I’ve been hearing from a lot of folks lately about how Denny’s has…declined.
And how it’s even been surpassed by several surprising competitors!
(Or at least, they were surprising to me.
In fact…
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Traffic is falling, and Denny’s recently announced plans to close 150 stores by 2025.
That’s a lot of Denny’s about to disappear.
And whenever something like this happens, I always have to wonder:
What happened?
And here’s my thought:
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Obviously there’s always the need to stay relevant to new audiences and attract fresh customers.
No doubt.
But it often seems to me that brands who wind up in this place after years and years of success maybe started taking their longtime customers for granted.
And that starts with getting rid of fan favorites.
Now here’s the thing – I get that every restaurant needs to refresh their menu from time to time, for sure.
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But sometimes you throw out the proverbial baby with the bathwater.
And I do wonder if Denny’s maybe did that by getting rid of some of these amazing dishes they used to serve.
Here are 11 fantastic Denny’s foods that appear to be gone forever, starting with a huge fan favorite:
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The fried cheese melt was a real heartbreaker, because it was such a cult favorite at Denny’s. (I genuinely don’t get why they got rid of it.)
Think: Grilled cheese, add mozzarella sticks.
(And of course a side of fries and a cup of tomato sauce for dunking.)
This was a huge
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Why they didn’t call it a surf ‘n turf I’ll never know – but yes, Denny’s used to have seafood!
This dinner entree was described as “a tempting combination of a petite top sirloin steak and three golden fried shrimp.”
Gone, like so many other amazing things.
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This one’s pretty self-explanatory, and given that Denny’s has always specialized in comfort food, it’s super disappointing that they got rid of their fish and chips.
It’s just such a classic!
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This one was a promo item for the new Beetlejuice movie, so it wasn’t really supposed to last forever – and that’s a shame!
The Bettlejuicy burger had three patties, three strips of bacon, three slices of provolone cheese, and all the usual toppings.
It was massive.
And delicious.
And a great value!
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I get that clams are a little slimy for some people.
But deep-fry them, and the game 100% changes.
The fried breading provides a nice counterpoint to their natural sweetness.
Sadly, this is another great menu item that has gone the way of the dinosaur.
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Reubens are one of those great, classic sandwiches that you just don’t see much of anymore.
Which is a real shame, because they remain one of the most delicious deli sandwiches you can get – and that was especially true at Denny’s back in the day.
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The French Dip is almost inevitably the first thing I get at any restaurant that offers it.
It’s just such a great combination of warm meat, gooey cheese, and crusty bread – all pulled together with that delicious dip – if it’s done well!
Sadly, Denny’s eliminated theirs years ago – along with so many other favorites.
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This was a petite sirloin steak sandwich with fries and a salad on the side.
And in its heyday, it cost just $2.20.
So this was a real loss when Denny’s eliminated it from the menu.
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If you’ve been to Wawa and enjoyed its turkey hoagie for Thanksgiving, you’ll really miss this sandwich.
Denny’s hot turkey sandwich was, as the menu described it, “served open faced with whipped potatoes, creamy gravy, and cranberry sauce.”
Every bite was like Thanksgiving at home.
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This was an early version of the chili burgers you’ve seen at loads of fast-casual restaurants ever since.
You know the deal – a hamburger topped with chili and cheese, diced onions optional.
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Chicken-fried steak is an old favorite of mine – you get all the texture and crunch of fried chicken, plus, you know, it’s steak!
Sadly this disappeared from Denny’s menu years ago…but I’m hopeful that it’ll come back one day!
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So there you have it – 11 fantastic Denny’s dishes that have gone the way of the dinosaur.
A big disappointment for longtime fans like me, for sure!
Which leads me to an important question:
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• For fun lists, healthy living tips, and bar conversation topics, make sure to follow The Coconut Mama. Click here to access The Coconut Mama’s profile page and be sure to hit the Follow button here or at the top of this article!
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What amazing Denny’s dish do YOU miss most now that it’s gone?
Any big ones I missed?
Be sure to let us know in the comments!
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