Denny's the ol' standby for a quick breakfast or late-night spot is closing lots of stores. What do you guys think of it? Gross food, but quick? Cheap quality food?
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Two local Denny's close their doors
By Ottawa Business Journal Staff
Thu, Apr 14, 2005 8:00 AM EST

Two of Ottawa's four Denny's restaurants have closed, citing waning business.


Franchise owner Mike Glaser says the restaurants in Kanata Centrum and at 1910 Innes Rd. near Blair Road closed last Sunday. They had been losing between $100,000 and $150,000 annually for the past few years.


Mr. Glaser still operates the Denny's at South Keys, but says business is down about 30 per cent from late 2001. He sold another Denny's, at Strandherd and Greenbank in Barrhaven, to a new franchisee but that operation also suffered from poor sales and closed more than a year ago.


New management, which took over Denny's five years ago, has been putting an increased emphasis on the bottom line. Denny's operates 1,600 restaurants across North America, but closed more than 300 under-performing units between 2000 and 2004.

breakfast is the only meal I would visit Denny's for--maybe lunch!

It's gross and awesome!

I've never been to Denny's, and have never heard anyone I know talk about eating at Denny's, so I just voted "cheap and affordable", since it is... I guess. As to the gross or good factor, I couldn't tell you.

I didn't even know there were any Denny's restaurants in Ottawa. I thought the only one was in Niagara Falls! I ate at the one in Daytona Beach, Florida, it was awesome, I thought. I guess maybe the American ones of this restaurant are better than the Canadian ones.

The the food they had in the Pickering one was alright .. not too bad ... but the food we got in Scarborough was bad .. I would say, its awesome sometimes, and gross other times

gross and not that all cheap

Ottawa, before closing had one in Kanata, Barrhaven, Blackburn Hamlet, and the ones that are still open in Nepean, South Ottawa. There's only one Perkin's, in Ottawa East. It's strange there are/were so many, since I'd only seen a couple in the GTA. I think the one in Scarborough is now a Kelsey's BTW.

There's one in Kingston. I'd go there every once in a while. I think there's one in Bellville too.

It's definately not as cheap as it used to be. Back in the day, Grand Slam breakfasts were a pretty good deal. In the recent past I paid $15 for a sub-standard meal. It's still grosstastic.

Their breakfasts are great but outside that I avoid the place like the plague.
Typical American restaurant, big portions of food that's not worth eating.

Denny's is gross. The prices fluctuate in every city. For instance, the Denny's i ate @ in Vegas on the strip was very affordable. Compare this to the one across from Casino Niagara, a COMPLETE RIPOFF. Triple price for so little.
I will never eat @ a denny's for as long as I live. I am so much better then that.
Denny's IMO represents everything redneck.

Denny's is probably about as bad as the old St-Hubert chain was, lol! St-Hubert back in the 1990s closed a lot of stores, because of slumping sales. Denny's may do the same in Canada, if this trend continues.

ssiguy: If the breakfasts were "great", why not eat there? Just don't eat all of it;)

friendlyneighboor: The Denny's in Vegas was probably cheaper due to the competition from $1 breakfast buffets and the like at casinos, don't forget the conversion of currency.

Jaybird: St-Hubert is still in Québec and Ottawa, and does really well. I like it better than Swiss Chalet now. I think it just overambitiously expanded in the 80s into markets that weren't familiar with it. How is a rotiserrie chicken restauarant similar to a 24-hour all-day breakfast restaurant?

What is a home-grown Canadian chain that would be the rough equivalent to Denny's?

Cora's/Chez Cora is a Québec-founded chain that's making inroads westward that's only-breakfast and lunch. Golden Griddle (uggh) is roughly like Denny's, though I can't say I've been too often.

I got a book from the library once, and in it was a receipt from a Denny's in Japan. It was pretty cool. I still have it somewhere.

Cora's/Chez Cora is a Québec-founded chain that's making inroads westward that's only-breakfast and lunch. Golden Griddle (uggh) is roughly like Denny's, though I can't say I've been too often.

I wouldn't really compare Cora's to Denny's. At Coras you get the distict french feel, with a menu full of crepes and waffles, as opposed to the all-american feel you get at dennys with eggs, pancakes, steak. It's true that they are basically the only 2 chains that are well known for breakfast.

All the Canadian Denny's I have been to have been overpriced and serve crap for the amount you end up paying.

On the other hand, all the American ones I've been to have been cheap and decent food. Their Breakfast/Brunch is excellent but as the day proceeds the food seems to get worst and hits rock bottom during their "dinner" where I always find their meat to be blah.

perkins is a much better place for breakfast in my opinion.

the denny's in mississauga closed either last year or the year before. it was only open a few years beside the AMC on hurontario.

I have to say I have been disappointed with my visits to Cora... the first time I had an omelette that was as dry as a National Post, and I forget what I had the second time. It was pretty Golden Griddle to be honest. Perkins make
amazing pancakes.

Denny's is hit and miss......

The the food they had in the Pickering one was alright .. not too bad ... but the food we got in Scarborough was bad .. I would say, its awesome sometimes, and gross other times
There's a Denny's in Scarborough?... ahh who cares I'll stay with my Markham Station.. If your from Scarborough, you will know what it is.

Denny's is awesome except for the one outside of Fallsview (I think) Casino in Niagara Falls. They jack the price up to rediculous levels just because it's downtown. I paid something like 14.99 for the All American Slam breakfast and that didn't include a drink. It was 4.50 for a side of toast... toast! With tax my breakfast and drink came to over 20 bucks and the service was terrible. A tip was not even remotely justified (if you want some extra cash how about checking out the owner's wallet?)

Outside of that Denny's, it's OK in my books. I ate at one in Mississauga after the Jays game this past week and it was quite good. The one in Buffalo on I believe Delaware Ave is top notch.

perkins is a much better place for breakfast in my opinion.

the denny's in mississauga closed either last year or the year before. it was only open a few years beside the AMC on hurontario.

Just so you know, the Denny's by AMC Courtney Park re-opened not too long ago. I didn't find it cheap. And I don't think I'd eat there again.

I used to be a cook at Denny's - I don't know which way to vote

^

If you were paid minimum wage, pick the first answer...
If you were paid in hundreds of kilograms of potatoes, choose number two. :)
Ever spit in anything? Nombre trois, svp!
Work a short shift? Pick four.

:)

Denny's is alright...they have a great salad...but they conform to the most stupid shit possible...like not getting me a non-buttered bun when i ask for it. Also when I ate there yesterday I found a little fly in my tomato. I didn't mind however I am concerned with the sanity in their kitchen.

On a good note...Their waiters provide great service...probably because they are hungry for tips.

There used to be a Denny's where the Kelsey's is now on Lawrence and Eglinton and Neilson? Or somewhere closeby. Perkins has great potato pancakes!

I just had Denny's last Sunday in Mississauga and it was awesome! Though, the Denny's in japan is very different than in here in Canada. You have more choices in Denny's Japan and the waiters use their arms for TRAYS! :eek: It was like acrobatic ! But Denny's Canada is like sooo boringg... I dont know.. I like Japan's Denny's better..