History of Denny's in Timeline

Denny's is a prominent American diner chain established in 1953, operating over 1,400 locations across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and other international regions. Originating as Danny's Donuts in Lakewood, California, it evolved into a full-service restaurant renowned for its 24/7 availability, all-day breakfast, and classic American comfort food. Beyond its culinary offerings, Denny's has become a cultural touchstone, frequently appearing in popular media and associated with affordable dining and a casual atmosphere. The chain has continually adapted, updating its menu, rebranding, and expanding into new markets to maintain its relevance.

1953: Denny's Founded as Danny's Donuts

In 1953, Denny's was founded as Danny's Donuts, a donut stand in Lakewood, California.

1953: Danny's Donuts Founded

In 1953, Harold Butler and Richard Jezak founded Danny's Donuts in Lakewood, California.

1954: Danny's Donuts Opens

In 1954, Danny's Donuts opened in Lakewood, California.

1956: Danny's Donuts Renamed Danny's Coffee Shops

In 1956, Danny's Donuts was renamed Danny's Coffee Shops, and the operation shifted to being open 24 hours.

1959: Danny's Coffee Shops Renamed Denny's Coffee Shops

In 1959, Danny's Coffee Shops was renamed Denny's Coffee Shops to avoid confusion with Coffee Dan's.

1961: Denny's Coffee Shops Renamed Denny's

In 1961, Denny's Coffee Shops was officially renamed Denny's, marking a further step in the company's evolution.

1963: Denny's Begins Franchising

In 1963, Denny's initiated its franchising program, which led to most Denny's restaurants becoming franchisee-owned.

1965: Second Prototype Building Designed

In 1965, Los Angeles architects Armet & Davis designed a second prototype building with a zigzag shingled roof, contributing to the spread of Googie architecture.

April 27, 1974: First Denny's Restaurant Opens in Japan

On April 27, 1974, the first Denny's restaurant in Japan opened in Kamiōoka, Yokohama, under a license by a subsidiary of Seven & I Holdings.

1977: Grand Slam Breakfast Introduced

In 1977, Denny's introduced the Grand Slam breakfast, which became a popular menu item.

1981: Denny's Reaches 1,000 Restaurants

By 1981, Denny's had expanded to over 1,000 restaurants in all 50 U.S. states.

December 1982: Denny's Opens First Restaurant in Australia

In December 1982, Denny's opened its first restaurant in Australia, located in Forest Hill, Melbourne, under the ownership of Ansett Australia.

1984: Denny's in Japan Operated by Subsidiary of Seven & I Holdings

Since 1984, about 578 Denny's restaurants in Japan have been operated independently under a license by a subsidiary of Seven & I Holdings.

1987: Trans World Corporation Acquires Denny's

In 1987, Denny's was acquired by Trans World Corporation (TW Corporation), with the office later moving to Spartanburg, South Carolina.

1988: Denny's Closes on Christmas

On Christmas 1988, all but six Denny's locations closed for the first time ever due to restaurants lacking locks and lost keys.

1989: Denny's Office Moved to Irvine, CA

In 1989, Denny's main offices were moved from La Mirada, California, to Irvine, California.

1989: Denny's Chain Sold in Australia

In 1989, the Denny's chain in Australia was sold due to changing consumer tastes, leading to its closure shortly after.

1990: Denny's Offers Free Birthday Meal

From 1990, Denny's offered a free meal to anyone on their birthday with limited options from a special birthday menu.

1991: Discriminatory Service in San Jose

In 1991, at a Denny's in San Jose, California, several black teenagers were refused service unless they agreed to pay in advance.

1992: Kohlberg Kravis Roberts Acquires Interest in TW Corporation

In 1992, the private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts acquired a 47% interest in TW Corporation, Denny's parent company, later known as The Flagstar Companies.

1993: Secret Service Incident at Denny's

In 1993, six black United States Secret Service agents experienced discriminatory treatment at a Denny's in Annapolis, Maryland, facing delayed service compared to their white companions.

1994: Denny's Sponsors Save the Children

In 1994, Denny's became the largest corporate sponsor of Save the Children, a national charity.

1994: Denny's Store Renovations and Baskin-Robbins Introduction

In 1994, Denny's began renovating its stores with a lighter color scheme, and select locations also began serving Baskin-Robbins ice cream for a short time, with Houston, Texas, as the test market.

1994: Denny's Settles Class Action Lawsuit

In 1994, Denny's settled a class action lawsuit for $54.4 million, the largest settlement under federal public accommodations laws, due to discriminatory practices against black customers.

1995: Sacramento Denny's Requires Black Customers to Pay Upfront

In 1995, a black Denny's customer in Sacramento, California, was told that he and his friends had to pay upfront upon ordering their meals, due to a prior incident involving black customers leaving without paying.

1996: Free Birthday Meal Restrictions

By 1996, Denny's had to restrict the rules for the free birthday meal promotion to one meal per person on their actual birthday with proof of birth date required.

May 1997: First Denny's Classic Diner Opens

In May 1997, the first Denny's Classic Diner opened in Fort Myers, Florida, showcasing a modular building resembling a classic 1950s diner.

July 12, 1997: Flagstar Files for Bankruptcy

On July 12, 1997, Flagstar, Denny's parent company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

1997: Asian-American Students Discriminated Against at Denny's

In 1997, six Asian-American students from Syracuse University experienced discriminatory treatment at a local Denny's, followed by a racial attack outside the establishment.

2001: Denny's Chosen as "Best Company for Minorities"

In 2001, Denny's was chosen by Fortune magazine as the "Best Company for Minorities."

October 2004: Denny's Featured in "Dirty Dining" Segment

In October 2004, Dateline NBC aired a segment titled "Dirty Dining," which examined the health inspection records of popular dining chains; Denny's had the fewest violations among the chains studied.

2006: Denny's Tops Black Enterprise's Diversity List

In 2006, Denny's topped Black Enterprise's list of "Best 40 Companies for Diversity."

2007: Denny's Tops Black Enterprise's Diversity List Again

In 2007, Denny's again topped Black Enterprise's list of "Best 40 Companies for Diversity."

2008: Denny's Switches to Cage-Free Eggs

In 2008, Denny's began switching to cage-free eggs in collaboration with the Humane Society of the United States to address animal welfare issues.

2009: Free Birthday Build-Your-Own Slam

Since 2009, the restaurant chain has offered a free Birthday Build-Your-Own Slam on the customer's birthday.

July 2010: Denny's Expands with Pilot Flying J Locations

In July 2010, Denny's significantly expanded its presence in the United States by opening locations inside Pilot Flying J-branded truck stops, completing 123 conversions.

June 2012: Denny's Opens at Las Américas International Airport

In June 2012, Denny's opened its first location in an airport at the Las Américas International Airport, marking its entry into the Dominican Republic.

July 2012: Denny's Announces Expansion into Southern China

In July 2012, Denny's announced an agreement to open 50 restaurants in southern China over 15 years, starting in 2013, marking its largest international development deal at the time. This deal was eventually cancelled.

2012: Denny's Announces Commitment to Avoid Gestation Crates

In 2012, Denny's announced it would work with its suppliers to avoid keeping pigs in gestation crates, although the commitment was later removed.

2013: Planned China Expansion Cancelled

In 2013, the deal announced in July 2012 to open 50 restaurants in southern China was cancelled before any restaurants opened.

August 29, 2014: Denny's Opens First New York City Location

On August 29, 2014, Denny's opened its first location in New York City in Lower Manhattan, offering a more upscale experience, serving alcohol, and featuring a $300 Grand Cru Slam with Dom Pérignon.

2014: Discrimination Claim in Deming, New Mexico

In 2014, a Denny's location in Deming, New Mexico, faced a discrimination claim by an LGBT group, alleging homophobic slurs and refusal of service.

March 20, 2017: First Denny's in Japan Closes

On March 20, 2017, the first Denny's restaurant in Japan, which opened in 1974, closed due to the demolition of the Ito-Yokado building where it was located.

June 2017: Denny's Locations Shut Down Due to Tax Issues

In June 2017, eight Denny's locations in Colorado abruptly closed due to the franchise owner's failure to pay nearly $200,000 in back taxes and over $30,000 in sales tax. Employees also reported issues with unpaid accounts and bounced checks. The franchise owner fled the state.

November 2017: Denny's to Open First UK Restaurant

In November 2017, it was announced that Denny's would open its first UK restaurant in Swansea in December 2017 as part of the Parc Tawe redevelopment scheme.

December 2017: Denny's Opens in Swansea, UK

In December 2017, Denny's opened its first UK restaurant in Swansea, initially serving homeless people on Christmas Day before its official opening to the public on December 27.

2017: Denny's Accusation of Racial Discrimination

In 2017, a Denny's in Vancouver, British Columbia, was involved in an incident where staff were accused of racial discrimination for allegedly making an Indigenous woman pay for her meal before it was served and subsequently calling the police on her.

January 2018: Denny's NYC Location Closes

In January 2018, Denny's closed its New York City location in Lower Manhattan.

2022: Denny's Acquires Keke's Breakfast Cafe

In 2022, Denny's acquired Orlando-based chain Keke's Breakfast Cafe for $82.5 million.

2023: Denny's Restaurant Count at End of 2023

At the end of 2023, there were 1,602 Denny's restaurants, with 66 company-owned and 1,582 franchised; the majority (1,445) are in the United States.

2023: Animal Equality Campaign Against Denny's

In 2023, the animal rights group Animal Equality launched a public information campaign addressing Denny's failure to remove gestation crates for pigs from its supply chain.

January 31, 2024: Denny's Location in Oakland Closes After 54 Years

On January 31, 2024, a Denny's location in Oakland, California, closed permanently after 54 years, citing concerns for the "safety and well-being" of customers and employees.

October 22, 2024: Denny's Announces Keke's Expansion and Denny's Closures

During an investor day on October 22, 2024, Denny's announced plans to expand Keke's nationwide while closing 150 Denny’s restaurants in the following 12–18 months.

2024: Denny's operates Ghost Kitchens

In 2024, Denny's began operating Ghost kitchens, like The Meltdown, offering Denny's menu items at a higher price using delivery services such as Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats. The Meltdown's "Giddy Up Melt," was $18.72, while the "Brisket Melt" is $16.69, despite being the same sandwiches.

2024: Shareholder Proposal Regarding Gestation Crates

In 2024, the Humane Society of the United States filed a shareholder proposal requesting that Denny's reinstate its deadline to eliminate gestation crates from its supply chain.