Breakfast specialists Denny’s will accelerate planned store closures in 2025 amid continued consumer shifts toward preferences for fast-food and take-out options.
On an earnings call Wednesday, CFO Robert Verostek said the closures would incorporate a mix of poorly performing restaurants and ones with expiring leases.
According to industry publication Restaurant Dive, the new closures represent about 30 more from a previously planned shuttering of 150 locations.
Denny’s remains publicly traded; today, its shares are worth less than $5, compared to the most recent high of about $24 seen in 2019.
The brand ended last year with 1,334 U.S. stores, with most located in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.
An investor presentation by Denny’s in October showed ‘family dining’ options like Denny’s were losing more foot traffic than any other dining-out category.
Other brand-names in the family-dining group seeing declining fortunes include Applebee’s, Hooter’s, Outback Steakhouse and TGI Friday’s. Some notable exceptions include Chili’s and Texas Roadhouse, which analysts say have benefited from improved value perception and investments in customer service.
And even as it accelerates closures, Denny’s is still planning openings, with at least 14 slated for this year; as well as some location refurbishments.
