Fine for Fishing or Drinking
Written: Jan 09 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Entertaining, Reasonable Prices, Some Good Items
Cons: Inconsistency, Service Issues
The Bottom Line: Its a good place for a quick meal, but its not a fancy restaurant. Be careful what you order, and you'll be okay.
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| toiletoctopus's Full Review: Denny's |
If you were playing a word association game, the word "Denny's," would not be confused with "gourmet" or "top of the line." It is not a place known for luxurious accomodations, or five star cuisine. Denny's is simply a good place to get a meal, after a night of partying or before a day of fishing. Most of their locations are open 24 hours a day/365 days a year, which them convenient for these purposes.
Denny's has been around since the 1950's, when the first location was opened in California by Harold Butler. They now have over 1600 locations in the United States, with over 1000 of these being franchised owned. This means that Denny's is the largest full service family style restaurant in the country, and they are visible in communities on both the East and West coasts. Most of them are located off of main intersections, or by exits on interstates. This sometimes leads to an interesting clientele, and Denny's has had issues with how people have been treated.
Although Denny's is known for its positive commercials,including the one where the lady refers to it as "Lenny's", this chain has had some legal issues in the last decade. There were numerous incidents of poor service involving minorities, including a well publicized one with a group of United States Secret Service agents. After lawsuits and boycotts, Denny's finally decided to increase its diversity training. They have a zero tolerance policy for any kind of discrimination, and have signed charters with African American and Hispanic advocacy groups to increase opportunities for minorities in the company. In addition, Denny's has been a good corporate citizen towards underprivileged children, as they are a major sponsor of the organization "Save the Children." Each year they donate some of their proceeds to this, and even sell merchandise such as ties,shirts, and hats to bring it needed funding.
I have been in Denny's many times, and at a lot of their locations in the Mid Atlantic Region. I have never seen any activity that would appear to be discriminatory, and my friends are diverse and eclectic. Service is a serious issue with Denny's, as all locations have a lot of inconsistency. It is either outstanding, or bottom of the barrel. I've been trying to find a happy medium for years in this regard, but it is just not possible. A lot of this is due to the size of the crowds, and how fast they are arriving at the restaurant. On Friday and Saturday nights, there is always a considerable wait for a table in non-smoking or the smoking sections.
Upon being seated, there have been ocassions where I've had to wait more than ten minutes for a drink and menu. This would not be accepted at more expensive restaurants, but this is Denny's after all. A lot of their locations are understaffed, and the wait staff will have up to ten tables each. I actually feel sorry for them, as they are almost always running around at full speed during busy periods. They look almost always tired, and I can understand that they aren't always cheerful. Yet, there is a almost Jekyll and Hyde set of personalities that work here, which is just like the rest of the service. They are either really good at what they do, or find a way to mess up your entire order. Some of them, seem to be smart, witty, and well educated. The supbar groups always seem to be on prison work release.(A side, but important note: If you are in law enforcement, I would recommend staying away from Dennys. This is not only because you will have to respond to something while there, but because some of the cooks are on work release programs. A lot of Denny's honor these programs, which can be positive or negative depending on your point of view)
Cleanliness is another issue. This is another aspect lacking real consistency as well. Some of the Denny's I've been to have impeccably clean restrooms, and they are always supplied with the proper amounts of soaps, towels, toilet paper, etc. This is true throughout the day and nighttime hours, but other locations are a mess. This is even the case during non-peak hours during early afternoons, and becomes more of an issue around the late night weekend hours. Most Denny's employ one/two people who use the dishwashing machine, and perform general cleaning duties throughout the restaurant. The waitstaff are responsible for cleaning the tables, and vacuuming the floors/seats at the booths. Many times I have been sitting at a booth, and realized I am sitting on food or a napkin from a previous guest. This is simply not acceptable. It is nice to go to a location that takes care of all aspects of cleanliness, and it doesn't seem to apply differently to franchise and corporate stores.
Since the main times I attend Denny's for meals is breakfast and late nights, I will share my expertise on a few select items. The breakfast is Denny's bread and butter, and they have a loyal following of customers. There are many regulars who go there daily, and the morning staff is almost older/more experienced. This is where I've had a little more consistency overall, even though I've had some bad experiences here as well. The breakfast menu is diverse, and has many choices for even a picky eater to decide from. There are classics like the Ultimate Omlette, All American Slam, Denver Scramble, French Toast, and TBone Steak and Eggs. My personal favorites include the Grand Slam, Lumberjack Slam, and Moons Over My Hammy.
The Grand Slam consists of two pancakes, two eggs(however you like them), two bacon strips, and two sausage links. It goes for $3.99, and its a good meal for the bargain minded. Its nothing fancy, but it gets the job done. Usually the pancakes are cooked to a perfect level, although the bacon and sausage tends to be be a bit burned. It all depends on the cook, which comes back to the consistency problems. Most of the times I get my eggs scrambled, because that is kind of hard to mess up. I used to order them Sunny Side Up, but they would be awfully runny most of the time. This appears to be due to the cook having to rush, as the restaurant can be quite busy during the mornings.
My two favorite breakfast meals, are the Moons Over My Hammy and Lumberjack Slam. I know, Moons Over My Hammy is a funny name. However, it is a good breakfast sandwich, and a good way to start a long day of outdoor activity. Its a Ham and scrambled egg sandwich, with melted swiss and American cheese on sourdough bread. It is quite delicious, and usually comes out hot. It is served with hashbrowns or grits, and it is good with a cup of coffee. Denny's has pretty good coffee, and it is comparable to Dunkin Donuts or 7-Eleven blend. It will keep you awake, and usually the wait staffs serve it fresh. The Moons Over My Hammy is $5.99, and well worth it. If you are hungrier than a Moons style sandwich, I recommend the Lumberjack Slam.("I'm a Lumberjack, yes I am.....") This is truly the big man's meal, and it will make you full. It comes with three pancakes, two bacon strips, two sausage links, two eggs, a slice of grilled ham, hasbrowns or grits, and toast. It is a monster, and it is very good, except for the ham. The ham reminds me of Spam, and it is almost always cold in the middle upon serving. In addition, please stay away from the grits if you really like them. Denny's grits are watery, cold, and just downright gross. Avoid them at all costs, and go with the hashbrowns. They are quite good, and do a good job of sticking to your belly. The Lumberjack retails for $7.99, and it could be considered brunch. The other brunch style item is the T-Bone Steak and Eggs. The steak is 13 oz, and really pops a wallop. It is a bit pricey($11.00 range), but good for a change of scenery. Just make sure to order it at least medium, because its better safe than sorry! Breakfast sides include: bacon, sausage links, sausage patties(okay, but usually burned as well), grilled ham slice, eggs, biscuits and gravy(quite good), country fried potatoes, hashbrowns, pancakes,english muffins, toast, bagel w/cream cheese, grits, applesauce, fruit bowl, and cinnamon apples.
The neat part about Denny's, is that you can order breakfast at any time of day. However, after a night of drinking at my local bar, I usually go for the appetizer/dinner menu. Denny's lunch/dinner menu has a lot of selections as well, and their menu items include: Chicken Strips, Turkey and Stuffing, Steak Dinner, Fish and Chips, Country Fried Chicken, Steak and Shrimp, Classic Burger, Bacon Double Cheese Burger, Mushroom Burger, BLT, Boca Burger(Vegetarian), Club Sandwiches, Super Birds, Delidingers, Chicken Melts, etc.
Their burgers are to be avoided. Although the Boca Burger is a Soy Burger, I am convinced the rest of their line has that as a additive. I cannot prove this, but they are disgusting. The quality is at the lowest common demoninator, and it doesn't matter if you ask for it charred. You will still taste how nasty it is. For all of my vegetarian friends(I'm sorry, I can't do it), there are other options to choose from then the Boca Burger. There are salads which include: garden salad. They don't offer much, I'm sorry! If you like salad with meat, then you can choose from their Chef, Taco, Fried Chicken Strip, and Grilled Chicken Breast varieties. I cannot say how good they are, since I have never ordered any of them. However, their soups are quite decent, and taste fresh and delicious. Their soups are chicken noodle, broccoli and cheddar, clam chowder, and vegetable beef. Whoever made their Clam Chowder is from New England-it is really good.
For dinner items, I almost always order either the Superbird or Steak and Shrimp. The Superbird($6.49), is sliced turkey with melted siwss, bacon, and tomato on grilled sourdough bread. It is a really good sandwich, and it always is hot and fresh. For some reason, the bacon is always just right on this, which makes very little sense. The portions are quite generous, and it comes with a side order of regular or season fries. Denny's has really good French Fries, and there are a lot with each plate. I like both varities, but if you don't like Old Bay, stay away from the seasoned ones.
The Steak and Shrimp Dinner is an excellent choice, even though it does cost a bit more than most items on the menu. It runs for $12.99, and it comes with a 8 oz steak. I have to admit that its always really good, and the steak is nice and thick. Usually the cooks are decent in cooking it to order, and I always pick medium. The grill hash marks on the steak give it a exquisite look, and there is a generous portion of fried shrimp served with it.(I believe 8) It comes with two sides, dinner bread, and cocktail sauce. The sides for lunches/dinners include: French Fries, Green Beans, Applesauce, Baked Potato, Hashbrowns, Mashed Potatoes(a bit lumpy usually, kind of like cafeteria style-yikes), onion rings(sometimes not fried enough), tomatoes, corn, cinammon apples, cottage cheese, coleslaw, and rice pilaf.
What do you order if you are totally drunk? APPETIZERS! There is something about fried foods, that go perfectly with alchol induced munchies. While most Denny's don't serve booze, you can drink plenty of Coffee, Cokes, and other soft drinks while you sober up. Their appetizer line is very good, and this includes: The Sampler(Basket of Chicken Strips, Onion Rings, and Mozzarella Sticks), Buffalo Chicken Strips, Buffalo Wings, Smothered Cheese Fries, Mozzarella Sticks, Mini Burgers(like White Castle), and Nachos. Appetizer prices are quite reasonable, between $2.99-$7.99. They also are served in generous portions, although some of them are a bit disappointing.
While I wouldn't expect to get Hooters style wings at Dennys, I would expect to get some actual meat on the bones. Denny's must have the Guinness Book of World Records section covered for the smallest wings. One bite, and they are gone. If you know what Hooters sized wings are, imagine three times smaller. They are so tiny, and even though you get about ten drumstick/thigh pieces, you are only get a small snack with this.(Even with the included celery) The hot variety lacks serious bite, and the barbecue ones lack any type of real flavor. The Mozzarella Sticks are good, but the cheese is often burned or has fallen out by the time they arrive to your table.
I recommend the Chicken Strips and Smothered Cheese Fries. The Strips, as do many of the other appetizers, come with your choices of dipping sauce. This would include Ranch, Bleu Cheese, Honey Mustard, or Barbecue sauce. The Chicken Strips appetizer comes with 5 large portions, and can be had for $4.99. The Smothered Cheese Fries are truly a heart attack waiting to happen, but they are tasty. This large portion of cries is covered with cheese, and goes well with Ranch dipping sauce. Many of my friends have tried the mini burgers, and liked them. I have not, so I cannot comment either way. However, I will comment on the Nachos, even though I haven't had them yet. The plate that they are served on, appears to be fit for Paul Bunyan. It appears to be a pound of nachos, cheese, and chili!
If you have room for dessert, Denny's has options here as well. My favorite items on this menu are the Oreo Sundae, and Chocolate Shake. The Oreo Sundae is truly a piece of Heaven, with its two scoops of vanilla, hot fudge, and crushed oreo cookie pieces. The shakes are thick, and are a good value at $2.50. I would say they are at least 20 oz in size, and you can pick from Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry flavors. In addition, Denny's has carrot cakes, chocolate cakes, apple pies(hot or cold), cheescake, and brownies.
For all of its various advantages and disadvantages, I really like Denny's. Although I won't take my wife there for a romantic dinner, it is a good place to go for a quick meal. Their prices are reasonable($1.00-$16.00), and most meals average in the $4-$9 range. In addition to having decent food at a fair price, there is almost guaranteed entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. My friends and I always bet on who will get in a fight, and who will get arrested. We feel safe there, as a lot of their locations have private security officers on these wild and crazy nights. If you prefer a quiet meal, go for breakfast.
Recommended:
Yes
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