’t mention if this was a temporary close down while we’re going through the coronavirus pandemic or if it was permanent closures.
One lady commented on the post saying, “This is the saddest news to see on International Waffle Day,” which is a tradition celebrated every year on March 25th where people eat waffles. International Waffle Day is mostly celebrated in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark but recently other countries have started celebrating it as well.
Waffle House also gave a public update on March 15th saying, “We want to acknowledge the great efforts of our associates, who work hard every shift to create a safe, warm and welcoming dining experience 24 hours daily. We are working hard to support them as we do our best to manage through this crisis.”