Denny's - The Rise and Fall...And Rise Again

America's diner has had some major troubles over the years. This video talks about the source of those troubles and how they were able to recover.
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Company Declines:
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Pan Am: • The Decline of Pan Am....
ESPN: • The Decline of ESPN......
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Bon-Ton: • The Decline of Bon-Ton...
Kodak: • The Decline of Kodak.....
General Electric: • The Decline of General...
Woolworth: • The Decline of Woolwor...
Dell: • The Decline of Dell......
Sears: • The Decline of Sears.....
Payless: • The Decline of Payless...
Hostess: • The Decline of Hostess...
Redbox: • The Decline of Redbox....
Nokia: • The Decline of Nokia.....
JCPenney: • The Decline of JCPenne...
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GameStop: • The Decline of GameSto...
NASCAR: • The Decline of NASCAR....
Shopko: • The Decline of Shopko....
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Reebok: • The Decline of Reebok....
The Gap: • The Decline of The Gap...
Pier 1 Imports: • The Decline of Pier 1 ...
Sbarro: • The Decline of Sbarro....
AOL: • The Decline of AOL...W...
Long John Silver's: • The Decline of Long Jo...
Chuck E. Cheese's: • The Decline of Chuck E...
GNC: • The Decline of GNC...W...
Hertz: • The Decline of Hertz.....
Steak 'n Shake: • The Decline of Steak '...
CiCi's Pizza: • The Decline of CiCi's ...
Boston Market: • The Decline of Boston ...
Yahoo: • The Decline of Yahoo!....
Montgomery Ward: • The Decline of Montgom...
Fry's Electronics: • The Decline of Fry's E...
Souplantation: • The Decline of Souplan...
Gateway: • The Decline of Gateway...
BlackBerry: • The Decline of BlackBe...
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[@Mattsashl09]

"You don't go to Denny's you end up at one."

[@droidixbacon]

“Grandma where are we meeting mom?” “Denny’s” And then my memories of this place was born

[@biinerfiiner]

Hell I’d go there, if there weren’t 3 other small, really good restaurants that are much closer.

[@jedidrummerjake]

Brilliant 👏 I've been there. 😆

[@chadsimmons6347]

Went to Dennys last summer, it was close to the hospital where i starved for 2-days, yes the food was a little better than hospital crap...but not much

[@jackbrown3193]

Ah yes I've done many road trips where we were tired and hungry and we see a Denny's just off the highway and the rest is history

[@Director_Orson_Krennic]

My granddad was a general manager at a Denny's up until his final days, ended by an aggressive cancer. On literally the day he died the district manager called my grandmother to ask if he was coming in to work again soon (after having been in hospital for the last month from the cancer). When informed he was newly deceased, the district manager simply said 'okay', hung up, then blocked my granddad's final paycheck and 401(k) from being paid until an attorney hired by my mother was able to finally get them to release it. Mind you, the 401(k) was also in my grandmother's name, so legally Denny's didn't have a right to withhold that, nor did they have the right to withhold the final paycheck by Texas state laws. After that mess, I'll never step foot in a Denny's again in my life, thank you very much.

[@REALPapaLags]

“I know you’re in the hospital, but are you coming into work today” “My husband died of cancer 😪” “Okay thanks for letting us know 😐”

[@REALPapaLags]

“I know you’re in the hospital, but are you coming into work today” “My husband died of cancer 😪” “Okay thanks for letting us know 😐”

[@TJsVette]

Wow yea I wouldn't either. Sorry for your loss.

[@ddobry21]

I don't blame you bro that's sickening. Sorry for your loss.

[@Big_Tex]

The 401k was not in your grandmothers name, it doesn’t work like that. But she would have been a beneficiary, would submit a claim and death certificate, and should have had the funds released to her with some paperwork drill.

[@sixonethreee]

One of the things i find interesting about Denny's is the duality of the Denny's experience. In the morning time and during the day Denny's can be a wholesome place to go with family or possibly even a date. Late night and after midnight Denny's is a sketchy place where sketchy people gather and sketchy things occur.

[@Agent1W]

Don't talk about their fight club.

[@gary2smooth]

Like 5 people got murdered in my dennys at like 3am a couple years ago. I don’t go there anymore lmao

[@sydneymarquez8751]

That’s everywhere even at target no one wants to work those shifts

[@BeeKay5150]

When I got clean years ago and moved to another town about 80 miles away, I needed a job, quick. Got a dishwasher job there. People would be in there smoking crack in the bathroom at 2am. I shit you not. People would be nodding off at the tables. It was rough to see as a recovering addict trying to get his shit together. Mind you, as I was working on getting my life together, I still didn't look all that great. This one server used to follow me around and call me a "fine ass white boy" and kept asking if I was gonna call her. I had to get the fuck outta there. Quick.

[@zeruty]

@@sydneymarquez8751there are 24 hour targets?

[@rexblade504]

Denny's: "Can I come in?" Delaware: "No"

[@highnoon9333]

Black people: "Can I come in?" Denny's: "No"

[@noahpehowic6080]

I live in Delaware and I had no idea we were the only state that didn't have a Denny's lmao

[@trevorsgamingroom5284]

Florida: “Wanna Come Sit With Us?” Jack In The Box: “Dear God No”

[@yusufcagowayne1990]

@@highnoon9333 SJW NPC spotted

[@J.Gainez]

@@noahpehowic6080 i live in delaware too and can confirm that we HAD dennys at one point, idk what part you’re from but in newark there was one on 273 by the 95 exit and a few on rt 40 from new castle to bear, they’ve all closed down but im sure there’s one still open around here, idk where he got his information from

[@Mtlbro6]

So you're telling me Chef Boyardee was a real person but Denny never existed.

[@judgemathiswlny1021]

Judge Hattchett

[@runrafarunthebestintheworld]

Nope only Denny Hamlin making Denny's commercials which was pretty funny. Denny's Denny's. 😅😅

[@jtoumai]

dennys exists in our hearts

[@KingNexusMOCs]

I love this comment so much

[@birdboy16]

Next he’ll being telling us Ronald McDonald isn’t a real person either

[@alexforce9]

The fact that some company can lose money FOR DECADES and still exist amazes me.

[@yungheehong5613]

Good ole US bankruptcy law and chapter 11….

[@mmasque2052]

Denny’s was never a high choice for restaurants where I lived except for a time when I was working an afternoon/evening shift. They were one of the few places open at that hour. There was also an IHOP and a Waffle House all in that same quarter mile strip. When I was traveling, though, all of those were my main stopping places; the reasons described here, location and price. I could get off an interstate, almost right into a Denny’s parking lot, eat and be on the road again in about an hour. It’s inexpensive , it’s always close by and it’s dependable. If you like the food at one, you’ll get the same thing at any of them.

[@hello-ox5rf]

In many of these videos you'll notice it's happening that way because a LOT of money is still flowing through the company but it's less than the interest on the loans the top folks take out. They then swap some stuff around and do it all again

[@DavidJGlad]

AMTRAK has never turned a profit for decades, but they get govt cheese! US Post Office is the other obvious mention..

[@jasoncrownover8947]

@@DavidJGlad This is moronic. Those are government run enterprises that provide public services. The postal service *shouldn't* be making money. It's job is to deliver mail. If we ran hospitals the way we ran the postal service, you wouldn't get charged thousand of dollars for basic medical imaging. All that extra cost is called a profit margin. Try to mail a letter through FedEx or UPS to a residential address for a dollar. I dare you. And do you know how FedEx and UPS will go about delivering it after robbing your wallet? They'll use the damn postal service because they aren't stupid. You are too outright ignorant to be watching a video about business.

[@matt9815]

As a person who works at Denny's, i was intrigued to learn all these things

[@sonialopez9220]

x2

[@Noone-sv4pq]

Same I work at Denny’s atm

[@Chosen99]

I too work at denny's! Terrible company but I've stuck around for the money!

[@Noone-sv4pq]

@@Chosen99 haha I’ll agree w u on that one

[@BernieTime1]

In the 80's as college students, there were only so many places open late that we could hang out at and eat on the cheap. Nobody ever claimed they had the best food, but they filled a niche for us at the time.

[@alexniklaus6216]

to quote an old tumblr post, " Denny's is where I'd go to meet a hitman".

[@hansvongruber3214]

Reminds me of Mulholland Drive, then again its Winkies.

[@dannyradovitch1368]

Dang dude. I forgot about that one. Made my day!

[@BlindBison]

@@hansvongruber3214 that’s probably where the tumblr post stole it from lol - great movie.

[@Emerardo]

Breaking Bad

[@jps0117]

I thought that was the Waffle House ;)

[@Ironica82]

As a comedian once said, you never go to Denny's, you only end up at Denny's, and it usually is the one across town.

[@EarthsGeomancer]

I prefer Danny's.

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

Orlando FL had a 1950s diner motif Dennys location by a Super Walmart. I ate there a few times. The food, ☕ were decent.

[@happygilmore5948]

Speaking of comedians, Mitch Hedberg really nailed it when he said "La Quinta is Spanish for next to Denny's."

[@shelbyw430]

Because the nearby Denny's isn't the good Denny's.

[@aasche04]

much like Jack In the Box

[@tubular7752]

Definitely hearing more negative stories than I was expecting. It also seems like nobody really liked going there; they just sort of ended up there, to quote another comment. I have a completely different story. When I was very very young, I had this irrational obsession with going to Denny’s for my birthday. I do not know where this came from, and I had no desire to go there at any other time of the year, nor did I. But every birthday morning, I would beg my parents to take me to Denny’s. There was something so incredibly special about that grand slam breakfast (which I’m sure I didn’t finish), the presents and cards, and me just an only child having a special morning with his mom and dad. Great memories, I went there from the ages of 4-6 (three whole birthdays) and then lost interest. I do find it funny tho how I had literally no interest to go there at any other time of the year lol.

[@Tickles_The_Oaf]

My husband and I worked as team truck drivers for 8.5 years and went to our fair share of Denny’s around the country. We couldn’t always get home for holidays and Denny’s were always open for Christmas serving traditional Christmas dinner. I also have fond memories of us stopping at a Denny’s in the morning for a nice breakfast. My husband would have just finished his night shift, I would be just starting my day shift and stopping like this was really decadent for us!

[@Patterrz]

I can't believe Denny's had over 2 billion in debt and is still around today, that's insane

[@atoastedbox1903]

what’s up checkmark

[@JessycaLunawoona]

I’m honestly really surprised they’re still around. All the Denny’s around me were closed down and replaced with Waffle House a couple years later.

[@generalgaming2019]

Patterrz i thought you were busy reacting to pokemon videos

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

There are in 2021, Dennys locations in Orlando, Orlando.gov with only 2 staff. 2! At 830am on a weekday. It's not CoVid19 or PUA $ unemployment either. Dennys is %=+&. They dont care. IHOP went ⬇️ too.

[@andrewlind9485]

@@DavidLLambertmobile it definitely is unemployment, i've noticed that too but every time i leave i see a "now hiring" sign

[@VicHD]

Ned Flanders at Uncle Moe's: "I'd expect that kind of language at Denny's, but not here!"

[@arizonaFIREent]

Hahaha love that episode

[@joeb7975]

UNCLE MOE HERE I AM WHILE YOU EAT

[@Caledon91]

Ow, my freakin' ears!

[@SoshiTheYoshi]

Unky Moe, *MY SODIE IS TOO COLD*

[@markbeno9895]

@@SoshiTheYoshi My teef hurt

[@Muzzlecrowe-li9kt]

I was about 6 or 7 when I experienced the racism at Denny’s. I was way too young to understand why we were seated but to only be ignored while we waited for service. I just remember asking my mom ,when are they going to come to our table? It was mind blowing when i came of age to understand what I experienced at such a young age. I’m 29 now and I’ve never been to a Denny’s since then. They have obviously changed but I just never felt the need to go

[@Al-Fiallos]

I'm with you Chris. For that very same reason Denny's left a foul taste in my mouth that I'll never forgive or forget.

[@SLa-pb1gg]

@@Al-Fiallos Same Same Same. I remember in the 90’s as a kid hearing they were racist against us. I don’t know any Black ppl that eat here, even now, because we’re all aware

[@brownfudge2653]

I learned about Dennys racism in the 90’s I was a child then but that always stuck in my mind. I’m 37 now and have never been to Dennys for that very reason.

[@jasonallen3678]

Yeah Denny's and Cracker Barrel are No Fly Zones for me,nomatter how hungry I get and I have experienced bad service at both places and I've only been to each of them once because of it..

[@SLa-pb1gg]

@@jasonallen3678 Cracker Barrel gives me Civil War Confederacy vibes

[@AKayfabe]

I spent an entire night inside a Dennys once with no money, during a huge storm that brought feet of snow in one night, and everyone was trapped in there from the blizzard. I was homeless at the time, and cellphones weren’t common and suddenly the snow started coming way fast and I was only halfway to where I was ultimately going. It was so bad they shut down the public transit system, no one could drive or walk anyplace, and people were getting stuck in buildings. It was freezing out and the wind was making it below zero and I have lung disease so I couldn’t breathe outside to go any farther, and I walked into the Dennys that was near where I got stuck and asked them if I could stand in there? I can’t get anyplace, I can’t get a bus, I need to take my inhaler and I am not ok, I don’t know what to do! She told me ok, you can sit down. So I did and the snow never stopped. They started saying they might need to close, bit it was already too late because cars were getting stuck all the way up and down the streets, nothing was plowed, everyone got trapped at the Dennys. I had no money, just a bus pass I couldn’t use because the buses were all stuck and transit shut down. Eventually someone came over to me, brings food and says I can have it free and it looks like most of us might be stuck here tonight. I thanked them, and yes most of us were stuck there and several people ended up sleeping there, and some people had cards with them so they started playing cards at their table. We were sleeping in booths and eating eggs, the staff were stuck there too so they were eating too. We all had to wait until they could plow in the morning and shovel people out of places. I think it’s possible I would have died outside that night, or had a severe asthma attack or froze, if I hadn’t been allowed to stay in the Dennys.

[@gregd4633]

Your story is very heartbreaking, I hope everything is okay with you now?

[@theorderofthebees7308]

🙏🙏

[@InfectedChris]

Back in the day, we had a waitress friend there who would always hook us up with tons of free extras when we would show up at like 2am. The good old days.

[@luisl1817]

I guess you're white then

[@spicyshark9202]

When i was younger we heard are personal waiter at dennys

[@jaymzx0]

Ah yes. 3am at Denny's. Smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee with friends. Good times.

[@whoozyyy]

I worked at Denny’s when I was young, keep in mind, cooks don’t cook for fun.

[@lexiyah643]

This guy's videos are freaking boring ngl.

[@FireballFarts]

No idea how Denny's stays in business. Everytime I go inside one I see the staff screaming at each other and it's like I'm just hanging out in someone else's house.

[@zugdarr]

It's like hanging out in a trailer park. Waitresses with open wounds, food all over the floor, people screaming, drunk customers...

[@glow1815]

🤣🤣🤣

[@chocov1233]

@@zugdarr Dang, y'all's Denny's sound horrible, mine just had a mildly ticked off waitress and some sub-par food every now and then. Y'all's sounds like how one of our local Sonic Drive-Ins was/is (although I'm a bit biased as I worked there for about a year).

[@Noone-sv4pq]

As someone who works at Denny’s I’m loving for the slander bc we all really do just scream at eachother😭

[@kennlyn6838]

Yo I swear. I worked there as a hybrid worker (hostess and server) for 5 months. I’m 16 bro, I feel like I have PTSD. It was stressful and so much hate goes towards you from your own coworkers LOL. The customers off the interstate weren’t any better, they get mad at me for everything even though I’m not the one who served them (mostly). I cried. A lot. Which is why I respectfully put in my 2 weeks notice and my last night of work was Thanksgiving. What a good thing to be thankful for- leaving

[@CoolModderJaydonX]

The last activity I got to do with my great-grandfather was eat at a Denny's. I did get to see him one last time in the hospital in December of 2022. At the end of the visit, I said "this might be the last time I get to say goodbye". I was sadly right, as he died on January 2nd, 2023.

[@terriblesinger5308]

I've been working for Dennys about 7 years and I love serving with them

[@prestonrau8467]

I always think of the Family Guy joke where Peter says "Lois, I am obligated to keep loving you, so I will take my rage out on my own body. Let's go to Denny's."

[@MikeDeeJackson]

"They're in every state except Delaware" We USED to have a Dennys! Good times 😔

[@StuUngar]

There’s not a Denny’s but Delaware has a black man? Mind=💥

[@MikeDeeJackson]

@@StuUngar used to be a Dennys in the Christiana area. I don't think they had great sales there so thats why they went down

[@joshuatingle2702]

It’s a Denny’s right next to the skating rink I bet 273

[@MikeDeeJackson]

@@joshuatingle2702 that's the one that closed down lol

[@MikeDeeJackson]

@@Fisheee123 yup! Can't remember when. Last time I was there was like 2009. I didn't go often

[@rlrober]

I used to work at a Denny's. The experience I gained will carry with me for the rest of my life. Everybody should do it once in their life. It will clear up a lot of todays issues.

[@Luna.3.3.3]

I agree that everyone should work in the hospitality industry at least once. I was a waitress for a LONG time, all during my high school years. It really teaches you how to read people, anticipate needs, get your brain organized (like when you've got 10 tables) etc.

[@KasumiKenshirou]

After the whole racism thing in the 90s, I remember Denny's started giving their restaurants a 50's Diner theme. At one point, Denny's had the Muppets in their commercials, and Miss Piggy can bizarrely be seen ordering a Grand Slam, which contains pork products. Before that, Denny's had these series of commercials with these three old ladies, and one of them would call the restaurant "Lenny's" and the other two would correct her. It was never funny but they made a bunch of these commercials.

[@wanfu5634]

Company Man: "...leveraged buyout...aaaaand here it comes..."

[@lexiyah643]

Boringgggggggggggg Imao. 😪😪😪😪

[@PresidentNathan]

@@lexiyah643 then don't watch it, nobody's forcing you to

[@syscruncher]

Not one mention of “Moons over My Hammy” is surprising for me. It’s an icon.

[@mr.whatareyadoin889]

damn straight

[@Dj.D25]

Moons Over My Hammy is one of my favorite breakfast sandwiches.

[@lifewithjosef]

Moons is almost all I eat at Denny's. Regular fries, and an iced tea, heaven!

[@Christopher-N]

Remember those color changing Denny's coffee mugs? My grandmother had one. After a great many years, the color changing things didn't work anymore, but still a fond memory.

[@PolkaPower0]

Damn right, Moons Over My Hammy is the s h i t

[@DucatiPaso750]

I'm currently 54 years old and Denny's has always been one of my favorite spots. I now only go a few times a year, but during my 20s, it was where my friends and I almost always ended up after we left nightclubs. Then, when I married, in my 30s, it was often a place for my wife and I (and later on, our son) to have breakfast on Sunday mornings. The classic Grand Slam is still my favorite. Although I wish they would bring back the Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich. I know they've had their problems, but I was never affected by it.

[@salmonsdontdie4952]

It had been many years since I went to a Dennys, and mostly frequented IHOP. But a few weeks ago, went to a Dennys and I was shocked by how many customers were there (it was 11am on a weekday), and when I mentioned to the waitress how busy it was, she said it was "slow" in comparison 😳. I'm a vegetarian and they even had plant based options, can't lie, I was thoroughly impressed.

[@TakeWalker]

"There are currently 1,650 of them operating on this planet." Wait, what other planets has Denny's spread to? c.c

[@mrlescure]

I think they have one or two on P3X-984

[@weirdshibainu]

I believe they're in talk with Musk when he colonizes Mars

[@UserName-ts3sp]

florida

[@jerrysullivan8424]

You don't know? :) LOL!

[@davidmuskett9919]

Also there is one in Delaware.

[@verdatum]

"It's late. You're drunk. We're open. Denny's" I love how at night they switch to a picture based menu so your drunk-ass can just point at what you want. It is usually cleaner than Waffle House but WH is soooo much better. My friends and I take an annual hour long drive to our nearest Waffle House.

[@maskedmarioguy2524]

Talk about lucky, I mean damn you have a group of friends that you drive an hour to Waffle House to have breakfast with? Sheesh pal you have it good. Also IHOP is better than both.

[@ZomBSnatcher4671]

So many drunken nights as a 17-21 year old. I used to live in Los Angeles and that Dennys had prime rib and beer on tap. I used to eat the prime rib there a lot lol

[@icedmatchalattegirl]

Tell me about it. I’ve just had WH for the first time this past summer and I’ve been seriously considering driving the 2 and half hours to my nearest one. Omg it was so great.

[@tobiwalker7145]

After my husband had a stroke and was no longer able to read, that picture-based menu was a blessing. Denny's became his favorite restaurant.

[@ethanwhitener4635]

I’m a night shift cook at waffle house!

[@jessicajimenez7835]

that i saw, denny's was also one of the first chain restaurants to have a "social media personality." they were kinda weird but it was fitting for tumblr

[@TheDigitalThreat]

Dennys single handed fueled me and my friends through high school. Being one of the only places open all the time and they didnt care if we hung around for hours as long as at the least we were buying coffee. Dont think i've been to one since (over 20 years now). A grand slam sounds delicious right now!

[@SaltyBanjos]

Leverage Buyout the one word that terrify us Company Man fans

[@Yeaichris]

Hell yeah

[@csanton3946]

So true, using someone elses money through leverage fuels speculative activities such as this since the risk for the venturer is lessened

[@frostech3149]

Lost my local Denny’s about a year back. It was the childhood restaurant for me, and I was very sad when it went away.

[@bryan-th7yl]

Good one less nasty ass denny’s

[@olsmellyknuckles9653]

I never thought I'd hear someone say they miss a Denny's, but since it was a childhood thing I understand.

[@ShinSeikiEvan]

@@olsmellyknuckles9653 I wasn't sad to see our local Denny's go... at first. Then an angry, rude, tyrannical foreign guy took it over the premises and made his own Denny's ripoff. It was like one of those Kitchen Nightmares episodes.

[@cascadingwaterfalls5830]

@@bryan-th7yl we dont use that language unless its a mc donalds

[@JulioLopez-xz5kx]

Just go to a real diner.

[@scottmarinello3797]

On a trip last week to Phoenix, I ate at 2 different Denny's restaurants in 2 days. The prices are certainly more than I remember from the 70's, but the food was good both times. And, at the 2nd restaurant, Oscar, our waiter, was fantastic. Extremely friendly & helpful, without being intrusive. Both visits were a good experience.

[@shibolinemress8913]

My family ate at Denny's and Perkins for about a week one summer in the late '70's when our home AC died during a massive heat wave, forcing us to stay at a nearby motel while it got repaired. We kids loved getting pancakes for breakfast every day!

[@christiandevey3898]

Their reputation for racism in the 90s potentially brings context to the line “Well! I expect that kind of language at Denny’s, but not here!” From an episode of the Simpsons

[@trannyturtle69696969]

They wouldn't have HAD that reputation if a certain demographic wasn't acting like the worst customers imaginable.

[@lajya01]

@@trannyturtle69696969 I wonder how they dealt with dine-and-dashers without profiling..

[@nehemiahwashingtoniii748]

@@trannyturtle69696969 And you know that for a fact? Dec 1982 Oklahoma City, me in my Army Dress Greens, sitting at a table in Denny's with 5 White Soldiers dressed the same. Waitress comes to our table takes everyone's order and starts to walk away, my friends stopped her and demanded she take my order. She had no choice but to take my order. No Black person went into a racist Denny's, who didn't hire minorities at that time and acted up. You need to get you facts together before coming off as being a bit racist. For the next 24 years I refused to eat at a Denny's. I wasn't being nothing more than a quite customer and that flesh bag wouldn't even look at me. My friends were angry and made there displeasure known. All 6 of us were born in Northern states (The Bronx, NYC for me) and we weren't those types of people.

[@wanderlustwarrior]

@@trannyturtle69696969 something tells me Denny's isn't the only one here with a racist reputation.

[@priuskiller]

@@trannyturtle69696969 Nah you're the one that's the problem, not the whole black population that you insinuate are lawless hooligans. Shocked people like you still exist.

[@prettypic444]

I think the company's lasting power is summed up by the joke " you don't go to Denny's, you wind up there". It's not a place you *choose* to go, but it's always there if you need it. When you need a large breakfast before setting out on the next phase of a road trip or want a decent late night meal after an big event, there's a 90% chance you'll end up at Denny's (one of my personal favorite memories of Denny's was eating there with dozens of other students in formalwear at 1:00 after my senior prom)

[@drdarkeny]

Some comedian once made the joke that Denny's should change its motto to "Hey, it's late". You're absolutely right, most the times I find myself in a Denny's. It's either late at night when I'm traveling, or I need to grab a quick sit-down breakfast.

[@DavidEVogel]

Denny's fried everything. The entire restaurant smelled like grease.

[@accelmemory]

I mean...what else would a low end restaurant smell like?

[@glow1815]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@johniii8147]

That's what dinners are.

[@kingclover1395]

I used to go to Denny's because it was less crowded with faster service than the pancake houses that were nearby to it. And sometimes simply because it was open in the middle of the night after you went out partying and needed something to eat at 3:00 in the morning. And they let you sit there for a long time after you were done eating, which I liked.

[@stephenm8725]

and for that we are all greatful. such a great place to eat after a night of partying and carrying on about. the food hits the spot too

[@draymanil]

Denny’s is for 3am pancakes when people are too drunk to know better

[@Rob_Thorsman]

Or when IHOP is full.

[@izzylee64]

Waffle house is better for that imo but Denny's does have better bacon and sausage

[@markplott4820]

DAN - DENNY's does not serve Pancakes after 11pm, what they are eating are URINAL cakes.

[@draymanil]

@@markplott4820 I just assumed everyone knew how to take a joke. You are the exception. However I have had drunken 3am pancakes at a Denny’s.

[@TheQueenSpider]

Waffle House is where you go when you’re drunk and want to fight

[@Lacrosse2471]

“Drop the coffee shop…just Denny’s….it’s cleaner.” - Sean Parker probably

[@nitehawk86]

Never has "it's cleaner" and "Denny's" been in the same sentence before.

[@bderrick4944]

DennyBook

[@justinnguyen3906]

Nice reference

[@Back_door_bandit_98]

Denny’s is not know for being clean.

[@jliller]

When I was in in high school and for several years after (circa 2000) the local Denny's was the weekly hangout spot for my friends and I. It was cheap and open late, and since they were not busy during the 8 PM - Midnight period they didn't mind a dozen 18-20 year olds occupying the large booth in the back corner of the establishment for two hours (we were pretty good about tipping). Since then, both Denny's in the county where I used to live (both on a US highway, but not close to an interstate) closed as did the next closest one just over the county line (on the same highway and also away from the interstate) near where I live now. The nearest Denny's to me now is almost a half hour away to the south, just off an interstate exit. The next county to the north also had two Denny's about 20 minutes apart on the same US highway and away from the interstate; one has closed and one somehow remains open. In this 2 1/4 county stretch there has only been one new Denny's opened in the last two decades, and it's located in a truck stop just off the interstate. If there was a Denny's near me I would give it a try again. I never knew of Denny's origins or all this turmoil until watching this video.

[@--9471]

I've only ever went to a single Denny's in my hometown and now work there. I have personally never been discriminated against by workers from Denny's; only occasionally by the older customers. Sorry to hear that some of you had a negative experience :(

[@saininj]

Something about Denny's after a night out drinking hit different tho.

[@SimonVanliew26]

The same could be said of food in general

[@saininj]

@@SimonVanliew26 fair enough. Any food is exquisite when you're wasted. 😂

[@WelchC8289]

That’s Waffle House around here lol.

[@MilwaukeeWoman]

Not just any food. We would all drive past a 3am salad restaurant.

[@judgemathiswlny1021]

Divorce Court

[@rhiannebyron1889]

It's funny that Tim Allen describes Denny's as American in a scene filmed in Canada.

[@stevensuarez6564]

What?! 😨😨😨😨😨😨

[@rhiannebyron1889]

@@stevensuarez6564 the Denny's in the movie was located near Markham and Ellesmere in Scarborough, ON. Also, some scenes from the movie were filmed at the Toronto Zoo!

[@coyotelong4349]

Well to be honest Canada itself is an “American institution” as America’s stand-in in movies

[@Yukimaru0]

@@coyotelong4349 Vancouver is often a bunch of places in the US but almost never as itself in movies.

[@Anonymous-jg3ui]

How does that change anything. You wouldnt say mcdonalds is australian in australia...

[@Shadowx157]

I never knew there was so many bad stories on Dennys. In my HighSchool days Dennys was my Gang's favorite spot, we would go there every weekend and even late night's past midnight. We loved the food here in FL and they had affordable prices. However since 2020 the only issue I had with them was after the death of the *2,4,6* *menu.* Now the menu is priced at Applebee's price's, for that I'd go home and make my own damn 2 Pancakes, 2 Eggs, and as much Bacon and Toast I want, hell 3 full cups of Orange Juice if I want for half the price, an tip myself. (not paying +6 dollars for 1 extra egg and a slice of toast)

[@myronsobeslavsky9105]

I worked for Dennys from 1976 to 2002 and I remember it all, part franchise and mostly company. I was also on the new restaurant opening team for 6 years training cooks and I loved every minute of the I helped open 59 franchises all over the USA and 2 in Canada. I rarely go into a Dennys now but I have the chance to go to one in Lathrop CA that I had opened in 1997. Even though I am retired I still miss working there they where a big part of my life. LONG LIVE DENNYS!!!!!

[@nslouka90]

It blows my mind how bad management can really screw things up for their own greed because eggs, pancakes and bacon are some of the cheapest things you can get and Denny’s prices show that.

[@Googledeservestodie]

Bruh imagine if Denny's actually bought Caesars Palace. Denny's Palace

[@jhoughjr1]

jackpot would be fried eggs spilling out to the sounds of sizzling bacon….

[@planejet42]

Bruh

[@romanbukins6527]

The whole building smelling of bacon, but the restrooms smell like sadness X'D

[@plowthor]

Yo I went to Denny's for the first time in a minute last week in LA. Was MUCH better than expected. Food was good and staff was totally professional.

[@HRHolm-bi6zu]

I started going to Denny's recently again after not having been there for several years, and was pleased to find they have at least a few senior-oriented/priced meals on the menu, *very* few restaurants do that. I tried the salmon one, and found it good. Kudos to Denny's on doing this.

[@TheNashNetwork]

My perception of Denny's has always been positive. Here in Canada it's THE place for a free birthday meal with friends or family, or a good spot for a 4am meal. My family loves Denny's.

[@likebot.]

I finally understand the restaurant scene at a Denny's in "The Santa Clause" when Scott Calvin's son orders chocolate milk and "we're all out" so a dejected "white milk's fine" from Sport.

[@BungieStudios]

Dude, me too!

[@BungieStudios]

So bad, even Walter White and Jesse picked an alternate breakfast diner. 🥞

[@RWernsing]

I love Denny's! They have upped their game!!

[@ottopartz1]

I ended up at a Denny's several years ago after a drunking session and had a shockingly good cheeseburger and have been going back every couple months since, the breakfast stuff is acceptable (we have way better local joints that I'll pay up for), but the burgers are damn tasty for the price and there's usually plenty of room to distance.

[@jernigan007]

My high school sweetheart worked at Denny's, early 90s. Place was a total shithole. She had the overnight shift. I got lots of free pie :D

[@reddrake4451]

Giggiddy

[@clarkhull4148]

When you start at Denny’s you always start on the worst shift and work your way up

[@sourishsaha8067]

Cream pie?

[@yesihaveasmallpenisbut4220]

@@sourishsaha8067 pause

[@terrychan3369]

Hair pie? ;D

[@samueljordan3591]

Fun fact there used to be a Denny’s in Newark, Delaware but it closed in 2020. I used to live nearby it and I never knew that that was the only Denny’s in the state.

[@samueljordan3591]

@@biggangster5898 That’s cool I didn’t know there was 3 still in Delaware!

[@georgesracingcar7701]

@Oscar Perez Google maps gave me nothing.

[@rosered5485]

Oh dear... Our family never goes to Denny's. I have no personal problem with the place, but my Mom always said she'd rather starve to death than eat there. According to family lore, she was on a road trip with her parents and grandparents. They LOVED Denny's senior discount and never wanted to eat anywhere else. Eventually, she went on a hunger strike and just sat in the car until she finally got to eat something else...

[@dmarqu11]

I hardly go, but I like the food at Denny's. Seeing this video motivated me to go there for a meal very soon. Only a four minute drive.

[@MasterMalrubius]

Denny’s tag line: “There’s a reason we’re cheaper!”

[@carlosturris9935]

Oh god

[@carlosturris9935]

“There’s a reason we’re cheaper” -because we use ketchup on our spaghetti It happened to me...

[@zugdarr]

They aren't cheaper, IHOP is just as much and 3 times better.

[@PutsOnSneakers]

@@carlosturris9935 I take full responsibility

[@ericdraven7185]

Dennys isn't cheap... everything on the menu is overpriced

[@jarehelt]

We had every single Dennys close down in Colorado Springs, fountain, and woodland park. The owner failed to pay taxes, fled, and it was all sized by the state. Patrons, cooks and servers we're just told to leave without warning. They're still closed to this day

[@BBQPorkSandwich3]

Colorado Springs is a major city too. Wow

[@decium1846]

Huh, is that what happened? Are the village inns safe!?

[@jarehelt]

@@decium1846 There is one village inn left on garden of the gods.

[@tobiwalker7145]

That's really sad. Sometimes all a traveler wants is a good cup of coffee and a clean bathroom. Dennys was always good for that.

[@Emerald_Night]

I used to go to the Denny's in woodland park on a weekly basis. Moved out of state and went back last year on a short trip only to find out that the restaurant had been closed. Sad times.

[@VA3JPX]

In Ottawa, Ontario Canada we had 3 Denny's. 2 closed. Mind you those two that closed were good. The remaining one went downhill very fast. They switched from large eggs to small, they switched from texas toast to thin toast. Service had become quite slow. The remaining store on Merivale Rd. is still open. I am not sure how much longer they can remain open with menu changes I mentioned.

[@simplygregsterev]

Oh I remember the one on Bank St was fairly great.

[@edwardcruz6233]

I can't say that I'm a huge fan, but my 80-year-old parents love it.

[@Larry]

There's a grand total of ONE Denny's in the UK. In Swansea, Wales.

[@cosmicsdayout91]

Good. No one should have to suffer going to Denny's. Not even the British.

[@hypefinn]

There was one near me but it shut within 1 week, I guess it’s back to haggis and whiskey 😂😂😂

[@thekerryman]

Is that the one at 1:42 near the BT building?

[@mgore90]

I guess my city's got to be famous for something! Well, Hilary Clinton (her family is originally from around here) did come to open our law school..... a few months after she lost to Trump..... Swansea University usually comes in second behind Cardiff in the Welsh university rankings. It wasn't lost on a lot of us!

[@NachoInsano]

There was two but the one in Glasgow lasted about a minute! Not looking like a successful UK expansion.

[@Tylergube616]

Used to be a quite a few Denny's in DE. Never realized they were gone until this video.

[@Yuukicrossx01]

My husband and I meet at Denny's August 9th 2015 and married the following year. Point is you don't have to go to a bar or go on tender to find your soulmate

[@RAE.ofSunshine]

This is so sweet. How did it happen

[@Yuukicrossx01]

He was already there having dinner and I stopped there because I was hanging out with friends and on my way back home. I wanted something to eat so I went in he was sitting right in front of the entrance and we looked at each other. The server sat me at my own table and I busied myself with my phone. I had ordered and was waiting for my food. I felt his eyes on me, when he saw I was alone he came up to me and asked if I wanted to have dinner with him. I accepted and the rest was history lol 🤣

[@autobotrock4789]

Love love love me some Denny's! Their pancakes taste like real pancakes instead of plastic like a certain international house we all know of. I can't wait to move closer to one so I can go more often. I miss their heated syrup though.

[@rorrodeh]

When I'm drunk at 2:00 in the morning, or after a concert, at 2:00 in the morning, all I want is a plate of greasy bacon, greasy eggs, hashbrowns, pancakes, and coffee. You don't GO to Denny's, you end up at Denny's

[@BungieStudios]

Denny's finds you.

[@mikebaker6418]

I'm like the only person I know that prefers Dennys over IHOP.

[@ericmarin6454]

I do too

[@dnclipse7495]

IHOP is shit

[@KrazyKeith4]

Denny's has a crane machine and good food all around. IHOP just has good breakfast.

[@Magnitude7]

They’re both ass

[@Krysdavar]

I haven't gone to Denny's or IHOP in years, but if offered a choice to eat for free, I would go to Denny's as well.

[@pierrebinot149]

Worked at Denny's grave yard shift loved it! So much fun but that was 1978 . So glad you did one on Denny's Could you do one on Bill Knapp's I used to work there as well. Thank you for your great work. I enjoy all of the videos!!

[@themaninblack7503]

They have improved a lot over time

[@theoriginaldash]

I love Denny's. I'm a truck driver & when I was over the road, Denny's was at every Flying J truck stop, which is where I fueled. I'm local now & still go at least twice a month. Their crazy spicy skillet is my favorite meal there.

[@OopsFailedArt]

Love a positive story in all this :)

[@MrBrettB123]

I wokred at one in PA for like 6 years . the food is honestly good for the type of restraunt, unfortunately it really depends on who cooks your food that determines how good it will be. I cooked in the morning and people would come up to my window and thank me and were like surprised to get good food that looked like the menu pictures. Then the evening cooks would take 45 mins for food when no one is even there and you'd be lucky if it wasnt burnt to fuck

[@pfcbangin]

You’re not DasherX. You’re Denny’s.

[@u686st7]

Pilot ruined "The Hook" (Flying J) when they converted the restaurants to Denny's.

[@pieinside2345]

lol this whole video was such a trip Denny's was really like "we may be 2.5 billion in the red but I'll be Damned if we take money from a Black person"

[@trannyturtle69696969]

They were partially in the red because of a certain demographic being terrible customers.

[@themapoe]

This made me actually laugh out loud; thank you.

[@lazlothegoat9663]

@@trannyturtle69696969 that's dumb. You can't say an entire race is "terrible customers" bad customers literally come from all races and ages

[@eatatjoes6751]

What's worse is that the agents were Secret Service - you'd think a light would shoot off in their heads like, "Gee, these guys are starving, they look important, judging by the fact they work for the CIA they're probably strong enough to beat me to a pulp..." but I guess racism won out over a black eye and a couple of broken ribs.

[@TheJingles007]

@@lazlothegoat9663 I mean, why do you think shop owners follows blacks and not any other race?

[@francesjones9265]

I visited Denny's in Schiller park in 2018 i was on vacation from Edinburgh Scotland and the staff were so kind and helpful to me i will visit there on my next visit to Chicago

[@Luperion]

I'm from Australia and Denny's saved my bacon when I was on holiday and ran out of money. Yay cheap food! Plus their skillets were amazing.

[@EpicGamer-tw9bu]

Denny’s is my childhood restaurant, every time we went to the city we would go there.

[@killingfloor70]

It was quintessential road trip food in our family :)

[@allenelliott2114]

Reading these comments I feel like I'm the only person alive who genuinely loves Denny's. Always liked it better than IHOP. Getting the kids grand slam with the little whipped cream smiley face was iconic to my childhood.

[@BungieStudios]

Norm's killed my nostalgia after trying both. I remember the large Orange Juice glasses. I remember the happy face pancakes. Their food tastes like rubber now. They give small portions for high prices. Which is good since it tastes bad. Maybe quality has dropped idk. Based on the comments, it was never high to begin with.

[@327SixShooter]

I wouldn't say I love it, but it's average and I wouldn't complain about eating there. I've never had a GREAT meal there, but never a terrible one either. The prices are only a little higher than mcdonalds, and it's way better than mcdonalds. As far as people saying they didnt feel safe, most of that comes from the time they are going. Any restaurant that is open at 2 or 3 am is probably gonna be full of rowdy drunks. If you go at a normal breakfast or lunch time, dennys usually is a fine family friendly environment.

[@franklinbrooksstoppedcomme3267]

I feel ya. Grand Slams are awesome. The local Denny's back when I lived in North Texas also had a crane machine that my brothers often got Angry Birds plushes from too, so that's also a fond memory I have of 'em.

[@allenelliott2114]

@@franklinbrooksstoppedcomme3267 Ahh yes the claw machine. The one at Denny's was the only one my parents ever gave me money to play on

[@Hollowdude15]

I never knew that danny's rise fall and rise again like I thought it have been doing good over time and great video man :]

[@user-hq9to4em7y]

Well, as a Gad school student from Korea in LA back in 2004-2009, first restaurant I went was Denny's. Hamburger and milkshake(even served the left over from the glass cup in the second cup) was huge. Well, all the negative things behind them seems new. thanks for sharing.

[@LAPISTime25]

Going to Denny's in my Pontiac. Life was good.

[@MilwaukeeWoman]

Pontiac and Saturn was done wrong.

[@BeautifulAngelBlossom]

@@MilwaukeeWoman i still drive 99 Pontiac i wish the name would make a come back

[@Harv72b]

Hit me up on Blackberry Messenger, I wanna go too.

[@ajaxpinecone.2993]

Hey man our pfp is almost the same

[@chaseman94]

@@BeautifulAngelBlossom that would be nice even if it were to compete against Dodge or go all EV but General Motors will f**k it up.

[@beetlesaretrying4621]

Dennys after a huge group project or performance back in high school was THE thing to do.

[@andrewjlw1990]

Dennys was my hang out about 12 years ago. Lots of good memories.

[@RandyWiafe]

Your stock video and images usage is 🔥🔥🔥

[@twal9]

Honestly Denny's whole story is like a microcosm of America. It really deserves to be America's Diner.

[@ernestolombardo5811]

Now that's a slogan... "Not the diner we need, but the diner we deserve."

[@MJ-sb5tz]

LOL Agreed!!. It does deserve to be called America’s dinner

[@nothingemo]

Poor management in many locations combined with drunks fist fighting = America’s diner

[@kevingray8616]

Fine, be that way. Denny's can be America's Diner. We folk's in the South will stick to Waffle House.

[@odethious5639]

@@kevingray8616 House of Pies or no breakfast at all.

[@Flyig_Walrus]

I've always thought the food was horrible unless it's 3am and I'm drunk or it's holiday.

[@CJLinOHIO]

As always your videos are very interesting. Out of all the restaurants and eateries that you have highlighted this is one I have never eaten in and I am 65 years old.

[@jchtylmegekr]

I like Denny's. Pretty much always close by wherever you travel in the U.S., fairly consistent, familiar with the menu items.. They're always around to welcome you nearly any time of day!

[@Mazo_Kyo]

Denny's in the US is passable. It's borderline gourmet in Japan

[@iwanttosurvive3992]

Really?? I'ma have to look this up!

[@jamestarrou3685]

From my experience the fast food in Japan just seemed overall nicer than the same in America. Some were about the same, but some seemed nicer.

[@Dentson]

Man when you drive across the country, Denny's is consistent across the country and is always a safe choice.

[@rafaelbarrera2612]

Better than eating at McDonalds fer sure!

[@327SixShooter]

I hear ya, people always say the small mom and pop diners are better. That is definitely not always true. It's true if you know the area and the restaurants or you have someone to help you tell you whats good and whats not. But i've been on vacation and had meals at small time no name restaurants that were so bad that I wish I would have just went to applebees or dennys instead. Same with pizza, I've had some small independent pizza shops that were so bad that I wished I would have ordered dominos or papa johns instead.

[@gabrielc249]

That was one of the most compelling of your videos. Very interesting history there that I am sure nobody was aware of. I recently went to Denny's and it was exactly as expected, mediocre food at a cheap price.

[@frankreb]

I love Denny’s. My favorite food is the ultimate omelet and love their coffee.

[@williamlloyd3769]

Remember going to Denny’s in 1970s in SoCal. However, the best version of Denny’s was independently owned franchise in Japan that was more upscale and where I could take a date to without feeling cheap. It was a novelty eating an American style meal in Japan at that time (mid 1980s). Too much fun and you had to love plastic replica food at the front of the restaurant!

[@bobbywoods684]

So, how were those Japanese girls to date?

[@williamlloyd3769]

@@bobbywoods684 Married her and still married to her! But to answer you question she had lived in USA during middle school so she talked like a valley girl.

[@bobbywoods684]

@@williamlloyd3769 Good for you two. There's a guy on here that is Japanese and does videos on all J subjects, including girls and how they are there. His stuff is above board and mostly it's him letting people talk with more info by him.

[@johniii8147]

@@williamlloyd3769 Glad it worked out for you two, but the valley girl talking would have destroyed it for me.

[@realevostevo]

Been a long time since I've been to Denny's. Back in the late 90's my friends and I used to go there at night for an hour or so to drink coffee and smoke. It was like a hang out pit stop. I had totally forgot about the racism issue they faced but yeah, now that you mention it I remember that being in the news. In retrospect, I guess I just assumed it was an isolated incident. Hard to believe an entire chain of restaurants would be like that.

[@adampender2482]

Certain types of people are terrible customers.

[@suhocidal]

@@adampender2482 color not a factor in that too

[@Law0086]

All I can think of is the internet fights, one of which I witnessed, where there's all these people brawling in the dining room. Girls skirts up, guys shirts off. Epic is all I can say.

[@ink-cow]

Denny's used to be cigarette smoke HQ. The waitress would hilariously ask you if you wanted to be seated in smoking or non-smoking, as if that made any difference. No matter where you sat, the restaurant had barely any breathable oxygen. Now it's usually a nice, clean place with friendly people. However, there must be something about the chain that makes random locations insane. One I visited with a friend, we were seated, and we sat and waited for what seemed an eternity, and finally had to get up and just leave when we overheard that other people who were already at their tables long before we even came in hadn't been waited on yet. It seemed the staff weren't waiting on people or serving food, just...seating people. As bad as that was though, it still wasn't as gruesome as visiting Waffle House. That place I don't get at all.

[@jd9119]

That's BS. The non-smoking sections weren't that bad.

[@ink-cow]

​@@jd9119 Guess that depends on how many smokers you had in your neighborhood. And of course Denny's wasn't unique. I believe my experience was typical. There's an entire gag routine based on the pervasiveness of breakfast diner smoking in Austin Powers: Goldmember, when the 70's-era villain offers his guests a variety of breakfast pastry dishes, each with a mandatory smoke on the side. "Cigar and a waffle? Pipe and a crepe? Bong and a blintz? Well, there's no pleasing you!"

[@lobster7799]

For me Denny’s has a lot of nostalgia;….when I was a kid my parents would take my brother and I there after church every Sunday. As kids they would put whipped cream on top of the hot coco along with our grand slams. WE LOVED THIS!!!! Now I’m in my 40s and they’re still around reminding me of those great family moments. Its funny Denny’s did those small things like the whipped cream that makes me remember them., Well I’m glad to see them survive. Great video :)

[@Harv72b]

Denny's: that restaurant where you walk in with low expectations but still somehow leave disappointed.

[@kellyl7688]

Legit!

[@BungieStudios]

Hahaha it's true! Their food is like rubber. 😂 I tried visiting them again after eating at Norm's.

[@giancarlofelicianocastaned9316]

Not true

[@juanjalar3234]

We have a Denny’s near us at the Speedway, Indiana exit. It of course is packed every May for the race. It’s a clean place with friendly staff and good service. We’ll go there occasionally for breakfast when craving more than cereal or oatmeal.

[@joelatkinson4967]

ate there twice when i was in the US loved it, always go when I see one.