Denny's is a diner-style restaurant that's open 24/7, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Denny's is one of America's largest homegrown diner-style chain restaurants. It is found in all of the 51 states, as well as in several countries all over the world. It was originally founded as a coffee shop called "Danny's Donuts," and founded by Harold Butler and Richard Jezak. Danny's Donuts was known for being open 24/7 and serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The first shop was opened in Lakewood, California in 1953, but when Jezak eventually left the company, Butler decided to rename the business into Denny's in 1961.
The company started franchising in 1963, and by 1981, there were over 1000 Denny's locations all over the US. Today, most restaurants are owned by franchisees.
What is Denny's Known For?
Denny's is known for its buttercream pancakes and omelets. It is also known as "American's Diner," as it best represents what diner food is, such as bacon, french toast, pancakes, and milkshakes. But because the restaurant is open 24/7 and even on holidays, they offer a varied menu that includes main dishes such as salmon, T-bone steak, salads, burgers, and sandwiches.
As much as it is known for its classic American-diner food, Denny's is also known for its overall imagery and branding. They stick to midcentury design aesthetics, often choosing buildings that feature retro or Art Deco styles, and reminisce of the 1950s. Some Denny's locations have retro memorabilia, use 1950s dining tables and chairs, as well as classic tile floors.
What Kind of Food is Served at Denny's?
Denny's is basically a breakfast restaurant with its varied menu that includes pancakes, omelets, and plenty of breakfast specialties like their Grand Slam Slugger, which features everything an American breakfast must have. This includes pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausages, hash browns, bread, and a glass of juice.
But aside from their signature breakfast meals that are served throughout the day, the restaurant also serves burgers, main dishes, sandwiches, salads, desserts, milkshakes, and seafood.
The most popular item on Denny's menu is the Grand Slam Slugger. This item is the epitome of what an American diner's breakfast is and is packed with protein and carbs that get anyone energized for the day.
Aside from the Grand Slam Slugger, another popular item is the Grand Slamwich, which is similar to the Grand Slam Slugger, but it comes in a sandwich. It has scrambled eggs, ham, bacon, American cheese, and thick-cut potato bread, finished with a maple spice spread.
The French Toast Slam is another popular item on the menu, as well as the Wild West Omelette, the Loaded Nacho Tots, and the Spicy Siracha Burger.
Yes, Denny's has 17 items under its kid's menu. This includes kid's versions of the classic burger, plant-based nuggets and tenders, grilled cheese sandwiches, Alfredo pasta, french toast, mac and cheese, spaghetti, and other food items for kids.
Denny's also offers a unique deal for dining families with kids. For some locations, Denny's offers free entrees for kids for every entree purchased by an adult. If an adult orders an entree at $6 or more, one kid under the age of 10 gets a free kid's menu entree. The promo is valid for up to 2 kids per one adult entree, and it's offered for dine-in only.
Some restaurants offer this deal every Tuesday and Saturday from 4 pm to 10 pm, but you need to check with the branch if they offer this deal or not. Since most of the branches are franchises, not all locations may have this deal, so it's best to ask if they don't market it outrightly.
It's also good to know that some of the items on the kid's menu are approved by the National Restaurant Association's Kids Live Well Healthy Dining Program. The food items approved under this program are noted on the menu so families can have healthy options when they dine at Denny's.
Though they don't have a Gluten-Free category on their menu, Denny's does indicate if the food item is gluten-free. You can find the initials "GF" marked on some of the items on the menu to indicate that they are gluten-free. The "GF" mark complies with the FDA definition of fewer than 20 parts per million for a gluten-free claim.
However, Denny's also notes that because food preparation for gluten-free items and non-gluten-free items are shared, they cannot guarantee that the food items are free of any allergens.
Does Denny's Have Healthy Options?
Diner food isn't the healthiest type of food in the world. Most of them are fried and pre-packaged, which means they are high in fat and sodium. However, this doesn't mean every food item at Denny's is not for the health-conscious. They have created a menu called Fit Fare, which is designed for those who are conscious of their calorie count and nutrition. Items under this menu are marked with the Fit Fare trademark.
Other healthier options on the menu include the Fit Slam, a concoction of egg whites, turkey bacon, and a side of vegetables; Loaded Veggie Omelette, with spinach, mushrooms, zucchinis, and tomatoes; Wild Alaskan Salmon, packed with Omega-3 fatty acids; and the 55+ Grilled Tilapia, which is low in fat and high in protein.
Denny's also offers a unique 55+ menu, which is designed for senior citizens. The items in this category include healthier and lighter options for senior customers.
The Denny's menu is varied, offering something for every member of the family. The categories include burgers, classic breakfasts, classic dinners, desserts, family packs, melts and handhelds, omelets, pancakes and crepes, salads, slams, 55+ menu, kid's menu, Fit Fare menu, beverages, milkshakes, and All-day dinner deals.
Though it is mainly a breakfast restaurant, classic dinner items include T-bone steak, sirloin steak, Mama D's Pot Roast Bowl, Bourbon Chicken Bowl, and Country-Fried Steak Dinner.
Where are Denny's Restaurants Located?
Denny's is found in all 51 states of the US and they are also found in South America, namely Mexico, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico. Columbia, Dominical Republic, Chile, and El Salvador. You can also find a franchise in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, China, Guam, and the UK. Furthermore, there are over 500 branches of Denny's in Japan.
Can You Order Denny's Online?
Yes, you can order Denny's online and have your orders delivered to your doorsteps. You can also choose curbside pickup. Simply visit the official website, choose your location, and order from the nearest Denny's location.