. >> reporter: camilla marcus owns a community sustainable restaurant in new york city. her restaurant now closed. she fears it may never come back. she along with other members of the end pend restaurant coalition have become advocates arguing that it is so crucial for economic recovery that it deserves its own bailout. >> i was asking for $120 billion for all our industries. we are working with every state that is critical. >> reporter: in new york city to the lonestar state. this waffle house just outside houston has just reopened its doors to dean-ine-in customers. >> i'd rather sit down and eat, actually, rather than take it home. it's boring. >> it's the waffle house. you don't need a reason. >> reporter: they have a reputation of keeping its griddles hots even during the worse of times. >> we've always been essential workers in hurricanes, snowstorms ice storms, we've always been here. >> reporter: fema uses the restaurants as an indicator for how dire the circumstances are, the so-called "waffle house index." the manager has been here for 20 years. >> if we close