RISE - Menu Monitor

Menu Positioning |
Denny's menu features traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner fare, including French toast, pancakes, omelets, appetizers,
burgers, sandwiches, salads, soups, steak, seafood, sides, desserts and beverages. The signature offering is its “Slam” line of
breakfast combos, such as the Grand Slam, Lumberjack Slam and All-American Slam. Slams feature combinations of
buttermilk pancakes, eggs cooked to order, choice of breakfast meat and sides. Other breakfast favorites include the Ultimate
Omelet, French Toast Platter, Meat Lover’s Skillet and Country-Fried Steak & Eggs. Lunch and dinner menus include such
favorites as the Philly Melt Sandwich, Chicken Deluxe Salad, Chicken Fried Chicken, Pot Roast, T-Bone Steak and Fish &
Chips entrées. Newly introduced menu items include Homestyle Meatloaf, Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Grilled Chicken Alfredo
and Mushroom Swiss Chopped Steak. Restaurants have also added a line of Signature Skillets for dinner including Chicken or
Beef Pot Pie and Mandarin-Glazed Salmon. The menu is also putting emphasis on themed products such as All-Star Slams,
and Major League Burgers. Along with the standard selection of soft drinks, juices, coffee and tea, Denny's has also rolled out
a line of five Fusion Favorites beverages served in 22-oz. glasses for $2.25. The new beverage line offers Berry Banana OJ
Fizzle, Pineapple Dream, Strawberry Mango Pucker, Fizzy Navel and Razzdango. In addition, approximately 33% of units
serve alcoholic beverages. Desserts include Hot Fudge Brownie a la Mode, Caramel Apple Crisp and Creamy Cheesecake, as
well as various pies, sundaes and splits. A kids’ menu is available, featuring kid-friendly favorites such as grilled cheese
sandwiches, cheese pizzas, macaroni & cheese and mini hot dogs. Menu prices range from $2.99–$13.99. Checks average
$7.20.
Promotion Plans |
Denny’s rolled out several new breakfast, lunch and dinner items for a limited time. The “Mega” Breakfast, 15-Minutes or Less”
lunch and “Dinner Classics” items include: • Endless Lunch—an “endless” all-you-can-eat salad topped with tomato,
cucumber, diced ham, red onions, shredded Cheddar cheese and a choice of dressing, served with an endless bowl of soup
and dinner bread • Turkey Bacon Swiss Griller—thinly sliced turkey breast, two strips of bacon, Swiss cheese and mayo,
served on grilled hot sourdough bread with a side of fries • Cordon Bleu Griller—two fried chicken strips, shaved ham, Swiss
cheese and honey mustard dressing, served with french fries • Deli-Style Turkey Sandwich & Endless Soup—thinly sliced
turkey breast, Swiss cheese, tomato, lettuce and mayo served on wheatberry bread with an unlimited bowl of soup •
Homestyle Meatloaf—three slices of classic meatloaf, grilled and topped with brown gravy and served with a choice of two
dinner sides and dinner bread • Meat Lover’s Omelette—an omelette stuffed with chopped bacon, diced ham, crumbled
sausage, cheese sauce and shredded Cheddar cheese, served with two strips of bacon, two sausage links, hash browns and
three buttermilk pancakes • Mega French Toast Slam—three slices of French toast, two strips of crispy bacon, two eggs, two
sausage links and hash browns • Mega Meat Lover’s Plate—smoked sausage, a slice of grilled honey ham, two strips of crispy
bacon, two sausage links, two eggs, hash browns and three buttermilk pancakes. (NRN Daily NewsFax 1/24/07; Company
Website)
Denny’s debuted a new promotion aimed at college students studying for final exams. The campaign will run through early
May in Syracuse, NY, and Austin, TX. It highlights “Pick 3” appetizers for $9.99; a 20% discount on a Saturday night meal; free
Wi-Fi; a text-message promotion; and an online sweepstakes to win a Dell gift card, a $50 Denny’s gift card and other prizes.
The promotion is featured in college newspaper ads, direct mail and banner ads on websites such as Facebook.com. (Nation’s
Restaurant News Online 4/06/07; NRN Daily NewsFax 4/09/07)
Denny’s launched a new campaign that encourages guests to enjoy one of its many breakfast meals with full service instead
of settling for a breakfast bar or fast food. The campaign features the tune “All Out of Love” by Air Supply. Television, radio,
outdoor and online ads such as two 15-second television spots that show disappointing breakfast experiences are
underscored by the song. The campaign is running on cable and network television that began Memorial Day weekend. The
online ads can be accessed at www.dennys.com. (Company Release 5/24/07)
Denny’s locations in Florida have launched a “Gators Gridiron Getaway” promotion to celebrate the beginning of its new
partnership with the University of Florida Gators football team. The winner of the contest will receive club-seat tickets to the
Gators game against the University of South Carolina on November 10 in Columbia, SC, and a football autographed by Gators
Coach Urban Meyer. In addition, customers who purchase an entrée at any of Denny’s Florida locations from November 3–
December 31 will receive a “Gator Slam” poster commemorating the Gator’s championship titles in football and basketball for
the 2006–2007 season. (Nation’s Restaurant News 9/10/07)
Denny’s is sponsoring the 2008 All-American High School Bowling Championships, giving high-school bowlers the chance to
win up to $10,000 in scholarships and a shot at bowling with the pros on ESPN. Along with the Professional Bowlers
Association and the U.S. Bowling Congress, Denny’s will select 34 students to participate in the tournament set for March in
North Brunswick, NJ. All participants must be seniors and have a minimum 2.7 grade point average. This is the second year
Denny’s is sponsoring the tournament. (Promo Magazine Online 9/5/07)
©Technomic Information Services 2007, CIS profiles may not be copied or distributed in any print or electronic format without a license or written consent.
Technomic believes that its sources of information are reliable, but does not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the information
published.
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