Denny’s New Meal Calculator Makes Dining Out Even Easier

Customize Your Perfect Meal at America's Favorite Diner

Spartanburg, SC  (RestaurantNews.com)  To ring in 2012, Denny’s now offers an online tool for guests who are taking a greater interest in what they eat.  The Denny’s Meal Calculator, available on dennys.com and the diner’s mobile site, offers the comprehensive nutritional value on all of Denny’s dishes, providing guests with an interactive way to mix and match menu items and allowing them to customize a meal suitable for their dietary desires.

Famous for offering a high variety of choice, such as lighter, leaner, fiber-rich or protein-packed Fit Fare® menu items like the Chicken Avocado Sandwich and Fit Slam® breakfast, as well as more indulgent selections like Pancake Puppies® or the famous Bacon Slamburger™, Denny’s always offers something for everyone to enjoy.

“At Denny’s we pride ourselves on offering a wide assortment of menu options, with an open approach to dining that ensures every guest who walks through our door leaves completely satisfied,” said John Dillon, vice president of marketing and product development for Denny’s.  “With the introduction of our new Meal Calculator, diners have the ability to choose exactly what meal suits their needs, whether they’re at Denny’s for a treat or trying to stay on track with a balanced diet.”

Using the Meal Calculator, diners can select desired menu items from a categorized list and as they do, a nutritional table will begin to build, complete with images, allowing them to view the meal they have created.

Those looking to enjoy a lower calorie meal, dishes with more fiber, or simply double checking exactly how much they’ll be indulging with some savory fare, this easy-to-use tool allows them to do so before visiting or while sitting at Denny’s.  Once complete, users are able to print their nutritional table for easy reference every time they visit Denny’s.

The Meal Calculator is the latest offering from Denny’s as the diner continues to evolve their menu and capabilities available to guests.  Denny’s Fit Fare® menu items, which launched in 2011, provide diners with healthy eating choices that don’t compromise on taste, value or variety.  Fit Fare® dishes, which are lower in fat and calories, and higher in protein and fiber, have been integrated directly into the standard menu along with their nutritional information.

Allergen information, dishes designed for children and seniors, as well as unique limited-time menus offering extravagant items like the Midwestern Meat and Potatoes Sandwich, Bread Pudding French Toast and the famous Fried Cheese Melt, are all among the ways Denny’s ensures that whatever your taste, budget or dining requirements, there is something for everyone.

“We hope our guests will view and use the Meal Calculator as their individual tool to make the most of all Denny’s has to offer, allowing them to choose and create the most delicious meal suitable for them,” added Dillon.

What has emerged from turmoil of free meals and CEO succession in the Denny’s chain is a restaurant network that has become the epitome of collaboration between franchise owners and franchisor. That renewed collaboration is helping the chain turn the corner.

Last month franchisees, the staff of Denny’s Corporation and vendors gathered in San Diego to hold the brand’s annual convention and trade show for franchise owners. The convention highlighted an interesting partnership between the independent Denny’s Franchisee Association (DFA) and franchisor Denny’s Corporation (NASDAQ: DENN). Out of the 1,670 restaurants in the chain, over 70 percent are represented by members of the Denny’s Franchisee Association.

There are over 100 owner groups in the franchise industry. These independent associations thrive because they advance the self-interests of franchised business owners. That’s necessary because franchisors typically aim to expand top-line store sales since they receive royalties on revenues. But franchisees are beholden to maximizing their bottom-line profits. Given that built-in conflict in franchising, the Denny’s system is a lesson in collaboration between these sometimes opposing forces.

Continue reading . . .

Program Managed by Pinnacle Commercial Capital in Partnership with BancAlliance and Other Lenders

Denny's Announces New Loan Program to Support Domestic Unit Growth in New and Emerging Markets

Spartanburg, SC  (RestaurantNews.com)  Denny’s Corporation (NASDAQ: DENN), one of America’s largest full-service family restaurant chains, today announced a loan program to support Denny’s domestic unit growth. The program will be managed by Pinnacle Commercial Capital, one of the premier nationwide lenders to the franchise industry. Pinnacle is partnering with BancAlliance, a bank-controlled cooperative managed by Alliance Partners which helps member banks diversify loan portfolios across a broader range of asset opportunities, and other participating lenders to provide up to $100 million to new and existing franchisees that open new restaurants in Denny’s under-penetrated markets in the U.S.

Bill Wildman, President of Pinnacle Commercial Capital said, “Pinnacle has a great partnership with Denny’s as evidenced by the successful credit facilities arranged for the Denny’s Flying J program. Our commitment to Denny’s and its franchisees continues to grow stronger through successful loan programs like this one designed specifically for their system. We are pleased that Denny’s selected Pinnacle to arrange these credit facilities for such an important initiative, and have enjoyed working with the senior executives at Denny’s in this engagement.” Wildman continued, “The opportunity to assist the Denny’s franchise network is in conjunction with our two partners in this project, Denny’s and Alliance Partners.”

Lee Sachs, Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Partners stated, “We are excited to work with Pinnacle and Denny’s to provide our BancAlliance members, some of America’s greatest community banks, thrifts and regional banks, access to Denny’s franchisees looking to grow the brand in new markets across America.”

Stephen Dunn, Senior Vice President of Global Development said, “Denny’s recently completed the conversion of 123 restaurants at Pilot Flying J Travel Centers leading to a record development year in 2010 and another great year in 2011. We are positioned to accelerate our domestic development and seize valuable market share for Denny’s at a time when other brands are scaling back on their growth plans. Pinnacle Commercial Capital was instrumental in the success of the Pilot Flying J Travel Center conversions and has stepped up to support Denny’s franchisees with these credit facilities. In conjunction with the loan program, Denny’s is providing significant incentives to its franchise partners who develop in new and emerging domestic markets.”

In creating the New and Emerging Market Incentives Program, Denny’s reviewed existing franchise development incentive programs to create the strongest incentive program possible. “Due to the strength of our brand and franchising system, Denny’s has been able to develop a program that exceeded other incentives in the industry,” Dunn said. “Under our New and Emerging Market Incentive Program, we will reduce fees for franchisees that develop 4 stores over a reasonable period of time. The more stores our franchisees develop in new and emerging markets, the more they will save, due to a reduced package of fees and royalties, in addition to credits for development services including market planning, store design, training and development expenses.”

“We are excited to partner with Pinnacle Commercial Capital and BancAlliance to support our franchise-focused development,” stated John Miller, CEO of Denny’s. “We strongly believe in Denny’s long-term growth potential and are making a commitment to our franchisees through our New and Emerging Market Incentive Program, which we believe can significantly increase the number of markets where we are the number one or two family dining brand in partnership with exceptional Denny’s franchisees.”

Denny’s New and Emerging Market Incentive Program is only available for a limited time. To help communicate the exciting Denny’s franchise opportunity and provide more detail about the new and emerging market incentive program, Denny’s is hosting a series of webinars. Interested parties are invited to visit www.DennysFranchising.com to learn more and sign up for a webinar.

About Denny’s

Denny’s is one of America’s largest full-service family restaurant chains, currently operating more than 1,670 franchised, licensed, and Company-owned restaurants across the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Guam, Honduras, Puerto Rico and New Zealand. For further information on Denny’s, including news releases, links to SEC filings and other financial information, please visit the Denny’s investor relations website.

About Pinnacle Commercial Capital

Pinnacle Commercial Capital, a privately-held, Indianapolis-based specialty commercial finance company, is focused on providing a full suite of loan products and sponsored programs to multi-unit franchisees, franchisors and other branded retail businesses. Loan proceeds may be used for a variety of purposes including debt refinancing, acquisition, equipment purchases, franchisor loan programs and products, and franchisor remodel initiatives.

Pinnacle has provided business and franchise financing nationally to operators of quick service, casual dining, and family dining restaurants, lube centers, and other specialty retail outlets. The company originates loan products serving all regions of the United States through six offices, including, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Los Angeles and New York.

About BancAlliance

BancAlliance is a cooperative network of community and regional banks working collectively to address the business model challenges that an over-reliance on real estate assets created. Dedicated to ensuring the financial success of locally focused main street financial institutions, BancAlliance deploys highly skilled professionals to evaluate, source and manage bank-appropriate loans for member banks by acquiring assets from all U.S. lending markets and thereby providing much needed liquidity to these markets.

The Company urges caution in considering its current trends and any outlook on earnings disclosed in this press release. In addition, certain matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which reflect our best judgment based on factors currently known, are intended to speak only as of the date such statements are made and involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual performance of Denny’s Corporation, its subsidiaries and underlying restaurants to be materially different from the performance indicated or implied by such statements. Words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “plans”, “hopes”, and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Factors that could cause actual performance to differ materially from the performance indicated by these forward-looking statements include, among others: the competitive pressures from within the restaurant industry; the level of success of the Company’s strategic and operating initiatives, advertising and promotional efforts; adverse publicity; changes in business strategy or development plans; terms and availability of capital; regional weather conditions; overall changes in the general economy, particularly at the retail level; political environment (including acts of war and terrorism); and other factors from time to time set forth in the Company’s SEC reports and other filings, including but not limited to the discussion in Management’s Discussion and Analysis and the risks identified in Item 1A. Risk Factors contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2010 (and in the Company’s subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q).

Contacts

Restaurants Offer Special Holiday Treats and Menus for the Season

The holiday season brings joy and reunions with family members, but it can also be stressful. Trying to find time to cook dinner after a long day of gift shopping or eating well while picking up a Christmas tree or decorating the house becomes a big challenge for most people. Enjoy some limited time dishes by visiting one of the many national restaurant chains offering a special menu, beverage or treat to celebrate the holidays. Some restaurants are offering take-out options that are perfect for making your big party or dinner plans easier to carry out.

Chili’s Grill & Bar is getting in the spirit by offering their special HoliDaily promotion. The campaign includes discounts on many menu items and a daily free item including children’s meals, appetizers or desserts. To redeem these free offers, guests will need to visit the Chili’s website to download and print a coupon or become a fan of the company’s Facebook page. The convenient Email Club will deliver each week’s best deals directly to your email account if you sign up for it.

• Send us your restaurant’s holiday offerings!

The French-inspired Mimi’s Cafe is celebrating with Mimi’s For the Holidays, a program with carry-out options, giveaways and gift card deals. Each purchase of a $25 gift card at the chain will award the  buyer with a $5 gift card of their own. A complete Holiday Feast To Go is also available and comes with a whole turkey, cornbread stuffing, whipped sweet potatoes and other classic side dishes. The meal feeds six to eight people and costs only $79.99. Guests who prefer to cook their own bird can pick up individual side dishes to save time. Diners can also enter in the contest to win a trip to Paris or one of many valuable gift cards by entering in store or on the chain’s website.

Denny’s is serving up a whole new menu of holiday themed items for diners in a hurry. The classic Holiday Turkey Dinner plate comes with roasted turkey breast covered in giblet gravy, and surrounded with green beans, cornbread stuffing and mashed potatoes. The Holiday Turkey Melt combines these flavors in a grilled sandwich with toasted bread and a side of french fries. For diners with a sweet tooth, choose from the Christmas Cookie pancakes, Red Velvet pancake puppies and Milk and Cookies milkshake.

Boston Market has been making the holidays easier on busy families for over two decades, and this year will be no exception. With rising food costs, it is expected that a full holiday dinner made from scratch will cost over $12 per person. The complete meals offered by Boston Market come pre-cooked and ready to eat and cost under $6 per person. Items included in these meals include spiral cut ham, roasted turkey, pumpkin and apple pies, cornbread stuffing and beef brisket.

For shoppers who just need a warm drink to keep them going through a gift buying spree, there are a number of chains offering special holiday themed beverage options. The Tim Hortons coffee shop company is introducing a new Candy Cane White Hot Chocolate that combines the mint flavors of a candy cane with the sweet and creamy taste of white chocolate. Each cup is topped with whipped cream and special crushed candy cane sprinkles. McDonald’s is also expanding their hot drink selection as part of the McCafe brand. The Peppermint Mocha and Peppermint Hot Chocolate drinks will be available through the beginning of the new year. The Mocha includes a light peppermint flavor with dark chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Consumers in cities like Atlanta, Denver and San Francisco had a chance to sample the beverages for free throughout November.

Starbucks is making their red holiday cups interactive with a new mobile app that displays animations based on the characters found on the cup. They’re also bringing back all of their classic holiday drinks, including the Eggnog Latte, the Gingerbread Latte and the Peppermint Mocha. Some of the beverages that Dunkin’ Donuts is adding to the menu this year will become permanent additions. The Mint Hot Chocolate will be available year round now that it has debuted for the season, but the rest of the line up is available for a limited time only. These drinks include the Cinnamon Swirl Latte and Gingerbread iced coffee.

There are over a dozen other chains that won’t be releasing a whole menu of seasonally themed dishes, but will feature at least one special treat. The peppermint Pinkberry frozen yogurt comes topped with crushed peppermint bark, while TCBY is offering eggnog flavored frozen yogurt treats and Red Mango has the Cinnamon Apple Orchard flavor. Yogurt Mountain has four new frozen yogurt flavors that include Gingerbread Cookie and Candy Cane. Friendly’s has both Gingerbread ice cream and the classic Jubilee Roll. Joining the rest of the cheesecake flavors at the Cheesecake Factory is the Peppermint Bark Cheesecake, and Chick-fil-A brought out the pink Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake as well.

The Krispy Kreme holiday donuts are topped with festive sprinkles over rich red velvet or chocolate cake. Hotcakes at IHOP have all the familiar peppermint and eggnog flavors of this time of the year, and Tim Hortons has brought out new donut flavors to match their drinks. Steak ‘n Shake has White Chocolate and Eggnog hand-blended milkshakes on their limited time menu, or visit the California Pizza Kitchen for Pumpkin Cheescake and try the Candy Cane Chill Blizzard Cake from Dairy Queen.

• Send us your restaurant’s holiday offerings!

Denny's and "Arthur Christmas" Deliver Some Holiday Magic

Looking to spread season’s greetings across America, Denny’s has partnered with Aardman and Sony Pictures’ upcoming family comedy “Arthur Christmas”.  With a wide variety of family fun to be enjoyed over the festive period, Denny’s and Arthur are set to deliver some holiday magic not to be missed.

An Aardman production for Sony Pictures Animation, “Arthur Christmas” at last reveals the incredible, never-before seen answer to every child’s question: ‘So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?’  With all the ingredients of a Christmas classic – a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero, Santa’s youngest son, Arthur – the film follows Arthur as he embarks on a hilarious, exciting mission against the clock, with a mission to deliver the last present before Christmas morning dawns.

Kids can enjoy Arthur’s very own festive favorites on Denny’s new “Taste of the Holidays” menu; Arthur’s Milk and Cookies Shake and his Christmas Cookie Pancakes are two delicious dishes to which every kid wishes to wake up to.  The new menu also includes classic holiday items and seven new taste sensations including the Build Your Own Holiday Grand Slam®, Denny’s Holiday Turkey Melt and new Red Velvet Pancake Puppies® with Cream Cheese Icing.

As Santa’s son, Arthur will be giving children the opportunity to tell him exactly what they want for Christmas with the exciting “Letters to Santa” game.  Kids can tell Arthur just how good (or bad!) they’ve been this year and what they’re hoping will be waiting for them under the tree on Christmas morning.  Arthur will make sure Santa sees their very special request and as a thank you for writing to him, he’ll even let them use his reply letter to get a free kid’s meal at Denny’s.

Knowing that every child deserves a gift at Christmas, Arthur and Denny’s will also be teaming up to help less fortunate children get something special this year by participating in the “12 Days of Arthur Christmas” events around the country, leading up to the Nov. 23 movie release.

Marking the 10th day of the celebration, from 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21, through 5 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, Denny’s restaurants in Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas/Ft. Worth, St. Louis, Phoenix and San Diego will be hosting a 24-hour toy drive to support the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation.  Customers will be encouraged to drop off a gift on those dates and the first 100 donors at each location will receive a free Original Grand Slam® breakfast coupon as a thank you for their generous contribution.

“Denny’s is delighted to be partnering with ‘Arthur Christmas’ over the holiday season and we hope that America enjoys our efforts to sprinkle around some festive spirit,” said John Dillon, vice president of marketing and product development for Denny’s.  ”In the movie, Arthur believes every boy and girl should have a gift on Christmas Eve; with Arthur’s help we’ll also be ensuring all our diners get delicious dishes over the holidays, with some exciting activities along the way.”

Denny's Corporation Reports Results for Third Quarter 2011

Denny’s Corporation, one of America’s largest full-service family restaurant chains, today reported results for its third quarter ended September 28, 2011.

Third Quarter Summary

• System-wide same-store sales grew 0.9% with a 0.8% increase at franchised units and a 1.1% increase at company-owned units marking the second consecutive quarter that both franchise and company same-store sales have been positive.
• Same-store guest counts decreased 0.2% at company-owned units with two-year same-store guest counts of positive 2.1%.
• Opened 11 system-wide units, including three Flying J Travel Center conversion sites, three university units, and one international unit.
• Franchise operating margin of $21.3 million grew $0.5 million, compared to the prior year quarter. Franchise operating margin, as a percentage of franchise and license revenue, increased 3.1 percentage points to 66.4%, compared with the prior year quarter.
• Net income of $8.0 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, was impacted by $2.2 million in impairment expense.
• Adjusted income before taxes increased 28% to $12.0 million compared with the prior year quarter adjusted income of $9.4 million.
• Reduced outstanding debt by $10 million bringing total term loan debt repayment to $40 million since October 2010 refinancing.
• Repurchased 1.3 million shares in the third quarter bringing total shares repurchased to 6.1 million in last 10 months.

John Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Denny’s generated positive same-store sales and positive two-year same-store guest counts in the face of a very challenging consumer and inflationary economic environment. This is a testament to the success of our positioning as America’s favorite diner, emphasizing everyday affordability with attractive Limited Time Only products. We also achieved an increase in profitability despite the headwinds coming from inflationary pressures. We are working closely with our franchisees to continue building on our success in growing units, sales and profitability which has enabled Denny’s to grow free cash flow, pay down debt and repurchase shares in its efforts to increase long-term shareholder value.”

Third Quarter Results

For the third quarter of 2011, Denny’s total operating revenue, including company restaurant sales and franchise revenue, decreased by $3.2 million to $136.7 million compared with $139.9 million in the prior year quarter. Company restaurant sales decreased $2.5 million due to eight fewer equivalent company restaurants compared with the prior year quarter, partially offset by the increase in same-store sales for the quarter.

Company restaurant operating margin (as a percentage of company restaurant sales) was 14.1%, a decrease of 0.8 percentage points compared with the prior year quarter. Product costs increased 1.0 percentage point to 24.7% primarily due to the impact of increased commodity costs. Payroll and benefit costs increased 0.6 percentage points to 39.4% primarily due to $2.1 million, or 2.0%, of favorable workers’ compensation claims development in the prior year period, partially offset by improved scheduling of restaurant staff. Other operating costs decreased 0.9 percentage points to 15.1% primarily due to the corporate investment in media in the prior year and new store opening expenses associated with the opening of 6 company-owned Flying J units in the prior year quarter.

Franchise and license revenue decreased by $0.8 million to $32.0 million compared with $32.8 million in the prior year quarter. The decrease in franchise revenue included a $2.3 million decrease in initial and other fee revenue associated with opening 42 Flying J conversion units in the prior year quarter. This decrease was offset by a $1.8 million increase in royalties due to 103 additional equivalent franchise restaurants and the effects of higher same-store sales. Denny’s franchisees opened nine new units in the third quarter of this year, including four traditional units, three university locations, one Flying J Travel Center conversion site, and one international unit in New Zealand. Denny’s franchisees closed ten restaurants and purchased three company restaurants.

Franchise operating margin increased $0.5 million to $21.3 million, primarily due to the $1.8 million increase in franchise royalties and $0.9 million decrease in direct franchise costs, offset by a $2.3 million decrease in initial and other fee revenue. Franchise operating margin (as a percentage of franchise and license revenue) was 66.4%, an increase of 3.1 percentage points compared with the prior year quarter.

Total general and administrative expenses decreased $1.0 million compared with the prior year quarter primarily due to a decrease in performance-based and deferred compensation expenses.

Depreciation and amortization expense decreased by $0.4 million compared with the prior year quarter. Net operating gains, losses and other charges, which reflect restructuring charges, exit costs, impairment charges and gains or losses on the sale of assets, decreased $3.7 million in the quarter. The decrease was primarily the result of lower gains on the sale of real estate and impairment charges related to underperforming units.

Operating income decreased $3.0 million from the prior year quarter to $14.0 million primarily due to the decrease in operating gains, losses and other charges described above.

Interest expense decreased $1.6 million, or 25%, to $4.8 million as a result of lower interest rates under the refinanced and re-priced credit facility and a $29.1 million reduction in total gross debt over the last 12 months.

Denny’s net income was $8.0 million for the third quarter 2011, or $0.08 per diluted share, compared with the prior year quarter net income of $9.9 million, or $0.10 per diluted share. Adjusted income before taxes*, Denny’s metric for earnings guidance, increased 28% to $12.0 million compared with the prior year quarter adjusted income of $9.4 million.

Business Outlook

Mark Wolfinger, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer, stated, “Our efforts to drive improvement in the business are reflected in our results, specifically the increases in profitability and same-store sales in the third quarter. Our franchise focused business model has enabled us to continue to strengthen our balance sheet, and positions us well to navigate the challenging environment impacting our customers and our business.”

Denny’s is updating its full-year 2011 financial guidance to reflect the third quarter positive same-store sales, current thinking on new unit development initiatives, and current commodity inflation expectations. The company anticipates same-store sales for company units to be between 0.0% and 1.0% and same-store sales for franchise units to be between (0.5%) and 0.5% with 60 to 62 new unit openings for 2011 including 23 Flying J conversion units, five university units, three international units, and no new Denny’s Fast Casual test units. In addition, the company expects the annual increase in commodities to be at high end of our second quarter outlook, with Adjusted EBITDA between $80 million and $83 million and Adjusted Income Before Taxes between $36 million and $39 million.

When Wendy’s began Project Gold Hamburger two years ago, they knew that they couldn’t totally reinvent a classic. However, the new Dave’s Hot N’ Juicy is a drastically updated and improved cheeseburger featuring two patties made from fresh beef, and toppings like fresh lettuce and red onion on a buttered, toasted bun. Crinkle cut pickles were also added while mustard was removed.

Smashburger first introduced the Windy City Burger in Chicago, the town that inspired it. Now its growing popularity has brought it to the rest of the country. The burger, which features a pretzel roll and haystack onions, will be available nationally until October 30th. The 100% Angus Beef patty is included on this Smashburger as well.

Popeyes recently debuted their fourth, limited-time only promotion for the year. The Dip’n Chick’n features Popeye’s signature fresh chicken breast and comes with a Cajun-inspired Blackened Ranch dipping sauce. The promotion will give customers an order of Dip’n Chick’n, fries, a biscuit and dipping sauce for $3.99.

Domino’s has expanded their menu by adding three new Artisan flavor combinations. The high-quality Tuscan Salami & Roasted Veggie, Spinach & Feta and Italian Sausage & Pepper toppings are laid over a square, hand-tossed crust. Domino’s is promoting the new pizzas through television ads and suggestions on their online ordering apps.

Denny’s is serving up a limited time, special menu for serious cheese lovers. The “Let’s Get Cheesy” menu features six new dishes like the Mac N’ Cheese Big Daddy Patty Melt, the Cheese Please Omelette, the Winner Winner Cheesy Dinner, the Chessy Breakfast Sampler, the Say Cheese Sizzlin’ Skillet and the Big Cheese Country-Fried Steak and Eggs.

Participating Cracker Barrel Old Country Store restaurants rolled out special $5.99 lunch options. Each weekday features a different lunch special, including the Country House Salad, Baked Chicken n’ Dressing, Chicken Pot Pie, Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes and Turkey n’ Dressing.

Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar & Grill will be celebrating Oktoberfest in an unusual way. The “Woktoberfest” will combine the beer and bratwurst of the German festival and combine it with fresh Asian flavors. Dishes like Wokin’ Hot Brats will be served with Widmer Brothers beer.

Twin chains Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. have added new Steakhouse Burgers to their menus. The Steakhouse Burgers come in Six Dollar Burger and Thickburger options, both topped with blue cheese, A1 steak sauce, fried onion strings and Swiss cheese. Black Angus ground beef is used exclusively for the patties on these burgers.

KFC is promoting their 100% breast meat Popcorn Chicken with a new deal. For a limited time, customers can pick up a large order of bite-sized Popcorn Chicken for just $2.99.

Del Taco introduced its new slow simmered, shredded Pork Carnitas menu, including the Carnitas Combo Burrito, the Carnitas Taco al Carbon and the Carnitas Macho Nachos, for a limited time. Guests who would like to try the new items can pick up a coupon for a free Carnitas Taco al Carbon on Del Taco’s Facebook page.

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers introduced its new Oktoberfest Burger, featuring a pretzel bun, beer mustard, Black Forest ham and sauteed onions on a fire grilled beef patty. Sweet Potato Fries round out the offering.

Genghis Grill is featuring a new protein option on the Khan’s Kitchen food bar through November 6th. The Dr Pepper BBQ Chicken is marinated and covered in the chain’s signature BBQ sauce with the real flavor of Dr Pepper. Guests can combine this new chicken option with 70 other fresh ingredients.

Quiznos brought back their popular Black Angus sub with new toppings and bread. The sub features sliced steak on Rosemary Parmesan topped bread. Two types of melted cheese and sauteed mushrooms and onions finish the sandwich. The sandwich will only be available for a limited time at all Quiznos locations.

Sweet Potato Fries, Naked and Dusted, have returned to Good Times Restaurant & Frozen Custard for a limited time. Customers can enjoy the waffle-cut fries plain or dusted with cinnamon sugar until the end of December. The return of these fries brings the chain’s total fry options to four, with other favorites including the Green Chile Cheese fry.

Burger King added new soft serve dessert items to its national menu. Vanilla soft serve cones and cups come plain for only 89 cents, with premium and traditional sundaes also available. Customers can get a free soft serve cone or cup with purchase of a BK Value Meal through October 9th.

Dunkin’ Donuts has brought back some old favorite flavors and releasing new ones just in time for the beginning of Fall. Customers can enjoy a cup of hot or iced spiced Apple Cider with a new Pumpkin Muffin, Pumpkin Donut or Caramel Apple donut. Pumpkin flavored pre-packaged coffee is also available.

Yogurt Mountain added two new flavors to their national line-up that are inspired by sweet camping treats. The S’mores flavored frozen yogurt and the Graham Cracker flavor blend well together or stand alone. Each flavor has only 120 calories per serving. New toppings also include S’Mores Crunch bits and mini marshmallows.

McDonald’s has brought back their Monopoly game to over 14,000 national restaurants. Players have a one in four chance of winning with prizes ranging from free food to $1 million dollar. Resort vacations, Redbox rentals, and motorcycles are also included. Menu items featuring game pieces include the Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish and many others.

While independent restaurants don’t get the group branding advantage of chains, they do have consumers looking for them specifically. New research from Mintel shows that nearly 50% of consumers report seeking out independently owned restaurants for dining. Half of them are doing so to offer support to local business owners.

U.S. Foodservice is undergoing a re-branding campaign and have changed their name to US Foods. The company provides supplies and pre-cooked foods to a variety of campuses, restaurants and other kitchens. Improved quality of their food offerings is also part of the re-branding plan, along with updated packaging.

Denny’s Corporation has begun a partnership with the Casanova Pendrill firm to broaden their appeal to Spanish-speaking diners. Casanova Pendrill will be the company’s Spanish agency of record beginning in October. This will help Denny’s develop new marketing and promotional campaigns to target Hispanic customers more effectively.

Unilever Food Solutions has announced the winner of their online “Inspired Restaurant Makeover” contest for small, independent restaurants. The Coach Sports Grille near Detroit will receive a total makeover package that comes with a value of $100,000. Consultation from restaurant coaches and training through the Culinary Institute of America is also included.

Church’s Chicken is investing in their executive team by hiring a new Chief Executive Officer. Jim Hyatt comes to the fried chicken chain after serving as the President and CEO for Cosi Inc. He’s worked in the restaurant industry for over 35 years, including 16 as a store owner and executive with Burger King.

Don Shula may be the winningest coach in the history of the National Football League, but he also knows about quality burgers. He plans to open his first Shula Burger location in Islamorada, Florida by the end of 2011. Expansion into a small chain is planned for the rest of 2012. The chain will serve gourmet burgers, quality sides and a wide wine selection.

Smashburger first introduced the Windy City Burger in Chicago, the town that inspired it. Now its growing popularity has brought it to the rest of the country. The burger, which features a pretzel roll and haystack onions, will be available nationally until October 30^th. The 100% Angus Beef patty is included on this Smashburger as well.

Pizza Hut is using the over 7,000 locations across the country to help end hunger across the world. The “Share a Slice of Hope” campaign will raise money during the 2011 World Hunger Relief program. Pizza Hut is teaming up with game developer Zynga to solicit donations through online and in-store drives.

While the big players in the burger industry, like McDonald’s and Burger King, are struggling to grow, small fast-casual chains are seeing improving numbers. Chains like Smashburger and the Counter are bringing in consumers despite the recession by offering higher quality food than fast food chains. Big burger chains are also focusing on breakfast and other menu items and not burgers.

Denny’s Corporation has announced that Casanova Pendrill will become its new Hispanic agency of record effective October 2011. Casanova Pendrill, a leading integrated Hispanic advertising agency based in California, will handle all creative duties targeting the Hispanic audience for the national diner and will provide strategic counsel under the direction of Denny’s for its corporate and franchised restaurants.

“Casanova Pendrill demonstrated a true understanding of our ‘America’s Diner is Always Open’ brand positioning and how to communicate that in a meaningful way to our Hispanic guests,” commented Frances Allen, chief marketing officer of Denny’s Corporation. “The Hispanic community represents an important part of our guest demographic and the team at Casanova Pendrill impressed us with their strategic insights on how to effectively reach this group during our open search process. We welcome them to the Denny’s team and look forward to integrating their efforts into our overall marketing strategy to position ourselves as America’s Diner.”

Ingrid Otero-Smart, president and chief executive officer of Casanova Pendrill added, “We are proud to become a part of the Denny’s team and look forward to executing our proposed strategy alongside current brand initiatives. Denny’s is an iconic American brand with a tremendously loyal following and we look forward to helping broaden the brand’s recognition and engagement among key Hispanic consumers.”

Casanova Pendrill is a full service integrated Hispanic marketing agency and will handle Hispanic strategy and creative development for Denny’s.

From September 18-24, the simple act of eating out can help Washington-D.C.-based Share Our Strength fight childhood hunger. Share Our Strength’s Dine Out For No Kid Hungry is a week-long fundraising program in which thousands of consumers nationwide join with participating restaurants in support of Share Our Strength’s work to end childhood hunger in America. To-date, more than 5,000 restaurants have signed on to support the fundraising initiative. Funds are raised in a variety of ways including donating a percentage of sales and offering deals on select menu items. A map of participating locations, searchable by zip code, is available at www.DineOutForNoKidHungry.org.

More than 16 million children in the U.S. live in households that have trouble consistently putting food on the table, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Through initiatives that include working with state and local partners, funding qualifying school nutrition programs, and educating parents and children on ways to maximize nutrition, Share Our Strength works to break the cycle of hunger.

“No child in America should have to go hungry,” says Sheila Bennett, Share Our Strength’s director of Dine Out For No Kid Hungry. “Unfortunately, it has become a reality in this country. But there is a very simple way practically anyone, anywhere can help. Enjoy your favorite restaurant, from September 18-24, and designated proceeds from each restaurant’s promotional activities go to Share Our Strength.”

Now in its 4th year, Dine Out For No Kid Hungry raised more than $1.5 million in 2010—a number organizers intend to double this year. This year’s participating restaurants include independently run locations such as Marc Murphy’s Benchmarc Restaurants in New York and multi-unit brands such as Corner Bakery Cafe, Denny’s, Joe’s Crab Shack, Boston Market, P.F. Chang’s, O’Charley’s, Dave & Buster’s, Papa John’s and McAlister’s Deli. Share Our Strength’s Dine Out For No Kid Hungry is nationally sponsored by Sysco, American Express, Ecolab, Open Table, Food Network, USA Today, and the National Restaurant Association. For more information, or to find participating restaurants, visit www.DineOutForNoKidHungry.org.

Cheese enthusiasts across the nation are set to rejoice with the launch of Denny’s “Let’s Get Cheesy!” menu.  Showing some serious cheese love, Denny’s fromage feast features six new dishes designed to make any cheese lover melt.

Denny’s is encouraging everyone to get a little cheesy with the launch of the new menu – from corny cliches and hokey pick-up lines to unsubtle movie love quotes – and hosting a celebration for all the cheese-lovers out there.  Urging everyone to try something a little different with their favorite dairy, the new menu boasts a medley of both traditional and unconventional cheesy choices covering, smothering, oozing and gooey with every dish.

The delicious new dishes include:

• The ultimate cheesy choice with the Mac ‘n Cheese Big Daddy Patty Melt – a hand-pressed beef patty topped with new creamy Mac ‘n Cheese, melted cheddar cheese and zesty Frisco sauce on grilled potato bread, served with a side of wavy-cut French fries.  That’s right, no sandwich is too small or meat too mighty to benefit from just a little more cheese.
• The Cheese Please Omelette – a three-egg omelette with a blend of cheeses folded in, topped off with a creamy cheese sauce and diced tomatoes, served with hash browns and choice of bread.
• The Winner Winner Cheesy Dinner – two golden-fried chopped beef steaks covered in pepper jack cheese sauce, served with a side of new creamy Mac ‘n Cheese, broccoli topped with cheese sauce and dinner bread.
• The Cheesy Breakfast Sampler – featuring a cheddar smoked sausage, two eggs scrambled with cheddar cheese, hash browns topped with melted shredded cheddar cheese and choice of bread.
• Say Cheese Sizzlin’ Skillet – a blend of diced cheddar smoked sausage, fire-roasted peppers and onions, grape tomatoes and seasoned red-skinned potatoes topped with shredded cheddar cheese, cheese sauce and two eggs cooked any way you like.
• The Big Cheese Country-Fried Steak & Eggs – featuring a golden-fried chopped beef steak covered in pepper jack cheese sauce, served with hash browns topped with melted shredded cheddar cheese, two eggs cooked any way you like and choice of bread.

So whether cheddar is your cheese of choice or you’re simply all-American, Denny’s really has got it covered; melted on top, tucked inside or smothered with love all over your plate, each tempting new dish is sure to satisfy your cheesy palate.

As well as serving up six cheesy new ways to celebrate our topping of choice, Denny’s will be encouraging everyone to dig out their cheesiest chat-up lines and jokes to take part in its “Cheesiest Joke” competition via Twitter.  Facebook fans can also take part in a whole host of fun including Cheesy Motivational e-Cards, a Cheesy photo generator and many other exciting ways to get Cheesy.

“With America consuming around 8.8 billion pounds of cheese annually, Denny’s is answering to the appetites of the nation by introducing a dedicated menu that celebrates all things cheesy,” said John Dillon, Denny’s vice president of marketing and product development.  ”Denny’s continually strives to meet the wants and needs of its customers and is always open to trying something a little bit different.  So whether that’s providing healthier alternatives with our Fit Fare menu items, or serving up six new dishes to please our cheese-loving customers, we’ve got something to suit everyone.”

And if the limited-time menu still doesn’t have enough cheese to please you, there’s the option to cheese it up even more by adding some extra ooze to any dish for just 69 cents.  Diners can also substitute America’s favorite cheesy side dish Mac ‘n Cheese, to any entree for no extra charge.  To round off your cheese feast with a sweet finish, the new Strawberry Pancake Puppies with Cream Cheese Icing and the Strawberry Cheesecake Milk Shake are sure to send you home one happy, cheesed-out customer.

Launched nationwide on Aug. 30, the six-item “Let’s Get Cheesy!” menu is available all day, every day for a limited time only and offers price points starting from $4.99. The menu includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert items.

Denny’s Corporation (NASDAQ: DENN), one of America’s largest full-service family restaurant chains, today reported results for its second quarter ended June 29, 2011.

Second Quarter Summary

• System-wide same-store sales increased 2.0% with a 2.6% increase at company units and 1.8% increase at franchised units, which is the first time both company and franchise same-store sales have been positive since the third quarter of 2007.
• Same-store guest counts increased 1.4% at company-owned restaurants, marking the first time both same-store sales and guest counts have been positive since the third quarter of 2006.
• Opened 19 new units, including seven Flying J Travel Center conversion sites, two international units and one new Pilot Travel Center.
• Franchise operating margin of $20.7 million grew $2.0 million, or 11%, compared to the prior year quarter.
• Franchise operating margin, as a percentage of franchise and license revenue, increased 2.6 percentage points to 65.2%, compared with the prior year quarter.
• Net income of $8.1 million for the second quarter 2011, or $0.08 per diluted share, increased 49% compared with the prior year quarter net income of $5.5 million, or $0.05 per diluted share.
• Adjusted income before taxes* of $9.6 million increased 55% compared with the prior year quarter adjusted income of $6.2 million.
• Reduced outstanding debt by $10 million bringing total debt repayment to $30 million since our 2010 refinancing.
• Repurchased 1.8 million shares bringing total shares repurchased to 4.8 million.

John Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Denny’s positive same-store sales and guest counts are a testament to the success of our current market strategies, emphasizing everyday affordability with attractive Limited Time Only products. We are especially pleased that we can achieve an increase in sales and profitability despite significant headwinds coming from inflationary pressures and the challenging consumer economic environment. Our franchisees continue to be excited about growing the brand, as evidenced by the opening of 19 new units in the second quarter of this year.”

Mr. Miller concluded, “We have started to effectively re-energize the Denny’s brand while growing free cash flow, which has allowed us to continue to pay down debt and bring additional value to shareholders through share repurchases. Our leadership team is committed to executing successfully on our strategies to further strengthen our position as America`s favorite diner in 2011 and beyond.”

Second Quarter Results

For the second quarter of 2011, Denny’s total operating revenue, including company restaurant sales and franchise revenue, increased by $0.8 million to $135.9 million compared with $135.1 million in the prior year quarter, marking the first quarter of total operating revenue growth since the fourth quarter of 2006. Company restaurant sales decreased $1.3 million due to 11 fewer equivalent company restaurants compared with the prior year quarter, partially offset by the increase in same-store sales for the quarter.

Company restaurant operating margin (as a percentage of company restaurant sales) was 13.3%, a decrease of 0.5 percentage points compared with the prior year quarter. Product costs increased 1.3 percentage points to 24.6% primarily due to the impact of increased commodity costs. Payroll and benefit costs decreased 0.4 percentage points to 40.8% primarily due to improved scheduling of restaurant staff, partially offset by an increase in performance based compensation and higher state unemployment taxes. Occupancy costs decreased 0.1 percentage points to 6.5%. Other operating costs decreased 0.5 percentage points to 14.7% primarily due to the corporate investment in media in the prior year quarter.

Franchise and license revenue increased by $2.0 million to $31.8 million compared with $29.8 million in the prior year quarter. The increase in franchise revenue included a $2.1 million increase in royalties. The royalty revenue increase was due to 120 additional equivalent franchise restaurants, in addition to the effects of higher same-store sales. Denny’s franchisees opened 18 new units in the second quarter of this year, including nine traditional units, six Flying J Travel Center conversion sites, two international units in Honduras and Costa Rica, and one new Pilot Travel Center location. Denny’s franchisees closed six restaurants, including one relocation, and purchased one company restaurant.

Franchise operating margin increased $2.0 million to $20.7 million, primarily due to the $2.1 million increase in franchise royalties. Franchise operating margin (as a percentage of franchise and license revenue) was 65.2%, an increase of 2.6 percentage points compared with the prior year quarter.

Total general and administrative expenses increased $1.0 million compared with the prior year quarter primarily due to an increase in share-based compensation expense as a result of reductions in the prior year related to forfeitures and the issuance of employment inducement awards to certain employees.

Depreciation and amortization expense decreased by $0.1 million compared with the prior year quarter. Operating gains, losses and other charges, net, which reflects restructuring charges, exit costs, impairment charges and gains or losses on the sale of assets, increased $0.3 million in the quarter.

Operating income increased $0.8 million from the prior year quarter to $13.7 million primarily due to the $2.0 million increase in franchise margin, partially offset by the $0.6 million decrease in gross profit from our company operations.

Interest expense decreased $1.6 million, or 24.8%, to $4.9 million as a result of lower interest rates under the refinanced and re-priced credit facility and a $20.3 million reduction in total gross debt over the last 12 months.

Denny’s net income was $8.1 million for the second quarter 2011, or $0.08 per diluted share, compared with the prior year quarter net income of $5.5 million, or $0.05 per diluted share. Adjusted income before taxes*, Denny’s metric for earnings guidance, was $9.6 million compared with the prior year quarter adjusted income of $6.2 million.

Business Outlook

Mark Wolfinger, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer, stated, “The strong same-store sales, unit development and profitability produced in the second quarter demonstrates the success of our franchise focused business model, which is enabling us to grow free cash flow, strengthen our balance sheet and pursue additional shareholder friendly activities. Although we anticipate building on the momentum from the second quarter, we remain cautiously optimistic due to the challenging economic environment and inflationary pressures impacting our customers and our business.”

Denny’s is updating the same-store sales portion of its full-year 2011 financial guidance, to reflect the second quarter positive same-store sales and guest counts, and now expects that both company and franchise same-store sales will range from (1.0%) to 1.0%. In addition, the Company now expects commodities to increase in the mid to high 4.0% range, which is slightly higher than the first quarter outlook.

Denny’s is one of America’s largest full-service family restaurant chains, currently operating more than 1,670 franchised, licensed, and company-owned restaurants across the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Guam, Puerto Rico and New Zealand. For further information on Denny’s, including news releases, links to SEC filings and other financial information, please visit the Denny’s investor relations website.

The bright, colorful plastic play structures found at fast food restaurants like McDonalds have come under heavy scrutiny. Mother and developmental psychologist Erin Carr-Jordan has taken samples from over 50 structures that shows a lack of cleaning and dangerous levels of bacteria growth and food accumulation. She says that companies like Chick-fil-A do a better job than competitors.

A large franchisee of Applebee’s restaurants, the Apple Gold Group, has purchased 13 existing locations in South Carolina. The restaurants are located in large cities like Charleston and Myrtle Beach. This brings the company’s total to 86 Applebee’s restaurants and makes it one of the four largest franchisees of the brand.

Subway restaurants have focused on non-traditional development that puts restaurant locations in colleges, office buildings and large retail complexes. This focus has led to the opening of the 8,000^th non-traditional location. The newest restaurant was opened inside a Jeep and Chrysler Assembly Plant in Toledo.

Saladworks is on the expansion path again. The national fresh tossed salad chain has signed a new development agreement that will help one franchisee open his third location in Delaware. Nearly 75% of all franchisees with Saladworks own more than one restaurant. The chain was also named one of the 10 ten franchises by QSR Magazine for 2011.

Smashburger is growing by leaps and bounds as consumer demand for higher quality burgers swells. The chain opened its first location in Frisco, bringing the current total number of locations in Dallas to four. Six more restaurants will be added to the area over the next three years.

The National Restaurant Association has introduced a new initative program to help parents make informed healthy dining choices for their children. The “Kids LiveWell” program involves over 15,000 restaurants that will voluntarily added healthier menu items for children. Brands include El Pollo Loco and Outback Steakhouse.

Denny’s has been chosen by the National Restaurant Association as an Inaugural Leader of the program. The chain already has two menu items for kids that meet the program’s healthy dining requirements, the Junior Build Your Own Grand Slam and Spaghetti Plate. The two dishes will be featured at the Kids LiveWell Event.

IHOP is celebrating their participation in the LiveWell program by running a special promotion during the month of August. Each evening in August the “Kids Eat Free” promotion will return so kids can try the new SIMPLE & FIT kids’ menu items. Options that meet the LiveWell program guidelines include the Jr. Fish and Baby Cakes with a Jr. Fresh Fruit Dish.

OSI Restaurant Partners, parent company of Bonefish Grill, Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba’s Italian Grill, have also joined the inaugural LiveWell program. All three restaurants now offer dishes for child diners that fit the nutritional requirements. Options include Grilled Chicken and Whole Grain Spaghetti Pomodoro and the Joey Sirloin.

Joe’s Crab Shack was proud to join the LiveWell program when it was first announced and worked with registered dieticians to create a better kid’s menu. The Kid’s Snow Crab and Kid’s Simple Grilled Shrimp are healthy low-calorie options with plenty of flavor. Kids can also choose from side dishes like applesauce and corn on the cob.

Denny’s today announced they have been selected by the Kids LiveWell program as an Inaugural Leader.  The nationwide initiative, created by the National Restaurant Association in collaboration with HealthyDiningFinder.com, has noted two dishes on Denny’s Kids Menu – Denny’s Junior Build Your Own Grand Slam and Spaghetti Plate – that meet the Kids LiveWell nutritional guidelines and promote the importance of making healthy food choices.  The dishes will be featured at today’s Kids LiveWell Event in Washington, D.C.

Denny’s Junior Build Your Own Grand Slam, a paired down version of the adult-sized classic, packs the protein and fiber growing kids need to tackle the day – complete with one scrambled egg white, two slices of delicious turkey bacon, hash browns and a small apple juice. The Spaghetti Plate – featuring spaghetti noodles topped with marinara sauce, a side of steamed broccoli and a piece of garlic bread– provides a wholesome meal without excessive sodium, sugar or fat.

Denny’s highlighted dishes provide better-for-you menu options and meet dietary guidelines which include a meal at 600 calories or less with a paired side at 200 calories or less.  

“Accessibility to nutritious menu options that don’t compromise taste, value or variety is an important step to improve the well-being of future generations,” said David Coltrin, senior director of product marketing and strategy for Denny’s.  ”We’re excited to work with the Kids LiveWell program and showcase healthier alternatives to some celebrated American classics.”

Healthier food choices have always been an integral part of Denny’s menu.  Last month, Denny’s launched a wide variety of nutritious eats that are lower in fat and calories, and higher in protein and fiber with a new Fit Fare menu.  From the Harvest Oatmeal Breakfast to the Chicken Avocado Sandwich and the Tilapia Ranchero, Fit Fare meals and menu items are far from standard fare.  The selections of individual items and calorie-conscious meals have been integrated directly into the standard menu making it easy for diners to identify these nutritious dishes. In fact, today, one in five Build Your Own Grand Slams® sold at Denny’s contains Fit Fare options.

“Denny’s has been committed to our customers for over 50 years, and we are continuing to look for innovative ways to satisfy their culinary cravings,” said John Dillon, vice president of marketing and product development for Denny’s.  ”Our nutritious menu options allow diners to build a delicious meal with healthier alternatives.”

The Kids LiveWell initiative underscores Denny’s participation in providing consumer choice dining options for a healthier generation.

For more information about Denny’s Fit Fare menu items or to find a restaurant near you, please visit www.dennys.com.

Denny’s recently added new healthy and low calorie options to their menu of classic breakfast and brunch foods. The new Fit Fare meals focus on high protein and fiber combined with lower calorie counts and less fat. The Fit Slam offers a great alternative meal with turkey bacon and scrambled egg whites for a meal with less than 550 calories.

Specialty burger shops that focus on high quality meat or gourmet toppings sprung up as an alternative to fast food chains. However, the market for better burgers is slowly becoming saturated as new chains open each week. These chains do offer small differences and specialties, but most of them are competing directly with each other as well as with giants like Burger King.

Rocky Aoki, the founder who built the Benihana restaurant chain after arriving in the country at 19, found great success as an immigrant business owner. Sabah Liddawyeh also entered the country as a young bride, but after her marriage ended and a college education she found success as the general manager of the Benihana in Milwaukee.

Unger Enterprises already sells cleaning products and equipment used for cleaning restaurant windows, but now they’ve developed new tools specifically for restaurant cleaning. A new oven hood cleaning system makes the chore much easier, and the griddle cleaning kits ensure all employees leave the griddles spotless at the end of a shift.

Any restaurant, whether it is a tiny individual location or part of a massive chain, can utilize social media as an effective marketing tool. Building a community of guests on a platform like Facebook makes people feel connected. Follow this up by listening to what your customers are saying, then offer special contests and promotions to keep people interested.

Food trucks have already become an important part of the culinary scenes of large metros like New York and Los Angeles, but smaller cities are now seeing a rise in them as well. Louisville is embracing the food truck concept quickly. Converted trucks and vans like the Morels mobile food service deliver top quality foods to customers all across the city.

Abuelo’s Mexican restaurants already offers top quality wood-grilled fajitas, but now they’re being improved just in time for summer. New meat options, fresher vegetables and a greater amount of customization will help customers enjoy their fajita meal even more. Limited time fajita options like Fajitas Pescado are available from now until August 8^th.

Nello Cucina, the award winning Italian restaurant in Costa Mesa, is releasing their annual summer menu as summer officially begins. New summer dishes will include Tagliata di Manzo and Farfalle al Salmone Affumicato. A line of light sandwiches, wraps and salads is being added as well for lunch or as an alternative to a full dinner.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit continues to be the country’s largest barbecue chain because of its strong commitment to expansion. As part of this the chain will soon be opening another restaurant in Allentown, Pennsylvania. This is the town’s first location and is being opened by new franchisee owners Tony Trinchere and his wife Renee.

Cracker Barrel has added a new member to their Board of Directors. Coleman Peterson was elected by the other directors and brings the total number of board members to 10. He’s served as the vice president of human resources for Walmart and joins Cracker Barrel after his retirement from the company.

Denny’s has added a new range of nutritious Fit Fare meals and menu items to deliver diners healthy eating choices without compromising on taste, value or variety. Fit Fare dishes, which are lower in fat and calories, and higher in protein and fiber, have been integrated directly into the standard menu along with their nutritional information.

“Denny’s is celebrated for its all-American diner classics,” said John Dillon, vice president of marketing and product development for Denny’s.  ”In our continued effort to offer a variety of food choices we want to acknowledge healthier alternatives to some of America’s favorite dishes.”

Offering a distinctive selection of individual items and calorie-conscious meals, Denny’s Fit Fare eats can be enjoyed all throughout the day. For a delicious breakfast without feeling the bulge, Denny’s new Fit Slam is sure to satisfy; egg whites scrambled with fresh spinach and grape tomatoes, two turkey bacon strips, an English muffin and a side of seasonal fruit offer a hearty meal for less than 550 calories and 15g of fat, and more than 20g of protein. The Harvest Oatmeal Breakfast is ideal for a lighter bite with fresh apples, dried cranberries, brown sugar and a little milk served on the side.  Accompanied by two sizzling strips of turkey bacon and a side of seasonal fruit, this nutritious dish has less than 550 calories and provides more than 8g of fiber.

Healthy substitutions called Fit Fare options are featured for many dishes, allowing guests to replace regular menu items with healthier ones, such as egg whites, hearty wheat pancakes and chicken sausage, at no additional charge.

“Denny’s recognizes the importance to provide choices that cater to our guests’ dietary needs,” Dillon continues. “Whether it’s reducing fat and calories or increasing fiber intake, our Fit Fare menu has delicious options to satisfy any taste, budget or dietary preference.”

At lunchtime, Denny’s guests can enjoy a varied range of tasty sandwiches and salads. The Chicken Avocado Sandwich, featuring a grilled seasoned chicken breast with diced avocado, freshly made pico de gallo, lettuce and sour cream on a whole wheat bun, is served with Fit Fare fresh veggies and totals less than 550 calories and over 20g of protein. Denny’s wholesome Cranberry Apple Chicken Salad, with grilled seasoned chicken breast, glazed pecans, apple slices and dried cranberries atop a bed of crisp spring mix, served with a side of balsamic vinaigrette and dinner bread, contains the key ingredients for a complete and balanced meal.  Diners can decide to cut the calories even further by skipping on the bread and enjoying a meal under 550 calories and 15g of fat.

In addition to a unique selection of individual items, Denny’s Fit Fare offerings include a range of healthy entrees paired with a recommended side totaling no more than 15 grams of fat.  Menu items include the Chicken Deluxe Salad, featuring grilled chicken sliced on top of crisp mixed greens with grape tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, cheddar cheese and a fat-free dressing; Sweet and Tangy BBQ Chicken, featuring two grilled seasoned chicken breasts smothered in sweet and tangy BBQ sauce and served with corn and tomato slices; and Tilapia Ranchero, featuring a seasoned white fish fillet grilled and topped with freshly made pico de gallo and diced avocado, served with corn and tomato slices.

Denny’s is releasing a new “Tour of America” menu that celebrates the culinary heritage of the chain. Over 1500 locations means the chain offers a number of regional menu variations to adapt to local customer demands. The summer time menu offers six specialty dishes inspired by Midwestern, Southern, Californian and Hawaiian delicacies.

Over 50 million Americans are expected to eat at least one meal outside the home to celebrate Father’s Day this weekend. Research conducted by the National Restaurant Association shows that dinner is the most popular dining out meal for this holiday. 60% of diners are visiting a father’s favorite restaurant regardless of discounts or deals.

Domino’s Pizza has recently released a special application for iPhones and the iPod Touch. The app lets users find the closest location, send out their order and track the creation of their pizza. Online orders account for a quarter of the chain’s sales and the app gives smart phone users another convenient method.

Perkins & Marie Callenders, the company responsible for both the Perkins and Marie Callenders restaurant chains, has won its first round of approvals for its recent motion for bankruptcy. This will allow the company to move forward on its restructuring.

During the recent Castles at the Capitol event, White Castle inducted Speaker of the House John Boehner into the Cravers Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame highlights famous and dedicated fans of White Castle. The Speaker of the House also received a commemorative plaque with an engraving of the 11^th White Castle Restaurant that he visited as a child.

The popular piano bar and fresh grill chain Seasons 52 is developing a new, limited time summer menu. New dishes showcases the best fresh flavors of the season. Additions include the BLT Flatbread, Summer Basil and Parmesan Crispbread, Grilled Lemongrass Salmon Salad and Blueberry Cheesecake Mini Indulgence.

McDonald’s finally announced the winners of their national Men of McCafe Casting Call. Five men were chosen for their commitment to their local African American community. They will kick off their duties by appearing at the Essence Music Festival later this summer. The festival will be held in New Orleans.

Freebirds World Burritos is introducing a new $5 Freedom Salad to help customers celebrate summer with fresh and light meals. This weekend the chain will also have $1 beers to encourage visitors for Father’s Day. Guests are paired with a team member at the restaurant to create their own custom salad with a number of tasty toppings.

Tossed, one of America’s fastest growing fresh salad and light food chains, has signed a new agreement to develop a new location in Chicago. New York Magazine recently rated the chain as offering the #1 Salad in New York City. Tossed also signed recent agreements in Los Angeles, Boston, Vancouver and Washington D.C.

Denny’s takes diners on a trip across the country introducing delicious eats featured on their new ‘Tour of America’ menu.  With over 1,650 restaurants throughout the nation, Denny’s is the ultimate spot for America’s definitive and most delicious regional specialties. The new limited time menu, offered until August 29, offers diners six new celebrated dishes from the Midwestern and Southern states as well as Philadelphia, California and Hawaii without ever leaving the booth!

Adventurous eaters, who tried Denny’s Fried Cheese Melt and the Maple Bacon Sundae, won’t want to miss out on Denny’s latest indulgence, the mighty Midwestern Meat and Potatoes Sandwich – featuring a Cheddar bun stuffed with grilled prime rib and French fries, smothered in brown gravy and topped with melted Swiss and American cheeses and mayo. A side of creamy mashed potatoes and yet more gravy completes this culinary masterpiece!

A sandwich as famous as the Philly cheesesteak deserves a new spin – the Denny’s treatment! Piled high with grilled prime rib, fire-roasted peppers and onions, sauteed mushrooms and melted Swiss cheese, Denny’s Philly Cheesesteak Omelette truly captures the spirit of Philadelphia.

Picture a tropical island paradise as you indulge in Denny’s Hawaiian Tropical Pancakes Breakfast featuring two fluffy macadamia nut pancakes layered with coconut whipped topping. Topped off with lightly grilled pineapple chunks, more coconut whipped topping and sprinkled with toasted coconut. Your tour can’t start without an appetizer, so try the Hawaiian Tropical Pancake puppies – six bite-sized round pancakes packed with sweet pineapple and white chocolate chips, rolled in delicious toasted coconut.  Denny’s creative alternative to traditional fare is sure to take your taste buds to extremes!

Take a leisurely stroll through the South with the Georgia Peach French Toast – griddled golden brown and topped with glazed fire-roasted peaches; to the Low-Country favorite of Southern Shrimp and Grits – grilled shrimp served over creamy cheese grits and topped with a jalapeno lemon butter sauce and sprinkled with crisp crumbled bacon and fresh diced tomatoes.

“Lining America’s roadway for over 50 years and with a restaurant in every state, Denny’s is truly America’s favorite diner,” said John Dillon, Denny’s vice president of marketing and product development. “Our ‘Tour of America’ menu provides our diners with dishes that are a true taste of the nation each time they step through our door.”

As the hot summer months approach, Denny’s three delicious new beverages will be sure to give some form of respite. Cool off with the Florida Orange Milk Shake – thick, creamy hand-dipped milk shake made with vanilla ice cream and orange juice topped off with a delicious dollop of whipped cream; the Pacific Northwest Iced Coffee – made with Denny’s special blend of Sumatra and Arabica coffee beans, this sweet and creamy coffee drink is sure to perk up those sweltering summer days; and the Hawaiian Tropical Smoothie – a tropical blend of pineapple, coconut and nonfat yoghurt.

So whether you dare to take on the Midwestern Meat and Potatoes sandwich, prefer a lighter bite with the California Club Salad – featuring shaved turkey, diced bacon, grape tomatoes and avocado atop a fresh spring mix; or simply need a sweet treat with the Hawaiian Tropical Pancake Puppies, there’s sure to be a taste of America to suit you at Denny’s.

Launched nationwide, Denny’s ‘Tour of America’ Menu is available all day, every day for a limited time only with dishes starting at $4.99.

Denny’s Corporation, one of America’s largest full-service family restaurant chains, has reported results for its first quarter ended March 30, 2011.

First Quarter Summary

• Opened 18 new units, including 12 Flying J Travel Center conversion sites and 2 units at university locations at Auburn and Kansas State Universities.
• System-wide same-store sales decreased 1.7% with a 1.3% decrease at company units and 1.7% decrease at franchised units.
• Same-store guest count decrease of 1.1% was impacted by not repeating a 2010 Super Bowl promotional event and the Easter-Spring Break calendar shift.
• Franchise operating margin of $19.7 million grew $2.3 million, or 13.2%, compared to the prior year quarter.
• Franchise operating margin, as a percentage of franchise and license revenue, increased 4.5 percentage points to 63.0%, compared with the same quarter last year.
• Net income of $4.1 million, or $0.04 per diluted share. Net income was impacted by $1.4 million in expenses associated with re-pricing the Company’s credit facility, $0.5 million for a one-time franchisee settlement, and $0.5 million for an unfavorable workers’ compensation claims development.
• Adjusted income before taxes* of $6.2 million was also impacted by the one-time franchisee settlement and the unfavorable workers’ compensation claims development.
• Re-priced $290 million credit facility, reduced outstanding term debt by $10 million during the quarter, and increased availability under the revolver by $10 million.
• Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program for up to six million shares, after completing the three million share repurchase program previously announced on November 9, 2010.

John Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Denny’s continued to build on the positive achievements realized in the second half of 2010. In the first quarter, same-store guest trends continued to improve as we executed on our marketing strategies that emphasize everyday affordability combined with attractive “Limited Time Offers.” We are pleased that our efforts resulted in continued progress despite inflationary pressures and economic uncertainty impacting our customers. In addition, we opened 18 new units in the quarter after completing a company record opening of 136 new unit openings last year.”

Mr. Miller concluded, “Our growing free cash flow, which was further enhanced by the re-pricing of our credit facility, has enabled us to continue to strengthen the balance sheet and bring value to shareholders through share repurchases. Our leadership team is committed to executing successfully on our strategies to further strengthen our position as America`s favorite diner in 2011 and beyond.”

First Quarter Results

For the first quarter of 2011, Denny’s reported total operating revenue, including company restaurant sales and franchise revenue, of $135.8 million compared with $137.6 million in the prior year quarter. Company restaurant sales decreased $3.2 million due to four fewer equivalent company restaurants compared with the prior year quarter, and the decrease in same-store sales for the quarter. During the first quarter, we opened five new company-owned Flying J Travel Center conversion sites, closed two restaurants and sold nine restaurants to franchisees.

Company restaurant operating margin (as a percentage of company restaurant sales) was 12.1%, a decrease of 1.5 percentage points compared with the same period last year. Product costs increased 0.7 percentage points to 24.5% primarily due to the impact of increased commodity costs and a higher mix of value priced items. Payroll and benefit costs increased 1.3 percentage points to 42.3% primarily due to higher restaurant manager incentive compensation, and $0.5 million in unfavorable workers’ compensation claims development compared to the prior year. Occupancy costs decreased 0.3 percentage points to 6.6% due to favorable developments in general liability claims. Other operating costs decreased 0.1 percentage points to 14.6% primarily due to the corporate investment in media in the prior year quarter, partially offset by higher new store opening expenses associated with the opening of 16 company-owned Flying J units in the last two quarters.

Franchise and license revenue increased by $1.5 million to $31.3 million compared with $29.8 million in the prior year quarter. The increase in franchise revenue included a $1.3 million increase in royalties and $0.5 million increase in franchise fees, partially offset by a $0.3 million decrease in occupancy revenue. The royalty revenue increase was due to 110 additional equivalent franchise restaurants, partially offset by the effects of lower same-store sales. The franchise fee increase resulted from opening 13 franchise and license units in the first quarter of this year, which included seven Flying J Travel Center conversion sites, and two university locations at Auburn and Kansas State Universities. Denny’s franchisees closed nine restaurants, and purchased nine company restaurants.

Franchise operating margin increased $2.3 million to $19.7 million, primarily due to the $1.3 million increase in franchise royalties from the additional 110 equivalent franchise restaurants, a $0.7 million decrease in direct franchise costs, and a $0.5 million increase in franchise fees, offset by a $0.2 million decrease in franchise occupancy margin. Franchise operating margin (as a percentage of franchise and license revenue) was 63.0%, an increase of 4.5 percentage points compared with the same quarter last year. The increase in margin was primarily driven by the increase in franchise royalties and fees and decrease in direct franchise costs, offset by the lower occupancy margin.

General and administrative expenses, which were primarily driven by higher incentive compensation accruals relative to the prior year quarter, increased $1.1 million from the same period last year.

Depreciation and amortization expense declined by $0.2 million compared with the prior year quarter primarily as a result of the sale of restaurants and real estate over the past year, offset by the addition of 25 new units in the last 12 months. Operating gains, losses and other charges, net, which reflect restructuring charges, exit costs, impairment charges and gains or losses on the sale of assets, increased $1.0 million in the quarter. This increase resulted from higher gains on the sale of company restaurants to franchisees, and lower closed store exit costs.

Operating income for the quarter increased $0.3 million from the prior year period to $11.5 million, primarily due to the $2.3 million increase in franchise margin, partially offset by a $2.0 million decrease in gross profit from our company operations.

Interest expense decreased $0.7 million, or 11.0%, to $5.7 million as a result of the lower interest rates under the refinanced and re-priced credit facility, and a $20.1 million reduction in total gross debt from the prior year period. Other non-operating expense increased $1.5 million in the quarter primarily due to expenses associated with the re-pricing of the Company’s debt.

Denny’s net income was $4.1 million for the first quarter 2011, or $0.04 per diluted share, compared with prior year period net income of $4.6 million, or $0.05 per diluted share. Adjusted income before taxes*, Denny’s metric for earnings guidance, was $6.2 million compared with prior year period adjusted income of $6.6 million.

Business Outlook

Mark Wolfinger, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer, stated, “Our transition to a franchise focused business model continues to enable growth in unit development and profitability while enabling us to grow free cash flow. With our increased financial flexibility, we expect to continue to strengthen our balance sheet and pursue additional shareholder friendly activities.”

Based on the interest savings generated by the re-pricing of our credit facility in the first quarter, Denny’s is updating its financial guidance for full-year 2011 adjusted income before taxes by $2 million.

Denny’s is one of America’s largest full-service family restaurant chains, currently operating more than 1,650 franchised, licensed, and company-owned restaurants across the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Guam, Puerto Rico and New Zealand.

The Chipotle Mexican Grill chain has announced new details surrounding their newly developed Asian theme restaurant project. The chain will be called ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen and is inspired by the fresh markets of Asia where owners live in the level above their store. Fresh grilled meats and a variety of toppings and garnishes straight from Asian cuisine will create the core of the menu.

33 million Americans have announced their plans to eat out at a favorite restaurant this Easter Sunday. The National Restaurant Association says that the lunch and dinner meals are the busiest times on Easter, and that buffets will be big due to families with different tastes and dietary needs dining together. 14 of adults surveyed said that they planned to eat out at least once over the Easter holiday.

As the interest in nutrition and healthy eating habits picks up among consumers, even the most unlikely restaurants are revealing healthier menus. Denny’s, Applebee’s and IHOP are all developing new low calorie and low fat dishes to balance out the cheesy, greasy or fattening offerings on their existing menus. Applebee’s even saw one of their steak and shrimp diet meals become a monthly best seller.

The mass coupon sales model developed by websites like Groupon has spread like wildfire, and restaurants are being bombarded with sales pitches. Unfortunately, while the restaurants do get exposure, they usually cut their profits so low on the deals that running then regularly would put them out of business. Also, recent research is showing that coupon users may not always return to make a full priced purchase.

The two day extension on tax filings this years pushes the deadline to April 18^th and ensures that many Americans will be working furiously to complete returns starting the 15^th. Arby’s has decided to help time strapped tax payers by designating the 15^th Free FryDay. All visitors to the restaurant chain will receive a free small fry with a print out of the online coupon available from their Facebook page.

Dunkin’ Donuts has redesigned their website to help consumers find nutritional information and new store locations. The Trip Planner highlights Dunkin’ Donuts locations along the path of your next road or airplane trip. All of the drinks and foods at their chain locations is now listed with correct nutritional information to help visitors make diet choices. Each visitor will also see localized content on the homepage of the site.

Carl’s Jr. has opened its first location in Istanbul, Turkey. Located in the thriving hub of Istanbul, is the first of 25 planned locations in the country. Carl’s Jr. is popular in many international locations.  After 70 years of development the company is now focusing on the international market.

The fifth location of the new chain Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar & Grill opened in Boise, Idaho recently. Other locations are spread across Colorado and Arizona. The restaurant concept combines fresh Asian cuisine, an extended drink menu and an energetic atmosphere. The locations combine American and Asian styles in both the menu and décor.

Lynne Zappone has been named the Chief Talent Officer for AFC Enterprises. AFC manages the national chain Popeyes, and Ms. Zappone will be in charge of finding and hiring the best talent to help promote and grow the brand. She’s had more than 20 years of human resource management experience, both in the restaurant industry and others.

This nutritional U-turn is taking place at some of the unlikeliest of eateries, including Denny’s, IHOP, Friendly’s, Sizzler and even at the nation’s biggest casual dining chain, Applebee’s, where the numbers are eye-popping.

For the first two months of 2011, the top-selling entree at Applebee’s wasn’t a gloppy burger or flashy fajita plate. It was a sirloin and shrimp entree from the chain’s diet menu. This marks the first time that a low-calorie item ever ranked as the chain’s best seller for a single month — let alone two in a row.

“I’ve been in the restaurant business for 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” says Mike Archer, president of Applebee’s. More typically, he says, consumers say in surveys that they want healthier choices, but when they come into the restaurant, they order the junkier stuff. “We’re seeing a sea change in consumer behavior.”

Continue reading . . .

McDonald’s is holding a national hiring event to bring in as many as 50,000 new part time and full time workers at nearly 14,000 franchise locations. The event will occur on April 18^th and the new employees will cost the company $3.5 million a day in increased payroll costs.

Sbarro has reached an agreement on most of its debt with lien holders, and will begin a reorganization and restructuring of the company soon. Part of the restructuring effort includes filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Tilman J. Fertitta is offering $9.25 per share of McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants. He currently owns over 10% of the company’s stock. The tender offer is worth approximately 30% of the stock’s closing price on April 1^st.  McCormick & Schmick’s responded by stating that they have not solicited or discussed the offer with Fertitta.

Chef Adolfo Garcia has built an empire around his New Orleans restaurants, but is not well know like the many celebrity chefs that surround him. He is a primary partner in four restaurants in the city, including Mano, RioMar and Gusto. He plans to open a Southern cooking restaurant and a high end pizza place specializing in the Naples style.

Dunkin’ Donuts is about to add a new line of “Hearty Snacks” to their popular donut and breakfast menu. The snacks are designed to be filling but portable for people on the go. Options include a Warm Apple Pie, two different flavors of Bagel Twists and savory Stuffed Breadsticks. The snacks will be available all day.

When Tax Day rolls around on April 18^th, you can head down to your local Cinnabon for free cinnamon bites. To help frazzled tax payers all Cinnabon, Schlotzsky’s Deli and Carvel locations will hand out two free Classic Cinnabon Bites per visitor. They are also hosting a Twitter based contest for a $100 Cinnabon Gift Card.

Benihana has seen steady sales growth in the last month, quarter and year according to their new sales figures for 2011. The sales increased an average of 7%. Benihana Teppanyaki also saw an 8% rise in overall traffic. The company’s Haru chain saw a nearly 4% drop in sales, however.

Denny’s is starting a stock repurchase program approved by the Board of Directors. The company plans to purchase about 6 million shares of its common stock from private investors. Denny’s has nearly a billion shares currently out of company hands. The exact timing of the purchase will depend on market conditions.

Jamba Juice now has a location in the Philadelphia International Airport thanks to RJ Franchise 2 and principal owner Ray Jones. The new retail operation opened in Terminal D, which includes boarding areas for Delta, United and Airtran airlines. Jamba Juice restaurants offer fresh smoothies, hot oatmeal and flatbread sandwiches.

The newest North Carolina Krispy Kreme location has opened in Fuquay-Varina. The first 50 customers in line all received a free year of donuts, with the first customer receiving a dozen Original Glazed donuts per week. The store will also begin its Krispy Kreme Drive for 45 to benefit Victory Junction, a camp for children with life threatening illnesses.

Denny’s Corporation, one of America’s largest full-service family restaurant chains, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a new share repurchase program authorizing the Company to repurchase up to 6 million shares of its common stock. Under the program, the Company may purchase common stock from time to time in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions.

In addition, the Company announced that it has completed its previous 3 million share stock repurchase program announced November 9, 2010.

The amount and timing of any purchases will depend upon a number of factors, including the price and availability of the Company’s shares, trading volume and general market conditions. As of March 30, 2011, the Company had 98,817,552 shares of common stock outstanding.

The ice cream sundae celebrates its 119th birthday Sunday, April 3rd.

Since that time, ice cream sundaes have become a mainstay in the restaurant industry.  The traditional ice cream sundae is made up of vanilla ice cream with a flavored sauce or syrup topping, whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.  Over time, however, the ice cream sundae has evolved and given birth to a new generation of restaurant sundaes including the McFlurry and the Blizzard, although some may not necessarily consider those sundaes.

RestaurantNews.com takes a look at ice cream sundaes offered up by some of your favorite restaurants.

For going on seventy-five years, Friendly’s restaurants have been using their own homemade ice cream to bring Sundae smiles to their guests.  Friendly’s ice cream sundaes include the Forbidden Fudge Brownie, a Sweet Cinnamon Roll sundae, and the Caramel Cone Crunch, among others.  The Jim Dandy comes with five scoops of ice cream, a fresh split banana, walnuts, sprinkles, chocolate topping and strawberry or pineapple.

Dairy Queen restaurants have been scooping up ice cream sundaes for over sixty years, but the ice cream icon also offers soft-serve ice cream sundaes delivered in freshly-baked waffle bowls.  Waffle Bowl Sundaes are available like Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Fudge Brownie Temptation and Turtle.  You can also shake your ice cream world up with the Oreo Brownie Earthquake – an Oreo Brownie, soft serve ice cream, marshmallow topping, whipped topping and hot fudged and crushed Oreo cookies.

Baskin-Robbins offers a full line of Classic and Premium ice cream sundaes.  The Classic Sundae line includes a Banana Royale Sundae, a Brownie Sundae and a Classic Banana Split.  Premium Sundaes include Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Sundae, Snickers Sundae, Oreo Layered Sundae and the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sundae.  If you’re one of the more adventurous, Baskin-Robbins also lets you Build Your Own Sundae.

Cold Stone Creamery offers up seven delicious sundaes including No Fair Funnel Cake, Hunka Chunka Burnin’ Fudge, Who You Callin’ Shortcake, Churro Caramel Crave and more.  Cold Stone also provides a full line of Signature Creation treats like the Apple Pie A La Cold Stone, the Banana Caramel Crunch adn the Birthday Cake Remix.

Marble Slab Creamery has three new Tasty Creation Sundaes.  The Cherry Chocolate Crisp Sundae, the Double Toffee Sundae and the Peanut Butter Bliss Sundae.  Happy Sundae!

Sonic Drive-In offers classic Single Topping Sundaes including Hot Fudge, Strawberry, Chocolate, Pineapple and Caramel.  In addition, the chain also carries its own Sonic Blast line of ice cream and candy treats including Oreo, M&M’s, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Butterfinger and Snickers.

Applebee’s Strawberry Cheesecake comes with cheesecake, strawberry sauce, graham cracker crumbs and whipped cream.  The Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae includes a big, warm chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream and Oreo Cookie pieces.  Applebee’s also offers a traditional Hot Fudge Sundae.

And, for a limited time, Denny’s restaurants boast a Maple Bacon Sundae on their new Celebration of Bacon menu.  Yes, creamy vanilla ice cream, hickory-smoked bacon and maple-flavored syrup.  Put a little sizzle in your sundae!

OpenTable has used over 7 million reviews from diners to compile a list of the Top 50 restaurants in the country. 11 winners were located in Los Angeles, followed by New York with 8 and Florida with 6. The top three restaurants were Beauty & Essex in New York City, Searsucker in San Diego and Lavo-NYC in New York City. The reviews were gathered between March 2010 and February 2011.

The crispy, skin-on fries from Wendy’s were part of a revitalizing move to increase fry sales for the chain. The previous fries were mostly limp and soggy, and customers have given the new fries positive feedback measurable by sale increases. Sea salt is used on the new fry line for better taste and lower sodium.

The Give Me More Stripes loyalty campaign at T.G.I. Friday’s national chains is getting a make over says the company. New surprises and increase recognition is coming to the system, along with faster rewards. Guests can join by visiting the website or texting JOIN to 698443. One stripe is awarded for each dollar spent at a participating restaurant.

The National Restaurant Association visited Congress recently to explain how the restaurant industry works and the effect that the new health care bill passed last year will have on it. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will impact the restaurant industry negatively unless it is altered says the Association. The law will force many restaurant owners to expand the health care coverage for their employees, raising costs significantly.

Smashburger has had a very successful first three years. Since their launch they’ve grown explosively, with almost $140 million dollars in total sales. The success was a combination of a focus on quality burgers and fast service combined with a $20 million dollar investment capital that drove quick expansion.

The 3,000 international Dunkin’ Donuts location has been opened in China. The 71^st Chinese location for the company, it helps put Dunkin’ Donuts in the category of one of the fastest growing quick service chains during 2010. Russia and India are next, with over 600 restaurants currently in development or planning for openings in the next 15 years.

“Baconalia! A Celebration of Bacon” is currently underway at Denny’s restaurants in the form of a new bacon-focused menu. Seven new dishes are available that feature bacon as the main ingredient. Included on the menu are treats like the Maple Bacon Sunday and Triple Bacon Sampler. One guest will also win a trip to Baconfest 2011.

Delayed by the recent icestorms, Wingstop’s World Wing Eating Championship is back on. On April 16^th the world’s top competitive eaters, including number one eater Joey Chestnut, will enter the AT&T Arena in Dallas to compete with wings provided by Wingstop. Whoever eats the most wings in 12 minutes will win $10,000.

Stephen Loftis has been appointed as the new vice president of marketing for the FATZ casual southern dining chain. With over 40 locations in Tennessee, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia, the chain is switching its name from Fatz Cafe to FATZ as part of a re-structuring marketing campaign. New health conscious food choices will also be added to the menu.

Washington D.C.’s Silver Diner, one of the most popular modern diners in the country, has opened auditions for their new commercial. Homemade audition videos will be accepted of children between 5 and 12 years old through YouTube submission. The commercial will communicate Silver Diner’s commitment to health eating and family friendly choices.

Denny’s is paying homage to America’s love for all things bacon with the launch of “Baconalia! A Celebration of Bacon.”  No longer relegated to a side dish, bacon is now front and center within seven new mouthwatering ways to enjoy bacon.

Baconalia! is set to send bacon lovers rejoicing with a sizzling celebration in honor of America’s love affair with bacon. The new menu boasts a medley of both traditional bacon favorites, such as Bacon Meatloaf, to more unconventional items such as the Maple Bacon Sundae – a classic ice cream sundae piled high with maple-flavored syrup and a generous sprinkling of hickory-smoked bacon – yes, Denny’s really did put bacon in everything.

Not only are there seven meaty new menu items for customers to get their teeth into, there will also be a whole host of Baconalia! fun over the coming weeks. Bacon fans can get involved in lots of sizzling surprises, including a Facebook sweepstakes to send one bacon lover and a guest to Baconfest 2011 in Chicago on April 9.

The weeklong sweepstake, beginning today and ending at 9 a.m. ET on April 4, will see one lucky winner receive flights, accommodation and full VIP access to Baconfest. Five lucky runner-ups will also receive $100 gift cards to Denny’s so they can immerse themselves fully in the Baconalia! Celebrations.  To register, simply go to the Denny’s Facebook page and click on the Bacon Sweepstakes tab.

The limited time Baconalia! menu will have mouths watering with its pork-tastic variety of dishes, from the Ultimate Bacon Breakfast, six delicious strips of hickory-smoked bacon with two eggs, hash browns and choice of bread, to the Triple Bacon Sampler, featuring two tasty strips of hickory-smoked bacon, new pepper bacon and turkey bacon, all served with two eggs and hash browns, complete with more diced hickory-smoked bacon and cheddar cheese.

“The average American consumes more than 18 pounds of bacon per year*, so Denny’s decided to answer to the appetites of the nation and introduce a dedicated menu to the beauty that is bacon,” said John Dillon, Denny’s vice president of marketing and product development. “Denny’s continually strives to meet the wants and needs of its customers, and with over 67 percent of Americans describing bacon as flavorful and satisfying**, we’re sure the Baconalia! menu will please all those crackling cravings.”

Denny’s knows that bacon makes everything better – so whether it’s packed tightly in a BBBLT Sandwich, a triple-decker BLT with eight strips of hickory-smoked bacon, garden fresh lettuce and sliced tomato; sweet and salty in new Bacon Flapjacks, savory hickory-smoked bacon pancakes baked to perfection, or with a kick in new Pepper Bacon and Eggs, delicious black pepper rubbed bacon served with eggs, hash browns and bread – taking a bite out of the Baconalia! menu is sure to put a smile into anyone’s day.

And what better way to finish off your bacon than with one of Denny’s delicious real fruit smoothies, in four refreshing new flavors including Sweet Georgia Peach and Strawberry Banana Bliss – the perfect way to wind down your breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Launched nationwide on March 22, the seven-item Baconalia! menu is available all day, every day for a limited time only and offers price points starting from $2.99. The menu includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert items -and with a certified seal of approval from the National Pork Board this is one celebration bacon connoisseurs won’t want to miss.

*Statistics from a study by onlineschools.org conducted in 2010

**Statistics from The National Pork Board Study Conducted in 2010

Olive Garden is giving away an 8 day tour of Italy, complete with a visit to the Culinary Institute of Tuscany. A daily first prize will also be awarded consisting of a $20 gift card. Visitors can enter through the company’s Facebook page, and additional entries will be granted for guests who check in during their visit to Foursquare or Facebook.

Denny’s restaurants have issued a challenge to ‘Man vs. Food’ star Adam Richman. The challenge involves him eating at least $40 worth of food from their $2 $4 $6 $8 Value Menu. Denny’s has also pledged to donate $12,468 to the Special Olympics if he takes the challenge. 16 items are featured on the menu.

The National Restaurant Association has spoken up to oppose S. 575, which will allow card swipe companies to put off revealing and restructuring their fee structures for another two years. Banks would be forced to compete for business, or could only charge fair and reasonable fees without compeition. The regulations only affect banks with assets over $10 billion. Representatives from the Association say that the delay would cost the restaurant industry $1.3 billion a month.

The new Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, containing over 100 drink options in the same footprint as a regular 8 nozzle drink dispenser, launched on March 15^th at Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta in Denver. 50 more machines will be tested for four years in restaurants throughout Georgia and Southern California. The new drink options include flavored waters and sparkling fruit juice beverages.

Smashburger is a multi-national chain that focuses on regional options and favorites in each of their restaurants. Currently available in 19 states, each location offers visitors the signature combinations and flavors of their city. For example, the local burger of San Diego features avocado and sour cream, while the Las Vegas version is topped with fried egg and bacon.

Saladworks, a new chain franchise specializing in tossed salads, is offering personal visits from the top three executives of the company to new franchisee owners. The team will take two trips a month to visit new developments in previously untapped markets. The franchisee can combine their knowledge of the local market with the executives’ expertise in the brand. Franchisees may find new expansion locations due to the real estate knowledge of the company.

New smoothies from Jamba Juice are designed to provide at least three full servings of fruits and vegetables in a 16 oz size cup. The three new flavors include Orange Carrot Karma, Apple n’ Greens and Berry UpBEET. The recipes combine vegetables and fruits to make sweet, tasty smoothies with a greater health benefit.

Dunkin’ Donuts has renewed their focus on new franchisee growth this year. Their main focus lies in Iowa this time, specifically around the Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Sioux City. Operators in these marketers can take advantage of reduced royalties for three years and generous local marketing help if the stores open on time.

Cha Cha’s Tacos & Tequilas, located in Brea, California, is holding a celebration for Erendida Jacobo, a bartender who has been with the restaurant since the opening. Due to her recent diagnosis with breast cancer, the restaurant will donate 25% of all bar sales on the upcoming Erendida Day to help her pay for medical expenses. Local philanthropist Dwight Manley will match the restaurant’s donations.

On March 17^th and 18^th the first rounds of March Madness will be played, and Hooters is inviting basketball fans to visit their restaurants to watch the games. The chain is providing a joke Doctor’s Note for workers who are supposed to report to work, as well as a variety of coupons. Visitors can watch the first round games and enjoy wonderful food and a wide variety of beer and mixed drinks.

Denny’s, in partnership with Will Arnett and Jason Bateman’s digital content and production studio, DumbDumb and Ben Silverman’s multimedia studio, Electus, an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), announced today the launch of its premier celebrity Web series, “Always Open.” The show is an extension of Denny’s latest nationwide campaign developed by NY ad agency Gotham and adds depth to the new “America’s Diner is always open” platform, allowing even more consumers access to the Denny’s experience of a warm and welcoming place where friends and family get together and “open up.”  Ensemble, the branded entertainment arm of Interpublic Group’s Mediabrands, played a key role in the development of the partnership and series.”

Hosted by comedic actor, David Koechner, of Anchorman, SNL and The Office fame, “Always Open” launches its first episode today at www.collegehumor.com/alwaysopen and seats Koechner in a Denny’s booth with Jason Bateman.  Also set to grace upcoming episodes are Will Arnett, Sarah Silverman, Amy Poehler, Will Forte and Kristin Bell.  All episodes take place on premise in a live, working Denny’s restaurant, where Koechner meets up with his comedic celeb cohorts for an anything-goes, 3-minute interview.  Everyone from diners and employees of Denny’s to talk show guests will interact together in this entertaining, spontaneous environment, providing further integration of brand and content.  ”Always Open” will be distributed across CollegeHumor.com, Denny’s.com, DumbDumb.com and will also be accessible via YouTube, Facebook and other social platforms.  

“We at DumbDumb are excited to be partnering with Denny’s in delivering a talent like Dave Koechner within a format that’s perfectly suited to showcase his unique comedic slant,” said Will Arnett and Jason Bateman.  “Going forward, we hope that “Always Open” establishes itself as a natural destination for many of today’s top figures in the entertainment industry. Frankly, we think this show is a grand slamwich.”

“For more than 50 years Denny’s has been a place where people come together to enjoy good food and conversation,” said Denny’s Chief Marketing Officer Frances Allen.  “The ‘Always Open’ series utilizes celebrities to draw attention to the kinds of dialog you’ll overhear all the time at Denny’s – sometimes funny, sometimes heartwarming, but always authentic.”

The idea for an interview segment was conceived by Gotham Inc. of the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG).

“When we created the ‘always open’ brand platform for Denny’s, we did it with every intention of spreading that message across all media platforms,” explains Marty Orzio, Chief Creative Officer at Gotham. “The partnership with DumbDumb and Electus gives Denny’s the chance to speak to their customers in a fresh, fun way, while reinforcing its new brand positioning.”

The content, which is created and executive produced by Arnett and Bateman with Denny’s serving as a co-producer, utilizes web production and development expertise from leading online content site CollegeHumor.com, part of the Electus studio system, whose original content creations have been viewed over 300 million times with its viewers watching 100 years worth of video content each month.

“Major forward-thinking brands like Denny’s recognize that the traditional advertising model has transformed significantly over the last few years and are embracing new ways of reaching their consumers online,” said Laura Caraccioli-Davis, EVP of Advertising Solutions of Electus. “As one of America’s most iconic brands, we are excited to team up with Denny’s to not only create great content, but to help the brand express its values and personality to a broad audience, and to truly enhance its presence nationwide.”

The first webisode is currently available with the following two episodes airing on Wednesday, March 23rd and Wednesday, April 6th.

The Denny’s Development department has announced the recipients of its Vendor of the Year and General Contractor of the Year awards for the year 2010. The Vendor of the Year award, the seventh annual award Denny’s has issued, goes to A-1, Inc., of Burley, Idaho. A-1 is a full service booth and mill work manufacturer that also has provided stainless steel equipment to Denny’s restaurants. The recipient of the General Contractor of the Year award is On Site Management, of Farmington Hills, Michigan. On Site provides architectural engineering and construction management services to Denny’s.

“A-1 and On Site Management are valued partners to the Denny’s Development department and have continually demonstrated their commitment to the Denny’s brand,” commented Steve Dunn, Vice President of Development for Denny’s. “Both partners have consistently exceeded expectations by meeting deadlines on time and within budget which allows our Development team to execute on our growth and renovation plans accordingly.”

A-1, Inc. completed over 70 projects for Denny’s Development department in 2010, including the conversion of 35 Flying J Travel Center restaurants to Denny’s restaurants.

On Site Management has worked with the Denny’s Development department for the past 12 years, providing architectural design and construction management services to Denny’s corporate restaurants. On Site Management handled over 45 projects for Denny’s in 2010, including 15 Flying J conversions.

A-1, Inc. and On Site Management were presented with their awards at a luncheon in their honor earlier this month.