Whether you’ve just finished a hardcore study session, a shift at Game Stop, or theater practice, or just needed a place to go that wasn’t your parents’ basement, Denny’s was the go-to late-night restaurant for adolescents when I was in high school and college, and I believe it still is.
However, I couldn’t remember if there was a closing time (how else did they kick us out?), so I decided to look into what time Denny’s closes for all the other night owls with a love of pancakes.
What Time Does Denny’s Close?
Most Denny’s locations are open 24/7.
In fact, most Denny’s restaurants have been open 24 hours a day, seven days a week since the first one opened in the 1950s.
It used to be part of Denny’s brand that you can get breakfast at any time, whether it’s 3:00 a.m. or 7:00 p.m.
Unfortunately, many Denny’s locations fell victim to regional curfews in areas greatly impacted by the recent pandemic.
Even with the curfews lifted, many restaurants still can’t get the staff to accommodate a 24/7 schedule.
Hours fluctuate greatly.
Out of the four locations nearest me, one closes at 11:00 p.m., two close at 2:00 a.m., and only one is open 24 hours.
If unsure about your local restaurant’s current hours, you can always call it in advance to verify your local restaurant’s hours.
Denny’s operates under a franchise business model.
Under this business model, franchise owners can set their own hours of operation.
If a restaurant can get the employees, they can go back to 24/7 hours.
What Time Does Denny’s Stop Serving Breakfast?
Unlike many restaurants, Denny’s makes a point to serve its full breakfast menu at all hours.
It’s the perfect spot to have breakfast for dinner when you don’t have the ingredients to make pancakes at home.
You’ll never have to worry about rushing to get to the restaurant before it stops serving the breakfast menu at 11:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. like many restaurants.
What Time Does Denny’s Start Serving Lunch And Dinner?
Denny’s offers its full lunch and dinner menu at all hours, just like breakfast.
You can get a burger and fries at 7:00 a.m. if you want, and you can even add a side of pancakes for dessert.
At Denny’s, you will always have the full menu available to you.
The only limitations are your imagination, your appetite, and your ability to put up with the weird looks from your friends.
How Long Can I Stay At Denny’s?
To answer this question, we need to attack it through two different lenses: the technical answer and the socially acceptable answer.
In retrospect, I probably stayed at Denny’s drinking a single coffee for far too long too many times in my teen years.
While not technically against the restaurant’s policy, it’s morally wrong to stay at an establishment for hours and not order more than a coffee, continuing to get free refills.
As far as I can tell, Denny’s does not have a policy in place for people who linger.
Employees judge things on a case-by-case basis.
They can ask someone to leave if they linger for too long, especially if they start to disturb other customers and don’t order something to generate a significant sale.
If you do plan to stay at Denny’s for a while, plan to order something substantial, such as a meal, about every hour or two, and be sure to leave a nice tip.
If you notice the restaurant is getting busy, make room for paying customers out of kindness to your server and the restaurant.
Does Denny’s Offer Free WiFi?
Working on your laptop at a coffee shop is so cliché, isn’t it?
Plus, most coffee shops are rather small.
You may want to change it up by working at your local Denny’s… if they offer free WiFi.
Luckily, all Denny’s franchises offer free WiFi.
You don’t even need to ask an employee for the password.
It’s an open connection that will connect automatically.
***Denny’s is not responsible for any syrup that you get on your laptop keyboard while working.
Can I Smoke At Denny’s?
Most Denny’s across the country no longer permit smoking in their restaurants in accordance with local laws.
The laws vary from state to state.
Not to lecture, but even if allowed at your local Denny’s, you should smoke outside if the weather permits.
It’s just courteous toward employees who may not have a choice but to breathe in a customer’s smoke.
Plus, the cigarette smoke turns the walls yellow, creating more maintenance for the restaurant than necessary.
I look back fondly on my days of sitting in a booth at Denny’s, smoking a pack of cigarettes with my five cups of coffee at midnight, but we should evolve with the times.
There are 16 states that allow smoking inside restaurants.
However, just because a state legally allows smoking inside restaurants doesn’t mean that restaurants must allow it.
As a franchise, the franchise owner can decide whether they want to allow smoking or not.
The 16 states that still allow smoking in restaurants are:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Florida (bars only)
- Georgia
- Idaho (bars only)
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (bars only)
- Missouri
- Nevada
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Why Eat At Denny’s
You have a lot of options when it comes to seated casual breakfast dining.
Why choose “America’s Diner” as opposed to, say, IHOP?
1. Delicious And Cost-Effective Food
Naturally, you go to a restaurant for the food.
Not only is the food good comfort food that will fill you up, but it’s also very reasonably priced.
Prices vary based on location, but you can rest assured that you’ll get a good deal.
Denny’s offers both breakfast and lunch/dinner options.
For breakfast, you can choose from the following categories on the menu:
- Omelets
- Slams
- Pancakes and crepes
For lunch and dinner, you can choose from the following categories:
- Starters
- Burgers
- Classic dinners
- Salads
- Melts and Handhelds
- Milkshakes
Don’t forget that you have the option to add a variety of both breakfast and lunch/dinner sides.
There are also special menus for people who fit into certain age groups (children and 55+).
Another special menu is dedicated to family meals when you need to feed the whole household as opposed to just yourself.
While not necessarily the healthiest food, Denny’s food is good for the soul since Denny’s makes a point to ensure cruelty-free and efficient practices above and beyond the legal requirements.
2. Pickup And Delivery Options
Don’t want to dine-in at Denny’s?
No problem!
Denny’s offers both curbside pickup and delivery for people who prefer to eat at home or on the go.
You can order pickup and delivery through the website or app.
You can even earn rewards if you create an account and order regularly.
You may also be able to order through various other delivery services, such as GrubHub, Uber Eats, and Door Dash.
You will not get rewards if you go through third-party delivery services.
3. Denny’s Rewards
Denny’s offers a generous rewards program free to all customers.
You get savings and free food, and Denny’s earns your repeat business.
It’s a win-win.
Some of the perks you’ll get with the rewards program include:
- 20% coupon once you sign up
- Exclusive coupons sent to your email
- Free birthday treat
- Kids eat free with an adult entrée of $6+
To sign up, simply visit the website or download the app on your smartphone.
You will only need to provide your name, email, and phone number to start saving.
When ordering, be sure to order through your app or through the website to accumulate rewards.
Also, if you have a Gmail account, the emails will go into your “promotions” folder, so you won’t be bothered with spam (unless you want notifications when you get emails from Denny’s).
4. Welcoming Atmosphere
There’s something about the smell of coffee and bacon that eases tension.
A smile from friendly staff only adds to the warmness of the atmosphere you can expect when you walk into Denny’s.
It’s a casual enough environment for casual clothes, but you can also stop by in professional attire or even formal attire.
Everyone is welcome as they are (within reason).
Customers must wear shoes and a shirt.
They must also maintain an appropriate disposition.
While Denny’s works to be inclusive, they also do their part to keep all customers comfortable.
Inappropriate behavior and unwanted communications from customers will be addressed respectfully and promptly.
5. Social Impact
Despite the classic diner aesthetic, Denny’s is shockingly progressive regarding social issues.
They have a stern policy that discourages discrimination of customers and employees that takes the 1950s vibe into the modern era (without the racism and sexism).
Furthermore, Denny’s plays an active role in the community and proudly collaborates with a number of respected charities, including St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and No Kid Hungry.
They even have their own Mobile Relief Diner charity aimed at feeding the hungry in times of crisis, such as a hurricane.
Who knew that you were doing good in your community by ordering breakfast?
Why Work For Denny’s
Denny’s needs employees in order to return more restaurants to 24/7 operation.
Whether you’re looking for a part-time cook position, full-time serving position, or full-time corporate position, Denny’s has employment opportunities for people at various stages in their careers.
When you work for Denny’s, you join a family.
They want to see you succeed within or outside the organization.
Some of the additional reasons to work for Denny’s include:
- Numerous locations
- Flexible hours
- Competitive wages
- Firm anti-discrimination policies
- COVID-19 safety precautions
- Opportunity for advancement
- Discounted food (varies by location per the franchise owner)
As part of the family, Denny’s will work to accommodate your life changes as they occur.
Ask your supervisor about switching to a new restaurant or taking a professional break for school, parenthood, or any other reason.
If you communicate properly, Denny’s will do their best to work with you.
Right now, Denny’s needs employees.
Strike while the iron is hot before all of the positions get taken up.
Conclusion
You can’t guarantee that your local Denny’s is open 24/7 anymore since the pandemic.
You also can’t expect to smoke inside.
However, you can expect great food at a reasonable price in a warm environment.
If you’re pressed for time, you can always order your meal for pickup or delivery.
However you enjoy your food from Denny’s, rest assured that you’re buying from a restaurant that supports the community and the people who reside there.
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