Denny's to close 150 locations, considers cutting 24/7 hours

[pstokely]

Source: KIRO 7 News

The company is targeting “underperforming restaurants” for closure, particularly those that are too old to remodel or are located in areas that have become unprofitable, said Steve Dunn, Denny’s executive vice president and chief global development officer.

In addition to the closures, Denny’s is reconsidering its requirement for franchisees to operate 24/7.

Since the pandemic, about a quarter of its restaurants have not resumed round-the-clock hours, leading the company to ease up on this long-standing rule.

Denny’s decision aligns with a larger industry trend where many restaurants have reduced hours due to shifts in customer behavior and rising costs.

Read more: https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/dennys-close-150-locations-considers-cutting-247-hours/6TUURQTNGVGYDGUPHURHWG7VCM/

[czarjak]

1. What about the drunks though?

[pstokely]

8. Taco Bell or McDs might be open

but many of those have not returned to 24/7 hours post pandemic

[LeftInTX]

9. Only drive thrus

[czarjak]

17. Would imagine covid changed clubbing for a lot of people too.

[Igel]

16. The only drunks I've seen at Denny's in the wee hours of the morning

were usually referred to as "college students."

U Delaware, CalTech, U Oregon. (There was a 24/7 restaurant in Eugene in the '80s that started "Car...", I think, that attracted more than a few.)

Often the students were there to study. Often there to work off too much liquor (making one wonder how they got there legally ... Then you had to stop and think that they just weren't caught). Sometimes there to satisfy their inner munchie-monster.

Weirdly, sometimes all 3.

[czarjak]

18. The size of the college town matters too?

[DeepWinter]

19. No kidding

IHOP is a worst offender with drunks and outright fighting. They should close the doors at 10pm.

[Hassler]

2. Shari's an Oregon/PNW chain closed all 42 of their restaurants yesterday.

[ZonkerHarris]

5. did they say why?

[regnaD kciN]

6. ...after never returning to 24/7 post-COVID.

Shari’s was far higher quality than Denny’s, and a great place for late-night gatherings. But they got bought out by a venture capital firm (just before the pandemic, if I recall correctly), with sadly-predictable results.

[pstokely]

7. some starting cutting back their hours pre pandemic

Steak N Shake used to be open 24/7, they cut back their hours a little before the pandemic

[NBachers]

10. That's too bad- There's one on 280 south of San Francisco that I really like. I'll miss it, if it's really gone.

On edit: It looks like it may still be open I'll have to dig deeper.

[niyad]

3. Denny's still exists?

[Aristus]

4. There's one here in Puyallup.

Don’t know if it’s going to be closed.

[werdna]

11. Denny's decision aligns with a larger industry trend where many restaurants have -

- refused to pay workers a living wage. Starting hourly wage at Denny's less than $14.00 p/h, most likely part time, unless they pay managers on salary, then 50 - 70 hours a week including weekends, bringing effective hourly wage down to equal or less than wage earners because salaried workers are not paid time and a half for overtime.

[pstokely]

14. a good portion of the business model of chain restaurants was a large supply of cheap labor

less of that now

[Mosby]

12. I like Denny's

Here in Phoenix they are experiencing competition that never existed before. There are fancy breakfast places all over the place, a new one just opened a 1/2 mile north of the Denny's on 7th. called Brunch Snob.

[pstokely]

13. are they open 24/7?

or when the drunks are out?

[Marthe48]

15. we're getting a Denny's here in Marietta

According to one of my friends on fb. They posted about the location and then posted that Denny's is having a day to interview employees for the location.

There is an Ihop, and a Texas Roadhouse is opening soon, in a new building. We got a Panera a couple years ago. On I 77 right at the Ohio line with WV