Denny’s Signs NIL Deal with Top Offensive Linemen

SPARTANBURG, S.C., September 2, 2021 – Pancakes and pigskin go together like … well pancakes and bacon, and nobody understands that better than Denny’s. That’s why America’s Diner, famous for serving up the best pancakes in the game, has selected a different kind of All-American collegiate team – The All-Pancaker Team.  

Comprised of four offensive linemen known for serving up the best pancake blocks on the field, Jalen McKenzie, Mark Evans II, Nicholas Petit-Frere and newcomer Tristan Leigh have signed on to Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals with the brand, and officially today, they’re being sponsored for dropping pancakes on the field, and to sweeten the pot plate: They’ll also be paid in all the fluffy stacks of Denny’s buttermilk pancakes they can eat. 

“At Denny’s, we love college football just as much as we love our pancakes and our patrons. Over the course of their promising athletic careers, these remarkable young players have perfected pancaking the opposition,” said John Dillon, Denny’s EVP and Chief Brand Officer. “We couldn’t be more excited to work with Jalen, Mark, Nicholas and Tristan as they shape the future of this beloved sport and universities with their hard work on the field and in the classroom. Given how much all college institutions contribute equally to the beautifully diverse fabric of this country and the activities we enjoy together, it was important to us to bring together a group of athletes representing both Power Five and HBCU schools. We’re thrilled to not just officially sponsor these star athletes as they build their football careers, but to help fuel them on the field with stacks of our delicious pancakes.”  

All-Pancaker Team members are hitting the turf running. As part of their sponsorships, they’ll participate in Denny’s brand initiatives, including starring in a Signing Day video , and posting social content ahead of their game days, as well as promoting the brand’s monthly Spotlight Stacks – a rotating spotlight on its best-selling, mouth-watering pancakes. But these players know how to balance their responsibilities – so fans can rest assured that their work with America’s Diner won’t distract from their work on the field – or in the classroom. 

This move is part of Denny’s continued mission to bring people from all backgrounds together and to support talented individuals who align with its core values. In recruiting players to join the All-Pancaker Team, the company purposefully looked at star student-athletes from leading Power Five and HBCU schools across the nation, as part of an ongoing effort to support the communities in which it serves. 

Denny’s stacks of fluffy buttermilk pancakes drizzled with melting butter and sweet syrup are known and beloved countrywide, and Denny’s continually features mouth-watering pancake builds and varieties such as Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, Double Berry Banana and Hearty 9-Grain Pancakes. Fans can learn more about our pancakes, our full menu offerings, as well as receive the latest updates on Denny’s All-Pancaker Team by visiting us online at Dennys.com and following us on social via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn or YouTube. Fans can also watch their official signing day video here. 

About Denny's Corp 

Denny's Corporation is the franchisor and operator of one of America's largest franchised full-service restaurant chains, based on the number of restaurants. Denny's has approximately 1,700 franchised, licensed, and company restaurants around the world including 147 restaurants in Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Philippines, New Zealand, Honduras, the United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica, Guam, Guatemala, the United Kingdom, El Salvador, Indonesia, and Aruba. For further information on Denny's, including news releases, please visit the Denny's website at www.dennys.com or the brand's social channel via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn or YouTube.