Introducing Back of the Menu
Back of the Menu is a new restaurant resource that can help us to make the best decisions for ourselves when choosing to eat out. In addition to that, you’ll also learn how some of our favourite restaurants got their starts. There are some really great stories here!
Like The Celiac Scene, Back of the Menu is a tool that helps diners make good choices based on food types, restaurant types, where kids eat free, the best family restaurant, the best stories and more! The information that creator Darin Berkley provides about each restaurant is absolutely mind boggling – and makes for a great read! Learn more about Darin at bottom.
The Celiac Scene and Back of the Menu are Combining Forces!
The Scene will be sharing links to Back of the Menu stories for restaurants that make an online commitment to providing gluten-free options. Find them restaurant by restaurant on the Fast Food Canada and Fast Food USA pages. New links are being added weekly.
- NOTE: Back of the Menu is a US-based resource but a large part of the information shared applies to featured fast-food chains north of the border. As gluten-free ingredients and offerings can vary by country, be sure you are referring to the allergen guides, nutrition information and / or gluten-free menus relative to your location.
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Here’s what Back of the Menu has to say about Denny’s – Be Amazed!
What began as a simple little donut shop grew quickly for Harold Butler and Rich Jezak. The two men opened Danny’s Donuts in 1953 to focus on good coffee, good donuts, and a clean restaurant. The store did very well and began to grow quickly. To avoid confusion with another local establishment called Coffee Dan’s so they circled the wagon and changed it to Denny’s after six years. Today they are over 1,600 Denny’s locations in the U.S.
GENERAL RESTAURANT INFORMATION
- Food Type: Family Style
- Restaurant Type: Family Dining
- U.S. Locations: 1,610
- States: 50 states, Denny’s Locations
- Company Slogan: Welcome to America’s diner
CONTACT INFORMATION
- Website: dennys.com
- Questions: Contact Information
- Phone number: 800-733-6697
- Email: Contact Form Only
- Blog: Denny’s Blog
- FAQ Page: No
OWNERSHIP
- Who Owns Denny’s? Denny’s Corporation
- Headquartered: Spartanburg, South Carolina
- Website: Denny’s
- Email/contact page: Denny’s
- Phone: 800-733-6697
- Address: 203 East Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29319
- Do They Franchise? Franchise Information
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK AT DENNY’S?
- Working at Denny’s (dennys.com)
- 3.6/5 or 72%; 5,300 Reviews (indeed.com)
- 3.1/5, or 62%; 1,100 Reviews (glassdoor.com)
- What to expect when working at Denny’s (job-applications.com)
THE HISTORY OF DENNY’S
- Original Location: 11605 Carson Street
- Founded: 1953 (as Danny’s Donuts)
- Founded By: Harold Butler (and Richard Jezak)
- Harold Butler (wikipedia.org)
- Harold Butler (nndb.org)
- Entrepreneurial Saints – Harold Butler (entrepreneurialsaints.blogspot.com)
- Founder Obituary: July 9, 1998; age 77
- Harold Butler; Founder of Denny’s Chain (latimes.com)
- Find a Grave – Harold Butler (findagrave.com)
- Founder of Denny’s Restaurants Dies (apnews.com)
- Name Origin: The was originally Danny’s Donuts (the name “Danny” sounded good with donuts) but as the restaurant grew from more than a donut shop, the owners changed the name so not to be confused with Coffee Dan’s (source)
- Denny’s History Page: Company History Page
- Current View of Original Location: 11605 Carson Street as it is today (link may not work on mobile devices without Google Maps)
- Historical Articles:
- A Brief History of Denny’s (dennys.com)
- Denny’s Started as a Donut Shop (todayifoundout.com)
- Denny’s (feastenterprises.com)
- How New York City got its first Denny’s (fortune.com)
- Denny’s International N.V. (library.hbs.edu)
- Denny’s (entrepreneur.com)
- Denny’s Wikipedia (wikiwand.com)
SOCIAL AWARENESS
- Charity Focus: Children’s Hunger, Education and United Way
- Foundation | Charity Work: Denny’s Social Responsibility
- Green | Eco-Friendly:
- Denny’s Goes Green in Joliet (environmentalleader.com)
- Animal Cruelty:
- Denny’s Animal Welfare (dennys.com)
- Denny’s Commits to 100% Cage Free Eggs by 2026; Also switching to 100% gestation crate-free pork (cagefreefuture.com)
- Denny’s Pledges To Stop Supporting Gestation Crates (humanesociety.org)
- Denny’s Scores One for Animals (peta.org)
- Denny’s Continues Working With Pork Suppliers To Eliminate Gestation Crates From Supply Chain (humanesociety.org)
DISCOUNTS AT DENNY’S
- Rewards Program: Denny’s Reward Program
DO KIDS EAT FREE AT DENNY’S?
- What day do kids eat free? Tuesday
- Summary: Currently, their website states the following – One coupon, per table, per visit. Limit two free kid’s entrées from the Kid’s menu per one adult entrée and beverage purchase. One free entrée per kid. Children must be 10 years old or younger and accompanied by an adult. Not valid with any other coupons or promotional offers. Taxes and gratuity not included. Beverages not included. Selection and prices may vary. Offer valid for dine-in only. (source)
DOES DENNY’S OFFER MILITARY DISCOUNTS?
- Summary: As it relates to celebrating Veteran’s Day, their site states the following – Denny’s locations nationwide will offer a complimentary Build Your Own Grand Slam to service members. This diner classic includes a choice of delicious breakfast items such as two fluffy buttermilk or hearty wheat pancakes, two eggs cooked to order, two sizzling bacon strips or hash browns. The offer is valid from 5 a.m. to noon with a valid military ID. (source)
- In addition to thie Veteran’s Day special, several participating locations also offer a meal discount (10-20%) throughout the year.
WHAT ABOUT MY BIRTHDAY AT DENNY’S?
- Summary: Denny’s site currently states the following – Celebrate your birthday with a FREE GRAND SLAM. Restrictions may apply Kids Eat Free Tuesdays 4PM to 10PM. Ask your server for details. Restrictions may apply. (source)
DOES DENNY’S OFFER FIRST RESPONDER DISCOUNTS?
- Summary: No
DOES DENNY’S OFFER SENIOR CITIZEN | AARP DISCOUNTS?
- Summary: Multiple sources state that AARP members receive a 15% discount with proof of membership and that those (non-members) 55 and older receive a 10% discount. Nothing could be found on Denny’s website.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER DISCOUNTS OR BENEFITS AT DENNY’S?
- Summary: By joining Denny’s rewards program, their site states you will receive: News and fresh deals straight to your inbox!, Receive 20% off your next visit when you join!, Enjoy a delicious birthday gift each year!
AMENITIES
- Order Online: Denny’s Order Online
- WiFi Available: Yes
- Use Apple Pay: Yes (if not coming soon)
- Reservations: Yes
- Catering: No
- Drive-Thru: No
- Open 24 Hours: No
CUSTOMER REVIEWS OF DENNY’S
- Yelp: 2.5/5 or 50%, 1,137 reviews sampled
- Tripadvisor: 2.9/5 or 73%, 3,124 reviews sampled
- Facebook: 3.87/5 or 77%, 2,478 reviews sampled
- Overall Average: 3.31/5 or 66%, 6,739 reviews sampled
IS DENNY’S FAMILY FRIENDLY?
- Summary: Denny’s is one of the best restaurant chains as it relates to benefits being offered to individuals and families. You have to applaud restaurants that are invested in taking care of their customers whether you like the restaurant chain or not. The thing you have to consider when dining there is the value of the food and how much you will enjoy it the overall experience.
FOOD & NUTRITION
- Menu: Denny’s Menu
- Secret Menu:
- Denny’s French Toast Cheese Sandwich (ranker.com)
- Denny’s Tsing Tsing Chicken (ranker.com)
- Most Popular Menu Item: Super Slam Meal
- Coke or Pepsi Products: Coke
- Does Denny’s Serve Alcohol: No
- Denny’s Nutritional Information: Denny’s Nutrition Guide
- Vegetarian | Vegan Options:
- Eating Vegetarian At Denny’s (thatnerdysciencegirl.com)
- Vegan Food at Denny’s (peta.org)
- Additional Resources:
- Vegan Options At Popular Fast Food Chains (onegreenplanet.org)
- Here’s How to Eat Vegan at Your Favorite Chain Restaurants (chooseveg.com)
- Your Best Vegan Option at 35 Popular Restaurants (eatthis.com)
- Try These Vegan Fast Food and Chain Restaurant Options on the Go (peta.org)
- Farm to Table | Organic Options | Clean | Non-GMO: No
- Miscellaneous Nutrition Resources:
- Unwrapping Denny’s Double Cheeseburger (eatthis.com)
- Denny’s Healthy Dining (healthydiningfinder.com)
- Denny’s: Open For Vegan Food 24/7 (petakids.com)
- Worst Milkshakes in America 2015 (eatthis.com)
- The Healthiest Menu Items You Can Order At Denny’s (delish.com)
- Healthy Options at Denny’s, Part 1: Breakfast (eatingrules.com)
- Healthy Options at Denny’s, Part 1: Everything Else (eatingrules.com)
- What Dietitians Would Eat At Denny’s (huffingtonpost.ca)
ALLERGY INFORMATION
- Denny’s Allergen Information: Denny’s Allergen Guide
- Gluten Free Options:
- Denny’s Gluten Free Menu 2009 (celiac-disease.com)
- Denny’s Gluten-Free Menu 2018 (nogluten.io)
- Dairy Free Options:
- Denny’s Go Dairy Free (godairyfree.org)
- Peanut Free Options: No resources available
DOES DENNY’S HAVE ANY SECRET RECIPES?
- Denny’s Secret Recipes:
- The best 12 Secret Recipes from Denny’s including the Fabulous French Toast! (topsecretrecipes.com)
- 23 Denny’s Copycat Recipes (tasteofhome.com)
- Denny’s Style French Toast (genuiskitchen.com)
- Copy Cat Recipe – Denny’S French Toast Recipe (budgetsavvydiva.com)
DID YOU KNOW?
Fun Facts:
- Several locations were originally built without locks on the doors. (source)
- The Grand Slam is their most popular menu and was originally introduced in 1977 to honor Hank Aaron. (source) It is also considered the most unhealthy item.
- The organization they support most is No Kid Hungry
- The company that began as a donut shop no longer offers them on the menu
- They have enjoyed a pop culture presence in Hollywood with Breaking Bad, South Park, and the Hobbit movies.
- The New York City locations also offer cocktails, including a “Grand Cru Slam” for $300 that includes a bottle of Dom Perigon (Mental Floss)
Interesting Articles:
- 9 Things You Didn’t Know About Denny’s (thedailymeal.com)
- Denny’s Started As A Donut Shop (todayifoundout.com)
- 10 Things You Might Not Know About Denny’s (mentalfloss.com)
- Daughter of Denny’s Founder Slams Company (wsj.com)
- 30 Facts about Denny’s (dennys.com)
- How a Former Denny’s Waitress Amassed an Empire of Over 75 Denny’s Locations (entrepreneur.com)
- 12 Things You Didn’t Know About Denny’s (thrillist.com)
- 16 Secrets You Don’t Know About Denny’s (eatthis.com)
- 5 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know about Denny’s (simplybeingmommy.com)
- 12 Things You Didn’t Know About Denny’s (huffingtonpost.com)
- Denny’s Co-Founder Quits Top Flagstar Post : Restaurants: Firm lost in quarter, but resignation was unexpected. Time constraints were cited (latimes.com)
DENNY’S ON AMAZON
SOCIAL MEDIA
- Facebook: 1,347,554
- Twitter: 498,000
- Instagram: 276,000
- Pinterest: 1,339
- YouTube: 33.624
- LinkedIn: 20,695
- SnapChat
MOBILE APPS
ALTERNATIVES
- Better Options: Coming Soon
- Similar Restaurants: Coming Soon
IN SUMMARY
- Whether you’re visiting the big cities or small towns in America, you will most likely find a dinner there. They offer some of the best restaurant atmospheres in the U.S. There is one diner that has been successful as a chain and that’s Denny’s. With over 1,600 locations in the U.S. and multiple restaurants in all 50 states, they have been a leader in the restaurant industry for a long time. There isn’t a lot of competition in the space they are in and you should find consistency no matter which location you visit. They do a really good job at catering to families with Kids Eat Free on Tuesdays (some locations offer it nightly), as well as military and senior citizen discounts. If you are concerned about your weight or the ingredients, you may have fewer choices than others but there is probably something on the menu for everyone.
All About Darin Berkley and Back of the Menu
Almost ten years ago I began having a monthly date with my only child at the time. He had just turned four and my wife and I found out we were expecting our second child. He and I have continued that tradition over the years never missing a month. I also began having dates with my other children as well. Since that first date back in January of 2010, I have gone on to have almost 200 dates with my three kids combined. I am extremely passionate about spending time with my kids and encouraging other parents to do the same. Last year I created a website called Chalkboard Parenting where I try to provide tools and resources for parents spending time with their kids which lead to starting this site.
Darin would love to hear from you! What information would be helpful to you and your family? What categories would you like to see added? Please get in touch with him at [email protected].