Hurricane Milton was expected to be nearly as bad as Katrina. Here’s why the comparison should scare restaurants

The devastating force of Hurricane Milton has drawn comparisons to the fury Hurricane Katrina unleashed on New Orleans and its famed restaurants nearly two decades ago. Indeed, the 2005 storm has become the benchwork against which all major hurricanes have been gauged in the years since. And there’s no doubt Milton was a major one.

Initial assessments say at least six people in Florida were killed in the storm, which struck the state's west coast Wednesday night. About 3 million homes lost electricity. Media coverage shows first responders wading through chest-high standing water to rescue stranded residents, and many residential areas look as if they were bulldozed. Veteran weather reporters are already predicting some parts of the state, the nation’s third largest restaurant market, will need weeks or months to recover a semblance of their pre-Milton conditions.

Early on-the-ground reports from government and safety officials suggest Milton was not as devastating as Katrina, which left about 1,400 dead in its wake, but a full assessment of the damage may not be completed for some time. Ditto for the impact on the restaurant trade in particular. 

The potential is addressed in this week’s episode of Restaurant Rewind, the podcast that delves into the industry’s past for more color on what’s happening today. Here’s a look at how restaurants fared in the Big Easy during what’s become the yardstick of how damaging a single weather event can be. 

It’s not a pretty picture, but it’s a testament to the industry’s resolution. New Orleans’ dining scene came back bigger and better than ever. Here’s to the same happening in Florida.