While I may make the argument that most are probably hosting and doing php on the same server, it's not the typical approach for any custom software at this point.
Edit: No, the article mentions listening on port 80 at home. I thought they'd be SSH tunneling or something. That is unusual, but I guess for a static website it doesn't really matter.
It sorta does matter. Either the actual raspi does nothing of value or the traffic has value that should be protected.
Sure, I heard the argument that public HTTP traffic does not need encryption but if it is of any value then both parties have a interest in it unmanipulated, uncenscored, validated or all of the before. Even if it is just preventing the ISP injecting dumb ads.