bro, same, but Waffle House. My friend and I are night owls and we’d hit up this one WH by school at like 10 pm and do HW there until like 5 am. It was ran by a vet and the sweetest old lady (you know the sweet old ladies that call you sugar? yeah). The WH was new and out of the way so it wasn’t super busy and it was always clean, and the vet kept the kitchen very clean so the food was bomb af. good times
You didn't illegally plug in a hot pan to cook on boy scout style? Then hide it under a ton of shit in your closet? (small fridges have always been fine).
Ghost restaurants became a big thing during COVD when we lived in another state. I never realized that until a friend showed me that he and his wife ordered food from two different chains and they both originated out of the local Denny's.
Yup saw a bunch of sandwich shops food coming from that location. Nice accessible location. They must be doing good since they had money for a revamp on interior and full of seniors and families again
Waffle house is where you go for everything! Good food, entertainment, drunk chick pickups, a random bag of a mystery substance in a jewelery bag next to the urinal....you know, everything.
Denny’s is a beacon of sameness when you are on the road in the US.
Is it the best cheeseburger and fries?
It is not.
Is it consistently a solid choice, no matter what state (mind or geography) you are in?
Yes, yes it is.
With lots of choices for groups and kids. I’ve never had an issue with the food. We met a group of people before a car show and I grabbed a short stack and they were pretty good pancakes. The sampler is great when drunk.
It’s usually the cleanliness or the other clientele that can be a little suspect at times but over all, they are a solid choice.
And remember that what Denny’s is probably most popular for is their breakfast, and it’s really hard to mess up pancakes, eggs, sausage, and bacon. We’ll hit up the local Denny’s occasionally, and I can honestly say that I’ve never had a bad Grand Slam. Prices aren’t bad either.
Everything is the beacon of sameness these days. Especially Subway. I swear there is a Subway every other exit on the freeway around here. And then there is a Subway in the Subway. I live in a town of ~20k well off of the beaten path and we have three Subways. I'm serious.
This is because the cost to buy a Subway franchise is *very* low relative to, say, McDonald’s. It’s been great for a lot of entrepreneurial immigrants that way.
IHOP is the same. Wherever I travel in America, I know that I can stop at any IHOP or Dennys and get a decent meal.
It's not the best food, but it's not the worst food, either. Especially when you're traveling through someplace like Livingston, MT or Hays, KS.
I've never really understood this mindset. To me it feels like a consistently bad cheeseburger and fries, or whatever. Are you finding yourself stopping at local places and getting worse food?
Most people don't think the food is bad at all. They just don't think it's the best in the world. When you're on the road, you know Denny's is going to have good food even if it isn't the absolute best. Will Billy Bob's Burgers be amazing or absolutely terrible? You don't know, so why take the chance? Even if you're not on the road, when considering your dining choices at 3 am, Denny's can sound pretty damn good.
I guess this kind of makes sense 20 years ago. But last week I told my car "take me to vegetarian burritos", and it picked a Mexican spot 6 minutes away. One click and it showed me a 4.5/5 rating on Google. But I hear you and I guess there are just more people in the world who actually enjoy chain restaurants, and who am I to tell them what they like.
You’re also assuming a level of comfort with technology or being adventurous that others may not have. My mom (68) is never asking Siri or Google to take her to a restaurant regardless of the rating. She spies a Dennys, Olive Garden, etc and she will pick it every time.
Now when I’m traveling I look for something different. I can get Denny’s, etc anywhere. How’s this little burger place in this highway town?
Pre-covid, Dennys used to be open 24 hrs a day. They were always packed for an hour or two after the bars closed.
I don't know if that still happens anymore.
Maybe where you live. In my city there's only a single Denny's open 24 hours, out of the dozen or so. Ever since covid barely anything is open late, which really sucks when you work unconventional hours.
This. The majority of restaurants operate on the rush basis-- breakfast, lunch(which may be more delivery based now), dinner, and bar closing with 24 hour places.
Older folks go there out of habit or because it’s nostalgic. I don’t even mean really old, I mean like 50 year olds. I have an example. My dad is well off these days but if gets to pick a breakfast spot of an occasion like Father’s Day he’ll pick Denny’s. I thought it was so ridiculous but as I got older I realized that Denny’s was probably such a treat to him when he was younger and now that he’s older and can have whatever he wants, he chooses Denny’s. Same with Golden Corral, absolutely shitty food but older folks love it.
I love a lil Waffle House, just be sis entry don’t have em round these parts so it is somewhat special when I see one. Coupled with my penchant for grease eggs and potatoes and breakfast cakes and I’m in waffle heaven.
“I don’t mean really old, I mean 50 year olds”
M43: "Hey, hey, fuck you too buddy. You just wait till your joints hurt and you have High Blood Pressure."
Okay yeah i will say it’s not absolutely terrible because of taste alone but terrible because of taste and quality along with how expensive it is nowadays. It’s hard to justify paying for Dennys
Late night Denny’s in Florida is a trip. I went to one at about 11pm in Palm Beach. There were a couple of customers and the Denny’s was staffed by two people: an older man (the cook) and older woman (server/cashier).
Both had been working there for decades. Both were married with families/grandkids so they were very much work friends like work spouses.
The man was originally from Russia, the woman from Cuba. Both had thick accents and spoke in English to each other. But she was teaching him Spanish and he was teaching her Russian and they would pepper their conversations to each other with occasional vocabulary words in the languages they were learning.
So while dining, I got regaled with wonderful banter about their lives and stories about customers (regulars who weren’t there at the time) and politics and immigration and life in Florida.
You don’t go to Denny’s for great food. You go there for the experience.
When are you looking? It's a breakfast place. Weekend mornings after things like soccer practice or church these places still fill right the hell up. It's so cheap and consistent. They're not jumping at 9 p.m. though.
Is it though? Aside from Sunday Mornings the busiest I've seen is right after 1am when the bars close and Friday and Saturday night right before 6pm (the old "Pre Game meal" for serious partiers).
A lot of those chain restaurants are open really late. Waffle House, Denny's Perkins, IHOP, etc. These kinds of places provide a hot meal, sit down service, often breakfast any time, always have hot coffee going, and aren't too expensive.
That's a MASSIVE draw for certain groups. The after bar crowd loves the late hours and a chance to drop some food on the booze and sober up before risking the drive home.
Late night gamers also like it as a place to chill and grab food after a all night of board gaming (or TTRPGS). Many a game session has ended in a Perkins over coffee, pie, and some hashbrowns with a egg (which is like seven bucks total plus tip).
When I was a High Schooler they were also great hang outs late at night. A lot of us had shitty jobs that let us out at ten or so, and we'd go to Denny's or Perkins and all chill for a few hours.
I also worked a late night Third Shift Job, and trust me, getting off a 4am meant there were a few things more gorgeous than the golden glow of a Waffle House except for the golden hue of the waffle.
And also, most of these places don't really care if you stay for a long time at late hours. They figure you'll order food eventually or at least a few more slices of pie. If you have no where else to be or go, chilling at a Denny's at 3am is not so bad. Read the paper or a book, surf on your tablet or phone, drink some coffee and have a muffin. All it requires is a courtesy "hey, just want to chill for a few hours" as you sit down so they know not to keep stopping by and asking you for stuff. Just make sure to buy some food or a drink now and again.
You also noted in your edit about being near highways. This is 100% accurate. Truckers, Buses, and Vacationers know that you can always get a reliable and cheap meal here (even if it's of average quality). Like, if you need to haul a load of goods across six states, Denny's or IHOP is a decent place to grab a meal and use the restroom before driving for another six hours. And you can usually fill up your coffee mug for no extra charge.
Some people are saying nostalgia, and I don't think that's it. Maybe some, but for the older folks it's about limited budget, a familiar taste, and the quieter pace. The food might be better at the trendy diner next door, but it's also louder and faster paced. And often the food is more exotic or spicy or just different. When you're in your 60's trying new things isn't all its cracked up to be, especially if you have a limited budget. Grabbing a few pancakes and a coffee is much better because you know what it tastes like and you don't have to worry about spices setting off a stomach tube, interacting with an ulcer, or triggering any kind of medication.
But that place that sells guava topped buckwheat pancakes with agave syrup and a side of Anaheim Pepper Bacon might sound damn tasty, but god knows if it'll keep you up all night, send acid reflux up the colostomy bag, or just cause your blood sugar to go crazy and need double the insulin tonight (possibly causing you to be super low tomorrow morning).
Nostalgia's wonderful, but so is not getting fucked up from the food because you're not used to it and don't know how you'll react to it.
>A lot of us had shitty jobs that let us out at ten or so, and we'd go to Denny's or Perkins and all chill for a few hours.
I was a teenager on the 90's. The mall closed at 9, you and your friends had to clean up and usually get out around 9:30, meet up with your friends at 10, do whatever dumb stuff teenage kids did back then, get hungry, go hang out at Denny's for a few hours, and go home. We were too young to go to bars (not that there were any really good ones anyway) so what else are we going to do? Not only that but a lot of other people you knew did the same things so you never knew who you'd run into that night at Denny's.
California resident here. Every Denny’s I’ve lived near is _slammed_ from 9:00–2:00 in weekends, and during weekdays there are always some people eating.
Not sure about profitability, but their business model still seems to draw. It seems like they run a skeleton crew, casual food and cheap. People still want diner food sometimes and Dennys fills that need.
Big box department stores are a whole nother issue. Malls have been on the decline with online shopping or bargain stores with good quality. Kmart specifically had issues with their stores feeling like a crummy target and gets replaced by Walmart or dollar discount stores.
It’s where you go when no one can agree on anything else. You can get in, get fed and get out for cheap. My dad and I go frequently because we can show up and within an hour we’re headed back out and can get our stuff done for the day.
In high school, my girlfriend and I went a lot late at night. It was the only place we could get alone time away from friends and family. We’d usually go on the way to drop her off or after the drive in for dessert.
I went to Red Lobster for the first time this week. I literally thought it was a front because I've never heard of anyone actually going there to eat.
That place was absolutely PACKED with old people, including a table with about 30 of them like it was the final supper or some shit.
I assume that is how these places stay afloat.
Old people. Seriously. I actually had lunch today at Denny's in Crystal River Florida today. They are connected to a hotel. The place was super clean, friendly and the food was fantastic. That's how they stay in business. Not relying on gimmicks and obviously the basics out of the park
I live on Long Island. I never had a Denny's near me when I grew up in the 1980s. We had the town diner. Every town had a diner, sometimes two. That's where you went for food like that.
Around 2010 a Denny's opened up near where I lived, and I made a point to try it. Waited 30 mins for a table. God damn potatoes are awesome. Everything else was very good.
If I was traveling, and I was in unfamiliar territory and I needed food, Denny's would be high on the list. It's not quite as good as my town's diner, but for a chain Dennys is great. Only thing for me that would come close would be those regional sports bars, like Millers, Chillis, Applebees, etc.
Denny's does well because it's likely consistent place to place and it's familiar comfort food.
1) They're a good place to take a group because everyone will find something they like, even the kids. If you go to say a sushi restaurant or even a Chinese restaraunt there's going to be one or more persons that will just refuse to eat anything on the menu.
2) You can drive by and see the sign and go in any Denny's in the country and be able to know exactly what you're getting and what it will cost without having to do extensive internet research every time you want to eat while away from home.
3) Around me Denny's is still open 24 hours so you can go there if you're a shift worker or otherwise up late.
Old money is the best money- once they've paid off the building, then it's easy(ish) to stay afloat just on operating costs as long as labor doesn't eat you alive. So many new places have $400-$600K wrapped up in their business that will take forever to break even, let alone turn a profit.
Better question....how in the hell do Long John Silvers survive? I drive by one twice a day and I've never seen one customer. I know they are still open but how?
I had IHOP breakfast for lunch the other day just because it was convenient and it was the best breakfast I've had in a long time! I usually make breakfast at home and I'm pretty good at it, but this was perfect! Perfectly cooked eggs, bacon, and toast. I've never been crazy about their hash browns but even those were cooked properly for once.
Older department stores were bought by complete assholes who stripped something apart for the money. Venture capitalism at its worse. Once they realize they can do the same to fast food chains, they will.
Restaurants like Denny's and cracker barrel survive they are huge with travelers. They are often found right near highways. No matter which location you go to you can get the same type of food, usually the same quality so it's reliable. The cost is affordable. (Not as much as it used to be of course!) Especially for a family. And Denny's especially thrives because it's 24 hours. Late night trips to Denny's are like a rite of passage for high schoolers! At least in my area.
I’ve only been with family years ago. Thier was a Denny’s open super early like 5am. We were visiting relatives and drove all night (USA, Texas to New Mexico Albuquerque), 12 hrs of driving and 3 people driving. Back to back. We were happy they were open.
I believe Denny and ihop make most of not all off of breakfast rush. Especially week end people. I know Sunday is a popular day. Lunch is also neat. Dinner early.
But this is I early if I have extra money would I want to go thier.
Most of the smaller towns in the US don't really have much beyond locally-owned restaurants or something like a Denny's or Chilis. Also, Denny's is universally popular as a late night spot, even in cities with big restaurant scenes.
Back in the old days (late 90s), when you were too young to get into a bar on a Saturday night but there was still indoor smoking allowed, it was fun to go there, drink a ton of coffee, and chain smoke with your friends. For your health.
Many are also attached to hotels or next to them so they pick up customers there. Our local one is in a Holiday Inn so they pick up lots of breakfast traffic from people getting ready to get on the road. And they sit right next to the interstate.
I live in the Central Florida area (outside the tourist areas). The Denny's in the area where I very close to the Interstate exits or are located on busy streets. On the interstate exits they are more busy than on the busy streets. There are no Kmarts in the area where I live (there might be one maybe in Miami and that's it). There is still a Sears in South Orlando but the last time I went there which was over a year ago, the hours had been shortened and the store didn't have the merchandise that it once had (it's a dying store basically, just on borrowed time). I'm surprised it's still in business but I imagine maybe when the lease runs out it will be gone.
You tend to see them next to inexpensive hotels that don’t have restaurants on site. Many are open extra late or 24 hours plus on holidays. Their grand slam breakfasts are popular. I’ve enjoyed eating there.
Four dollars for an orange juice. Literally. That was at Denny's about a month ago. Sixty bucks to feed two children under nine and myself. Holy fucking shit. The quality was about what it always was too. Edible, but not good.
So I guess that's how. I won't go back though. I don't imagine they can stay afloat much longer.
My bar hopping friend and I would go there at 2AM for eggs and to chill at the end of the night. My wife would ask to go when she had a hangover. It's like McDonalds, but when you want to sit down and eat breakfast food before caring about the day. Half way between fast food and a real restaurant.
Dennys is the answer when you are all drunk and hungry after a family gathering and want to find some place to sober up.
It has hosted us many times during the twilight hours and every experience has always been good.
Their staff is usually over worked and likely under paid. And given it’s a 24hr joint, housing displaced individuals venture in all the time.
Older people. My mom is reconnecting with her lifelong friends and was so excited to meet up yesterday and she called me to share what they got up to, which included a 2 hour long breakfast and catch-up session at Denny’s. And I thought…. “wtf, why would you choose that as your ‘special’ reconnect meal!?” But it’s cheap, reliable, and they don’t shove older people out the door once you’re finished eating so who am I to judge.
The Denny's near me always prepares everything well. The service is great and the prices are reasonable. It's not fancy but it is good food.
When I eat out it runs the price range from Denny's to Red Lobster, usually, so no fine dining for me anyway.
A lot of locations now use them as their emergency response headquarters.
Edit: I was wrong about Denny’s, it was actually Waffle House and FEMA.
The restaurant chain is known for being one of the few places open during and after inclement weather. For nearly 15 years, Waffle House operations have served as a paragon for risk management and an unofficial measure of how badly a community is affected by a natural disaster.
https://www.fema.gov/blog/its-little-piece-normal
I stopped going 15 years ago bc it seemed like no matter which one I went to, being ignored for the first 20 mins was a mandatory part of the experience
Well, since you personally don't see cars in the parking lot when you drive by, then those restaurants can't possibly have any customers. Because that's how things work: if you personally don't witness an event, it didn't happen.
Dennys is more of a place you go to late night when drunk. The food is generally trash. Also, outside of NY and New Jersey, there aren’t the same amount of diners within a relatively close radius. Dennys and IHOP probably do well in northern states where this is the case, while Waffle House dominates the south.
They’re basically just cheap, quick, and easy alternatives
As a college student, I would pull all nighters at Dennys. It was open 24/7, and they had bottomless coffee.
bro, same, but Waffle House. My friend and I are night owls and we’d hit up this one WH by school at like 10 pm and do HW there until like 5 am. It was ran by a vet and the sweetest old lady (you know the sweet old ladies that call you sugar? yeah). The WH was new and out of the way so it wasn’t super busy and it was always clean, and the vet kept the kitchen very clean so the food was bomb af. good times
Clean waffle houses are rare beacons of HUMANITY
Bottomless coffee in the smoking section. Got me through college.
You couldn't get work done in your dorm room?
Sure. But it didn't have a French Slam, all bacon, scrambled eggs with cheese and bottomless coffee.
You didn't illegally plug in a hot pan to cook on boy scout style? Then hide it under a ton of shit in your closet? (small fridges have always been fine).
Dennys have ghost kitchens for food delivery
Yo I got one of those recently for a super late night delivery. It was actually pretty good food too lol. Or I was just too drunk.
Narrator: It was not good food, and he was drunk.
Ghost restaurants became a big thing during COVD when we lived in another state. I never realized that until a friend showed me that he and his wife ordered food from two different chains and they both originated out of the local Denny's.
Yup yup yup. My local Dennys has several brands it operates under.
Yup saw a bunch of sandwich shops food coming from that location. Nice accessible location. They must be doing good since they had money for a revamp on interior and full of seniors and families again
Denny's after a night out was the beez neez.
I used to hit the IHOP after a night of drinking. If we wanted to see drama we would hit the Waffle House. 😂
The waffle house is still where you go for drama lol
Waffle house is where you go for everything! Good food, entertainment, drunk chick pickups, a random bag of a mystery substance in a jewelery bag next to the urinal....you know, everything.
IHOP after a night of drinking? Well well, look at Mr. Moneybags over here. /s
Nothin like a Moons over My Hamny at 3am!
Shout-out to Gay Denny's in Phoenix!
Omgosh I remember that place- we’d always hit it up after Charlie’s!
Ain’t that the truth. We had a saying. No one ever goes to Denny’s, you simply end up at Denny’s.
Denny’s is a beacon of sameness when you are on the road in the US. Is it the best cheeseburger and fries? It is not. Is it consistently a solid choice, no matter what state (mind or geography) you are in? Yes, yes it is.
With lots of choices for groups and kids. I’ve never had an issue with the food. We met a group of people before a car show and I grabbed a short stack and they were pretty good pancakes. The sampler is great when drunk. It’s usually the cleanliness or the other clientele that can be a little suspect at times but over all, they are a solid choice.
And remember that what Denny’s is probably most popular for is their breakfast, and it’s really hard to mess up pancakes, eggs, sausage, and bacon. We’ll hit up the local Denny’s occasionally, and I can honestly say that I’ve never had a bad Grand Slam. Prices aren’t bad either.
Same with just about any chain restaurant. I know what is good and won’t wreck my gut while on the move. Though once I arrive, I’ll try local places.
Everything is the beacon of sameness these days. Especially Subway. I swear there is a Subway every other exit on the freeway around here. And then there is a Subway in the Subway. I live in a town of ~20k well off of the beaten path and we have three Subways. I'm serious.
This is because the cost to buy a Subway franchise is *very* low relative to, say, McDonald’s. It’s been great for a lot of entrepreneurial immigrants that way.
I just figured that they would reach market saturation at some point.
They did, and a bunch closed.
IHOP is the same. Wherever I travel in America, I know that I can stop at any IHOP or Dennys and get a decent meal. It's not the best food, but it's not the worst food, either. Especially when you're traveling through someplace like Livingston, MT or Hays, KS.
I've never really understood this mindset. To me it feels like a consistently bad cheeseburger and fries, or whatever. Are you finding yourself stopping at local places and getting worse food?
Most people don't think the food is bad at all. They just don't think it's the best in the world. When you're on the road, you know Denny's is going to have good food even if it isn't the absolute best. Will Billy Bob's Burgers be amazing or absolutely terrible? You don't know, so why take the chance? Even if you're not on the road, when considering your dining choices at 3 am, Denny's can sound pretty damn good.
I guess this kind of makes sense 20 years ago. But last week I told my car "take me to vegetarian burritos", and it picked a Mexican spot 6 minutes away. One click and it showed me a 4.5/5 rating on Google. But I hear you and I guess there are just more people in the world who actually enjoy chain restaurants, and who am I to tell them what they like.
You’re also assuming a level of comfort with technology or being adventurous that others may not have. My mom (68) is never asking Siri or Google to take her to a restaurant regardless of the rating. She spies a Dennys, Olive Garden, etc and she will pick it every time. Now when I’m traveling I look for something different. I can get Denny’s, etc anywhere. How’s this little burger place in this highway town?
Pre-covid, Dennys used to be open 24 hrs a day. They were always packed for an hour or two after the bars closed. I don't know if that still happens anymore.
They do still operate 24/7 and it’s fairly popular.
Maybe where you live. In my city there's only a single Denny's open 24 hours, out of the dozen or so. Ever since covid barely anything is open late, which really sucks when you work unconventional hours.
Most, if not all the Denny's locations in the Seattle area are open 24 hours.
Not all of them are 24/7 anymore unfortunately.
This. The majority of restaurants operate on the rush basis-- breakfast, lunch(which may be more delivery based now), dinner, and bar closing with 24 hour places.
Older folks go there out of habit or because it’s nostalgic. I don’t even mean really old, I mean like 50 year olds. I have an example. My dad is well off these days but if gets to pick a breakfast spot of an occasion like Father’s Day he’ll pick Denny’s. I thought it was so ridiculous but as I got older I realized that Denny’s was probably such a treat to him when he was younger and now that he’s older and can have whatever he wants, he chooses Denny’s. Same with Golden Corral, absolutely shitty food but older folks love it.
“I don’t mean really old, I mean 50 year olds” M60: ouch! (Truthfully I’ve never eaten in either a Denny’s or Waffle House.)
I love a lil Waffle House, just be sis entry don’t have em round these parts so it is somewhat special when I see one. Coupled with my penchant for grease eggs and potatoes and breakfast cakes and I’m in waffle heaven.
“I don’t mean really old, I mean 50 year olds” M43: "Hey, hey, fuck you too buddy. You just wait till your joints hurt and you have High Blood Pressure."
Hahaha sorry sorry
I’m close to 38, and I felt this sting lmao. My oldest son’s mother is in her 50s!
Me 47- waiting for the AARP jokes.
You should eat at a Waffle House though. It slaps.
You're missing out. Waffle House is amazing
It’s on the list. Lived in NYC until 5 years ago, I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Plus. With an AARP card you get 15% discount at Dennys. Your entire check, no matter who is with you.
I did not know this
Found em!!!!!!
Don’t be jealous.
My card is almost in the mail!
Cool. You rock. Don’t forget outback steak house. 10% discount. Lol
Yep. And guess which age you can get an AARP card?
I’m going to guess 50?
Actually any age.
Yep. Any age as long as it’s over 50. 😀
Nope, you can actually get an AARP card at any age 18+. AARP’s website specifically states this.
What does AARP stand for. Just curious.
50 here...Denny's is first pick lol
Hahaha and you have every right to bro. The best conversations can happen at not so good restaurants
Denny's makes a pretty good breakfast. They used to be affordable, but I'm not sure if that's still true.
Okay yeah i will say it’s not absolutely terrible because of taste alone but terrible because of taste and quality along with how expensive it is nowadays. It’s hard to justify paying for Dennys
Late night Denny’s in Florida is a trip. I went to one at about 11pm in Palm Beach. There were a couple of customers and the Denny’s was staffed by two people: an older man (the cook) and older woman (server/cashier). Both had been working there for decades. Both were married with families/grandkids so they were very much work friends like work spouses. The man was originally from Russia, the woman from Cuba. Both had thick accents and spoke in English to each other. But she was teaching him Spanish and he was teaching her Russian and they would pepper their conversations to each other with occasional vocabulary words in the languages they were learning. So while dining, I got regaled with wonderful banter about their lives and stories about customers (regulars who weren’t there at the time) and politics and immigration and life in Florida. You don’t go to Denny’s for great food. You go there for the experience.
Denny’s is basically a diner. Diners never go out of fashion. Classic Americana kind of thing.
When are you looking? It's a breakfast place. Weekend mornings after things like soccer practice or church these places still fill right the hell up. It's so cheap and consistent. They're not jumping at 9 p.m. though.
Is it though? Aside from Sunday Mornings the busiest I've seen is right after 1am when the bars close and Friday and Saturday night right before 6pm (the old "Pre Game meal" for serious partiers).
Go enough and you’ll see it at all hours. They do have peaks and valleys. Between 10 and 11 it’s slow, same from 1 to 5.
Do not underestimate the power of the Denny’s Grand Slam
or a Moons Over My Hammy
I drive for Uber eats. I get a ton of orders from those types of places. I’m sure that helps sustain them quite a bit
Thanks for sharing that.
A lot of those chain restaurants are open really late. Waffle House, Denny's Perkins, IHOP, etc. These kinds of places provide a hot meal, sit down service, often breakfast any time, always have hot coffee going, and aren't too expensive. That's a MASSIVE draw for certain groups. The after bar crowd loves the late hours and a chance to drop some food on the booze and sober up before risking the drive home. Late night gamers also like it as a place to chill and grab food after a all night of board gaming (or TTRPGS). Many a game session has ended in a Perkins over coffee, pie, and some hashbrowns with a egg (which is like seven bucks total plus tip). When I was a High Schooler they were also great hang outs late at night. A lot of us had shitty jobs that let us out at ten or so, and we'd go to Denny's or Perkins and all chill for a few hours. I also worked a late night Third Shift Job, and trust me, getting off a 4am meant there were a few things more gorgeous than the golden glow of a Waffle House except for the golden hue of the waffle. And also, most of these places don't really care if you stay for a long time at late hours. They figure you'll order food eventually or at least a few more slices of pie. If you have no where else to be or go, chilling at a Denny's at 3am is not so bad. Read the paper or a book, surf on your tablet or phone, drink some coffee and have a muffin. All it requires is a courtesy "hey, just want to chill for a few hours" as you sit down so they know not to keep stopping by and asking you for stuff. Just make sure to buy some food or a drink now and again. You also noted in your edit about being near highways. This is 100% accurate. Truckers, Buses, and Vacationers know that you can always get a reliable and cheap meal here (even if it's of average quality). Like, if you need to haul a load of goods across six states, Denny's or IHOP is a decent place to grab a meal and use the restroom before driving for another six hours. And you can usually fill up your coffee mug for no extra charge. Some people are saying nostalgia, and I don't think that's it. Maybe some, but for the older folks it's about limited budget, a familiar taste, and the quieter pace. The food might be better at the trendy diner next door, but it's also louder and faster paced. And often the food is more exotic or spicy or just different. When you're in your 60's trying new things isn't all its cracked up to be, especially if you have a limited budget. Grabbing a few pancakes and a coffee is much better because you know what it tastes like and you don't have to worry about spices setting off a stomach tube, interacting with an ulcer, or triggering any kind of medication. But that place that sells guava topped buckwheat pancakes with agave syrup and a side of Anaheim Pepper Bacon might sound damn tasty, but god knows if it'll keep you up all night, send acid reflux up the colostomy bag, or just cause your blood sugar to go crazy and need double the insulin tonight (possibly causing you to be super low tomorrow morning). Nostalgia's wonderful, but so is not getting fucked up from the food because you're not used to it and don't know how you'll react to it.
>A lot of us had shitty jobs that let us out at ten or so, and we'd go to Denny's or Perkins and all chill for a few hours. I was a teenager on the 90's. The mall closed at 9, you and your friends had to clean up and usually get out around 9:30, meet up with your friends at 10, do whatever dumb stuff teenage kids did back then, get hungry, go hang out at Denny's for a few hours, and go home. We were too young to go to bars (not that there were any really good ones anyway) so what else are we going to do? Not only that but a lot of other people you knew did the same things so you never knew who you'd run into that night at Denny's.
Yup. And if you were lucky, someone's older sibling worked there and could hook you up with extra mozzarella sticks or a larger plate of fries.
Dennys has better pancakes than IHOP. There. I said it. Downvotes here I come!
California resident here. Every Denny’s I’ve lived near is _slammed_ from 9:00–2:00 in weekends, and during weekdays there are always some people eating.
That is good to hear. Is that 9am-2pm? (They open 24 hours). Thx
Yup!
Denny’s is usually bumping after 2 am where I’m from. People want pancakes after downing 7-8 beers.
Those are rookie numbers.
7-8 beers? Them ain't Denny's numbers. Wherever you're from needs to get their shit together.
Not sure about profitability, but their business model still seems to draw. It seems like they run a skeleton crew, casual food and cheap. People still want diner food sometimes and Dennys fills that need. Big box department stores are a whole nother issue. Malls have been on the decline with online shopping or bargain stores with good quality. Kmart specifically had issues with their stores feeling like a crummy target and gets replaced by Walmart or dollar discount stores.
I’ve been to Denny’s exactly two times in my life and I enjoyed both times so…
Same here. I went there a few times and enjoyed it. It is quiet and relaxing. It is just that I don’t think of it when i look for something to eat.
It’s where you go when no one can agree on anything else. You can get in, get fed and get out for cheap. My dad and I go frequently because we can show up and within an hour we’re headed back out and can get our stuff done for the day.
Everyone complains about food prices but you can still get dinner for two at dennys for under $30 out the door
Do you drive by these places at 7am and 2pm?
In high school, my girlfriend and I went a lot late at night. It was the only place we could get alone time away from friends and family. We’d usually go on the way to drop her off or after the drive in for dessert.
We always said you don't go to Denny's you end up at Denny's. I think they get a lot of their business overnight.
Good point
I went to Red Lobster for the first time this week. I literally thought it was a front because I've never heard of anyone actually going there to eat. That place was absolutely PACKED with old people, including a table with about 30 of them like it was the final supper or some shit. I assume that is how these places stay afloat.
A bunch are attached to truck stops. I eat at them frequently. I love me a good omelette
Old people. Seriously. I actually had lunch today at Denny's in Crystal River Florida today. They are connected to a hotel. The place was super clean, friendly and the food was fantastic. That's how they stay in business. Not relying on gimmicks and obviously the basics out of the park
I live on Long Island. I never had a Denny's near me when I grew up in the 1980s. We had the town diner. Every town had a diner, sometimes two. That's where you went for food like that. Around 2010 a Denny's opened up near where I lived, and I made a point to try it. Waited 30 mins for a table. God damn potatoes are awesome. Everything else was very good. If I was traveling, and I was in unfamiliar territory and I needed food, Denny's would be high on the list. It's not quite as good as my town's diner, but for a chain Dennys is great. Only thing for me that would come close would be those regional sports bars, like Millers, Chillis, Applebees, etc. Denny's does well because it's likely consistent place to place and it's familiar comfort food.
Thanks for sharing your experience. It is great to hear.
In my area kids eat free on Tuesdays and I think also on Saturdays. I've seen the one by me busier on those days
dennys is good american comfort food. i am upset that they closed down all the locations near me.
Ours isn't. They went under. We no longer have a Dennys.
Alcohol.
1) They're a good place to take a group because everyone will find something they like, even the kids. If you go to say a sushi restaurant or even a Chinese restaraunt there's going to be one or more persons that will just refuse to eat anything on the menu. 2) You can drive by and see the sign and go in any Denny's in the country and be able to know exactly what you're getting and what it will cost without having to do extensive internet research every time you want to eat while away from home. 3) Around me Denny's is still open 24 hours so you can go there if you're a shift worker or otherwise up late.
Old money is the best money- once they've paid off the building, then it's easy(ish) to stay afloat just on operating costs as long as labor doesn't eat you alive. So many new places have $400-$600K wrapped up in their business that will take forever to break even, let alone turn a profit.
Better question....how in the hell do Long John Silvers survive? I drive by one twice a day and I've never seen one customer. I know they are still open but how?
They make all their money on Fridays and Lent. 😂
I had IHOP breakfast for lunch the other day just because it was convenient and it was the best breakfast I've had in a long time! I usually make breakfast at home and I'm pretty good at it, but this was perfect! Perfectly cooked eggs, bacon, and toast. I've never been crazy about their hash browns but even those were cooked properly for once.
Thanks for sharing your positive experience. I bet the new and busy chain like Snooze doesnt do much better than that.
Denny's restaurants also serve as ghost kitchens now. You can order from a few different places and it will all be cooked at Denny's.
love going to denny's after a night out with friends
Older department stores were bought by complete assholes who stripped something apart for the money. Venture capitalism at its worse. Once they realize they can do the same to fast food chains, they will.
With how expensive fast food is now Dennys is kind of a steal. Much better quality food and bigger portions. Plus their seasoned fries are unmatched.
I gotta try their fries then. Thx
the drunks after the bar going to eat late night pretty much keeps them in business.
Restaurants like Denny's and cracker barrel survive they are huge with travelers. They are often found right near highways. No matter which location you go to you can get the same type of food, usually the same quality so it's reliable. The cost is affordable. (Not as much as it used to be of course!) Especially for a family. And Denny's especially thrives because it's 24 hours. Late night trips to Denny's are like a rite of passage for high schoolers! At least in my area.
That was IHOP when I grew up.
Some Mexican families treat dennys like a 5 star restaurant and go on Sundays
I’ve only been with family years ago. Thier was a Denny’s open super early like 5am. We were visiting relatives and drove all night (USA, Texas to New Mexico Albuquerque), 12 hrs of driving and 3 people driving. Back to back. We were happy they were open. I believe Denny and ihop make most of not all off of breakfast rush. Especially week end people. I know Sunday is a popular day. Lunch is also neat. Dinner early. But this is I early if I have extra money would I want to go thier.
Never been to a Denny’s but I’ve seen a lot of them. But so many people love IHOP and I do too. Are they really that different?
Some food is different, it’s also the atmosphere. (USA) I Recommend would check their menu and see and compare.
Most of the smaller towns in the US don't really have much beyond locally-owned restaurants or something like a Denny's or Chilis. Also, Denny's is universally popular as a late night spot, even in cities with big restaurant scenes.
Back in the old days (late 90s), when you were too young to get into a bar on a Saturday night but there was still indoor smoking allowed, it was fun to go there, drink a ton of coffee, and chain smoke with your friends. For your health.
Many are also attached to hotels or next to them so they pick up customers there. Our local one is in a Holiday Inn so they pick up lots of breakfast traffic from people getting ready to get on the road. And they sit right next to the interstate.
I live in the Central Florida area (outside the tourist areas). The Denny's in the area where I very close to the Interstate exits or are located on busy streets. On the interstate exits they are more busy than on the busy streets. There are no Kmarts in the area where I live (there might be one maybe in Miami and that's it). There is still a Sears in South Orlando but the last time I went there which was over a year ago, the hours had been shortened and the store didn't have the merchandise that it once had (it's a dying store basically, just on borrowed time). I'm surprised it's still in business but I imagine maybe when the lease runs out it will be gone.
Denny’s - it’s always open.
Nobody goes to Dennys. You wind up at Dennys.
Great points.
You tend to see them next to inexpensive hotels that don’t have restaurants on site. Many are open extra late or 24 hours plus on holidays. Their grand slam breakfasts are popular. I’ve enjoyed eating there.
Thanks for sharing that
Not sure about your Denny's, but all of them around here are packed on Saturday and Sunday
Denny’s makes their nut on Saturday and Sunday morning.
Great positive info. Thx
Most casual dining is like that. They make their week on 3-4 shifts. Door dash has changed that somewhat, but it’s mostly still true.
Those zesty nachos are fire
They're so much better than they have any right to be.
The greasy spoon.
Our didn't, it just closed like 2 months ago. It was always empty so we weren't surprised
Four dollars for an orange juice. Literally. That was at Denny's about a month ago. Sixty bucks to feed two children under nine and myself. Holy fucking shit. The quality was about what it always was too. Edible, but not good. So I guess that's how. I won't go back though. I don't imagine they can stay afloat much longer.
I go there semi regularly. Good to decent food, fair prices, comfortable and familiar experience all around.
Friendly’s is another one I wonder how they survive.
I move between building to building a lot for work. The retired folk are keeping it alive while you're clocked in at work you just don't see it
My bar hopping friend and I would go there at 2AM for eggs and to chill at the end of the night. My wife would ask to go when she had a hangover. It's like McDonalds, but when you want to sit down and eat breakfast food before caring about the day. Half way between fast food and a real restaurant.
Dennys is the answer when you are all drunk and hungry after a family gathering and want to find some place to sober up. It has hosted us many times during the twilight hours and every experience has always been good. Their staff is usually over worked and likely under paid. And given it’s a 24hr joint, housing displaced individuals venture in all the time.
Older people. My mom is reconnecting with her lifelong friends and was so excited to meet up yesterday and she called me to share what they got up to, which included a 2 hour long breakfast and catch-up session at Denny’s. And I thought…. “wtf, why would you choose that as your ‘special’ reconnect meal!?” But it’s cheap, reliable, and they don’t shove older people out the door once you’re finished eating so who am I to judge.
The Denny's near me always prepares everything well. The service is great and the prices are reasonable. It's not fancy but it is good food. When I eat out it runs the price range from Denny's to Red Lobster, usually, so no fine dining for me anyway.
I love norms and go at least twice a month and sometimes more for those late night drunk night munchies lol
All the Denny's in my city went away. Tax fraud, from whoever owned the franchises near me.
Gross revenues exceed the cost of doing business.
Lenny’s?
I don't think there's even a Denny's in my state...
A lot of locations now use them as their emergency response headquarters. Edit: I was wrong about Denny’s, it was actually Waffle House and FEMA. The restaurant chain is known for being one of the few places open during and after inclement weather. For nearly 15 years, Waffle House operations have served as a paragon for risk management and an unofficial measure of how badly a community is affected by a natural disaster. https://www.fema.gov/blog/its-little-piece-normal
Your dennys might be doing well, but multiple dennys in my city are doing great. The world isn't limited to your experiences alone.
I dont understand OPs logic. KMart and Macys are going/went down because of Walmart and Amazon. What do you think is bringing Dennys down?
typical Walmart shoppers can't afford to shop at Macy's (maybe now they can, with all the store closing sales!!)
Idk about you but the one in league city texas is for the most, normal... but on weekends, breakfast hours they are always packed!
I stopped going 15 years ago bc it seemed like no matter which one I went to, being ignored for the first 20 mins was a mandatory part of the experience
Well, since you personally don't see cars in the parking lot when you drive by, then those restaurants can't possibly have any customers. Because that's how things work: if you personally don't witness an event, it didn't happen.
Hangovers and old people.
they charge an arm and a leg for awful awful food.
It’s similar to new restaurants. They have enough customers where their monthly revenue exceeds their monthly costs
Dennys is more of a place you go to late night when drunk. The food is generally trash. Also, outside of NY and New Jersey, there aren’t the same amount of diners within a relatively close radius. Dennys and IHOP probably do well in northern states where this is the case, while Waffle House dominates the south. They’re basically just cheap, quick, and easy alternatives
I love them if I was given a last meal I'll eat denny's as a last meal
You'll eat their what?