Denny's: Difference between revisions

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==Incidents==

On 6 February, plaintiff Ladarrius Cooley filed a complaint for violation of the [[wikipedia:Telephone_Consumer_Protection_Act_of_1991|Telephone Consumer Protection Act]] for sending unsolicited advertising messaging with an autodialing system to customers after receiving several texts on 13 December and 17 December 2019 without consent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pennington |first=Laura |date=11 Mar 2020 |title=Plaintiff Says Mobile Coupon Advertisement Text Messages Came from Denny’s Restaurant |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/tcpa/plaintiff-says-mobile-coupon-advertisement-text-messages-came-from-dennys-restaurant/ |url-status=live |access-date=2 Apr 2026 |website=Top Class Action}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=8 Apr 2026 |title=Cooley v. Denny's Corporation |url=https://dockets.justia.com/docket/nevada/nvdce/2:2020cv00255/141585 |url-status=live |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |website=Justia}}</ref> On 19 May, the case reached a undisclosed settlement and was dismissed with prejudice by the plaintiff. <ref>{{Cite web |date=7 Apr 2026 |title=Cooley v. Denny's Corporation |url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/32197309/Cooley_v_Dennys_Corporation |url-status=live |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |website=PacerMonitor}}</ref>

Around December, a Hispanic family comprising of Ruby Flores and his two sons filed a lawsuit against Denny's for allegedly being required to pre-pay in order to receive service while several white customers weren't required to prepay. The case reach a settlement two months later with the family stated they received $3000, however Denny franchise owner John Krizman denied ever recalling the case.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Journal |first=Herald |date=8 Apr 2026 |title=Ex-employees: Denny's practices may have led to discrimination Knight-Ridder Newspapers |url=https://eu.goupstate.com/story/news/1993/06/17/ex-employees-denny39s-practices-may-have-led-to-discrimination-knight-ridder-newspapers/29557095007/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |website=GoUpstate}}</ref>

Discussed in 1988 to identify a customer [[wikipedia:Dine_and_dash|dine and dashing]] and eventually ''"gain control of the situation"'',<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Kohn |first=Howard |date=6 Nov 1994 |title=Service With a Sneer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/06/magazine/service-with-a-sneer.html |url-status=live |access-date=10 Apr 2026 |website=The New York Times Mangazine}}</ref> it later became implemented around early 1990 and followed up with weekly meeting from district and regional managers to discuss strategies on how to avoid blackouts.<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Labaton |first=Stephen |date=29 May 1994 |title=The Nation; Denny's Gets A Bill for the Side Orders Of Bigotry |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/29/weekinreview/the-nation-denny-s-gets-a-bill-for-the-side-orders-of-bigotry.html |url-status=live |access-date=10 Apr 2026 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> The blackout policy was a term used by employees and managers to reference a instance of too many African American customers being in Denny's restaurants.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Maurianne |last2=Blumenfeld |first2=Warren |last3=Castaneda |first3=Rosie |last4=Hackman |first4=Heather |last5=Peters |first5=Madeline |last6=Zuniga |first6=Ximena |date=10 Apr 2026 |title=Readings for Diversity and Social Justice |url=https://www.csuchico.edu/freespeech/_assets/documents/access/pincus---discrimination-definitions.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=10 Apr 2026 |website=csuchico.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lowery |first=Mark |date=1 Feb 1995 |title=Denny's new deal ends 'blackout:' NDI agrees to buy up to 47 Denny's franchises. |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Denny's+new+deal+ends+'blackout%3a'+NDI+agrees+to+buy+up+to+47+Denny's...-a016552945 |url-status=live |access-date=10 Apr 2026 |website=The Free Library}}</ref> Common tactics used during a blackout was denying service, prepayments, purchase requirements, additional fees, removal of free birthday meals, falsifying delays, back-room seating management, purposely rude service, closing the restaurant for a couple of hours, and in rare cases even locking out customers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kanso |first=Ali |last2=Levitt |first2=Steven |last3=Nelson |first3=Richard |date=10 Apr 2026 |title=Public Relations and Reputation Management in a Crisis Situation: How Denny’s Restaurants Reinvigorated the Firm’s Corporate Identity |url=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard-Alan-Nelson/publication/279407605_Public_Relations_and_Reputation_Management_in_a_Crisis_Situation_How_Denny%27s_Restaurants_Reinvigorated_the_Firm%27s_Corporate_Identity/links/5999ca660f7e9b3edb17cb03/Public-Relations-and-Reputation-Management-in-a-Crisis-Situation-How-Dennys-Restaurants-Reinvigorated-the-Firms-Corporate-Identity.pdf?origin=publication_detail |url-status=live |access-date=10 Apr 2026 |website=Researchgate}}</ref><ref name=":10" /><ref name=":9" />Any employees found disobeying the blackout policy would be subsequently fired or disciplined.<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":10" />   

On 10 August, Elijah Henderson and 25 black church members entered a Denny's restaurant and upon entry were denied service after a waitress told the group they couldn't be served due to being understaffed with one chef and cashier. In the process of leaving Denny's, Elijah Henderson noticed a white family being served and seated, after which he posted the incident on [[Facebook]]. Soon after the incident and media attention, Denny's released an apology and announced termination of the employee.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 Aug 2018 |title=Florida Denny’s Turns Away Black Churchgoers And Forced To Apologize |url=https://newsone.com/3821715/dennys-floridia-black-church/ |url-status=live |access-date=9 Apr 2026 |website=Newsone}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=15 Aug 2018 |title=Denny’s Restaurant Refused to Serve Black Church Group Because They Were “Understaffed” |url=https://blacknews.com/news/dennys-restaurant-refused-to-serve-black-church-group-understaffed-discrimination/ |url-status=live |access-date=10 Apr 2026 |website=BlackNews}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=Tia |date=13 Aug 2018 |title=Denny’s Issues Apology to Florida Man and His Group After Refusing Them Service |url=https://atlantablackstar.com/2018/08/13/dennys-issues-apology-to-florida-man-and-his-group-after-refusing-them-service/ |url-status=live |access-date=10 Apr 2026 |website=Atlanta Black Star}}</ref> <blockquote>''“We were shocked by the unacceptable experience our guests received recently at our Lake City, Florida, location, and sincerely apologize. We simply do not tolerate discrimination of any kind in our restaurants.”''<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Aug 2018 |title=Denny's apologizes for turning away group of black customers in Lake City |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCNzq2dB0sc |url-status=live |access-date=10 Apr 2026 |website=Yotube}}</ref></blockquote>

On 13 August, two customers went to a Denny's restaurant located in Sioux Falls. The Individuals was given a menu and orange juice before waiting 15 minutes while the waitress served other customers and perform other tasks.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Bruce |date=31 Aug 2023 |title=Video Shows Denny’s Call Cops On Black Men Who White Waitress ‘Refused To Serve’ In South Dakota Restaurant |url=https://newsone.com/4694877/dennys-video-black-men-refused-service/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |website=Newsone}}</ref> When one of them told the waitress they're ready to order, the waitress responded with “I don’t appreciate you yelling at me, I don’t need you people calling me over to this table," however the customers claim they didn't yell at the employees.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=McNair |first=Sharelle |date=7 Sep 2023 |title=Black While Eating: Black Truckers Racially Profiled and Denied Service at South Dakota Denny’s |url=https://www.blackenterprise.com/black-truckers-racially-profiled-and-denied-service-at-south-dakota-dennys/ |url-status=live |access-date=9 Apr 2026 |website=Black Enterprise}}</ref>  

[[File:Denny's 2023 statement release.png|thumb|2023 statement release ]]

The waitress then snatched the menus and threatened to call the police if they didn't leave.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" /> When the customers refused to leave and have wanted to file a complaint, the employee refused to give their name and said there was no manager on duty.<ref name=":6" /> Eventually, the customers left and soon after contacted Denny's corporate office, however receiving no response.<ref name=":7" /> It wasn't until posting it on [[TikTok|Tiktok]] where it became viral, prompting Denny's to issue a statement declaring their commitment to "culture of inclusion and service" along with terminating the employee and apologizing to affected customers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 Sep 2023 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Denny's Coverup & 911 Call Exposed In Racist Incident Against Black Truckers |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAM82ARwYKg |url-status=live |access-date=9 Apr 2026 |website=Youtube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Weisberger |first=Jason |date=6 Sep 2023 |title=Denny's fires server for refusing service to Black customers |url=https://boingboing.net/2023/09/06/dennys-fires-server-for-refusing-service-to-black-customers.html |url-status=live |access-date=9 Apr 2026 |website=Boing Boing}}</ref> On 16 July 2025, the two individuals filed a class action lawsuit against Denny's,WKS Restaurant Corp, Sunrise Restaurants, LLC, Pilot Flying J Center, Anne Fletcher and Michael Fletcher over violating the  [[wikipedia:Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964|Civil Rights Act of 1964]], seeking up to $4 million in damages.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patton |first=Wimberly |date=23 Jul 2025 |title=Team drivers suing Denny’s after they were refused service |url=https://cdllife.com/2025/team-drivers-suing-dennys-after-they-were-refused-service/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |website=CDLLIFE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sieder |first=Jill |date=18 Jul 2025 |title=‘Don’t Need You People Calling Me Over to This Table’: Denny’s Waitress Refused to Serve Black Truckers Then Had Cops Called on Them; Now They’re Suing the Company for $4 Million |url=https://atlantablackstar.com/2025/07/18/black-truck-drivers-who-were-allegedly-denied-service-sue/ |url-status=live |access-date=10 Apr 2026 |website=Atlanta Black Star}}</ref> The lawsuit is still in legal proceeding and has yet to be resolved as of April 2026.  

On 5 November, Five black women would file a class action lawsuit against Denny's and franchisee Gills Bloomsburg Inc over violations of the [[wikipedia:Civil_Rights_Act_of_1866|Civil Rights Act of 1866]](Section 1981), [[wikipedia:Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964|Civil Rights Act of 1964]] (Title 2) and Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=9 Apr 2026 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA |url=https://atlantablackstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Bonhomme-et-al-vs-Dennys-Inc.-et-al_Complaint_11.05.25.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=9 Apr 2026 |website=Atlanta Black Star}}</ref> The lawsuit alleges on 14 January 2024, 5 women attempted to dine at Denny's only to be soon after denied service and seating due to the lights flickering, however only a few minutes later when one women needed to use the restroom, the group saw several white customers enjoying their meals with no lights flickering, after which one female began recording and later posting it on [[TikTok]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thornton |first=Cedric |date=30 Nov 2025 |title=Denny’s In Pennsylvania Sued By 5 Black Women For Racial Discrimination |url=https://www.blackenterprise.com/5-black-women-sue-dennys-discrimination/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |website=Black Enterprise}}</ref> Soon after the post, Denny's vice president Chioke Elmore contacted one female involved, however the plaintiff claim it was an attempt at gaslighting with Chioke Elmore saying" I look like you and I wouldn’t want to work here if they didn’t want people like us to eat here" and soon after offering one free meal at Denny's.<ref name=":8" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sieder |first=Jill |date=14 Nov 2025 |title=‘Stop Them Before They Come In’: Black Women Denied Service at Denny’s While White Customers Serenely Enjoyed Their Omelets, Lawsuit Says |url=https://atlantablackstar.com/2025/11/14/dennys-while-white-customers-serenely-enjoyed-their-omelets/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260102002141/https://atlantablackstar.com/2025/11/14/dennys-while-white-customers-serenely-enjoyed-their-omelets/ |archive-date=2 Jan 2026 |access-date=8 Apr 2026 |website=Atlanta Black Star}}</ref> The lawsuit is still in legal proceeding and has yet to be resolved as of April 2026.

*[[IHOP]]

*[[Waffle House]]

*[[Shoney's]]

==References==