HISTORY : In 1953, the restaurant business today known as Denny's began as Danny's Donuts in Lakewood, California. Harold Butler, the proprietor, started his business with a firm promise: "We're going to provide the greatest cup of coffee, create the best doughnuts, give the best service, maintain everything pristine, offer the best value, and stay open 24 hours a day." By 1959, his company had expanded to 20 sites, and he renamed the enterprise Denny's Restaurants to prevent confusion with another franchise, Doughnut Dan's. By 1963, the firm had expanded to 78 locations in seven western US states thanks to the implementation of a franchising scheme. Today, franchising remains a major aspect of Denny's expansion strategy, with franchisees owning 86 percent of the company's locations. Denny's established its 1,000th restaurant in 1981, and by 2011, it has expanded to over 1,600 locations in the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Guam, Mexico, and New Zealand.
Denny's is a family-oriented diner that is open 24 hours a day and offers a casual come-as-you-are dining experience. Where a kind server welcomes you and makes you feel at ease. Where comfort cuisine, whether breakfast, lunch, or supper, is created to order and provided at any time of day or night. And at a price that is as reasonable as the service. Denny's principles are comparable to those of its customers: loyalty and hard work, honesty and authenticity, openness, friendliness, and dependability. These common ideals have been at the core of Denny's for more than 60 years and will continue to represent the brand's very essence for many more.