WE LOVE TO FEED PEOPLE
For over 70 years, Denny’s has been a welcoming place where people can connect over great food. We’re always open, always serving your favorites, and we’re proud to be America's diner.
THAT GUIDE US
Since 1953
Our History
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1953
Harold Butler and Richard Jezak open Danny’s Donuts in Lakewood, CA.
1956
After Jezak’s departure, Butler changed the donut shop concept to a coffee shop with store #8. Danny’s Donuts is renamed Danny’s Coffee Shops, now open 24 hours.
1959
To avoid confusion with another LA restaurant, Coffee Dan’s, Butler changes the name from Danny’s Coffee Shops to Denny’s Coffee Shops.
1961
Denny’s Coffee Shops becomes Denny’s. And the rest is history.
1967
Denny’s goes international, opening its first restaurant in Acapulco, Mexico.
1968
Denny’s Stock begins Trading on NYSE under “DEN.”
1977
The Grand Slam® is introduced in Atlanta as a nod to homerun slugger, Hank Aaron.
1981
Denny's reaches a big milestone by opening its 1,000th location.
1991
Denny’s headquarters moves from Irvine, California to downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina.
1994
Denny’s becomes the largest corporate sponsor of the national charity Save the Children®.
2000
Fortune Magazine ranks Denny’s #1 on the list of “America’s 50 Best Companies for Minorities.”
2002
Denny’s parent company, Advantica Restaurant Group, Inc., is renamed Denny’s Corporation to reflect the one brand focus.
2006
Black Enterprise magazine ranks Denny’s at the top of its list of “Best 40 Companies for Diversity” in July 2006.
2008
Two million free Grand Slams® are served on the Tuesday after Super Bowl XLIII.
2010
The $2 $4 $6 $8 Value Menu® makes its debut, while Denny's opens its 1,600th restaurant by expanding domestically to Travel Centers and university locations.
2013
Denny’s celebrates its 60th anniversary.
2018
Denny’s announces the launch of the Mobile Relief Diner, a 53-foot custom-built kitchen ready to help feed those in need.
2019
With 89% of locations remodeled, Denny's launches the Heritage 2.0 Remodel Program to further enhance the dining experience and to set the stage for future revitalization.
2020
Denny's partners with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and begins donating a portion of kids entrée sales to fight childhood cancer.
2021
Denny’s launches two virtual brands, The Burger Den and The Meltdown.
Dawn Lafreeda
Dawn Lafreeda started her career as a Denny's waitress at age 16 and eventually bought her first Denny's restaurant at age 23. Today, Dawn is one of the largest single-owner franchisees with more than 60 Denny's locations that employ 3,000 people across the country.
Executive Leadership Team
Social Responsibility
As America's Diner, we love to feed people's bodies, minds and souls. We bring joy and comfort in many ways, with the common thread being our dedication to giving back to the communities in which we serve.
Community
At Denny’s, we celebrate a culture of openness—welcoming all people, ideas, and perspectives. This commitment starts at the top with our board and franchisees and extends throughout our entire family of cooks, servers, hosts, managers, and suppliers. Together, we strive to create an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
Franchising
