Denny's in Chicago...not

How come they are not in Chicago proper, only the burbs?

They are not within the city limits of New York or Boston, either. Thirty years ago, I remember reading about restaurant chains staying out of big cities because of the high cost of doing business there. I guess you could call them at 1-800-733-6697 and ask them.

With the tens of thousands of restaurant options available to you in Chicago, including many that are open late night and all night, why on Earth would you need a Denny's?

Just as a matter of record, there is at least one Denny's in Kansas City proper, just off of I-70 in the downtown area.

Buddy

Very good point, I just haven't been there in ages and was curious.

quote:

Originally posted by BuddyRoadhouse

With the tens of thousands of restaurant options available to you in Chicago, including many that are open late night and all night, why on Earth would you need a Denny's?

Just as a matter of record, there is at least one Denny's in Kansas City proper, just off of I-70 in the downtown area.

Buddy

I would guess it has something to do with the price of real estate. In Chicago, very easily it can cost 1 Million dollars to get a suitable piece of land to, then build a Denny's on.

Recently I read that on the corner of Division and Ashland, there was (and still is) a Pizza Hut. The land was sold, I thought to myself, 2 million? NO... 5 Million $$ for the property. No typo... $5 Million. The developer plans to tear down the Pizza Hut and build a Walgreens.

Yeah you must have some great food places in Chicago.
There is a Denny's on IH-35 and Topperwein Road in Live Oak, and also one here in Schertz.Don't know how the Live Oak one is doing, but the one here in Schertz is never that busy,even at lunch, though it too is located on the IH-35 access road as you go south towards San Antonio. Topperwein Road is named for Mr.and Mrs.Topperwein, who were famous trick shooters of the 1900s,like Annie Oakley, and they had a ranch out by the Helotes area if I recall rightly.

With the millions of restaurants in the world...why would you want a Denny's period?...They can't even brown hash browns for god's sake...

Cosmos,

I am with you on that! That is one reason I will find it difficult to ever leave Chicago....althought I do have constant thoughts of leaving in December, January and Febuary!

I've related this story elsewhere on this site, but I remember the first Dominoes I ever saw in Chicago (early '80's)...I was hungry, I'd never had it, so I went in and asked for a slice.."I'm sorry sir..we don't serve by the slice, because it wouldn't be fresh..." (this in the city with a decent pizza joint on nearly every corner..who's profit margin is probably resting on the by the slice pricing)..."Good luck with that" I said on my way out.

I think the only other chains I ever ate in when I was in Chicago, were local...Pepe's comes to mind...and I think I unfortunately ate at a Taco Loco once or twice..So many good joints in that city, why eat chain food?

quote:

Originally posted by Celery Salt

Very good point, I just haven't been there in ages and was curious.

You're not missing anything. My wife had to starve herself for a day and a half the other month for a medical procedure, and on the way home we stopped at the Denny's that is a few blocks from the house to get her a big breakfast (hadn't been there in ten years). $25 later, I decided that absolutely nothing was very good. Filling, yes, but unsatisfying.

Miami Don, at least they served you.

The last and it will remain the last time I went to a Denny's we sat close to an hour watching everyone else get served.

I admit maybe 20 minutes of that hour was waiting for the menus but still!

The food was mediocre at best and the attittude was unbelieveable.

Will never go back.

There was a Denny's in Chicago, no too far from O'Hare on Higgins, east of Cumberland. Originally, it was a Howard Johnson's and converted to a Denny's in the mid-80's and then in the mid-90's it became.......Hooters!

I know well the location of which you speak (Not because I eat at Hooter's or at the Denny's preceding it, but because I pass that way on Higgins frequently.) While it is true that that area is technically within the city limits of Chicago, it is situated on a narrow strip of land that was "acquired" by the city only to connect it to O'Hare Airport to the west. If not for the existence of the airport, that area would still be some unincorporated suburban no man's land.

In my mind, that Denny's had honorary city status only.

Just my unasked for two cents,

Buddy

Hahaha, I spent many nights at that Denny's on Higgins, and have been going to the same location even after it became a Hooters. I kinda assumed it to be Park Ridge.
And on the topic of chains, Hooters has the best buffalo shrimp I have ever had...and I've tried more than a dozen places in Chicago, but the Hooters always win. For the food, not necessarily the "atmosphere".

quote:

Originally posted by BuddyRoadhouse

I know well the location of which you speak (Not because I eat at Hooter's or at the Denny's preceding it, but because I pass that way on Higgins frequently.) While it is true that that area is technically within the city limits of Chicago, it is situated on a narrow strip of land that was "acquired" by the city only to connect it to O'Hare Airport to the west. If not for the existence of the airport, that area would still be some unincorporated suburban no man's land.

In my mind, that Denny's had honorary city status only.

Just my unasked for two cents,

Buddy

Anything west of Kedzie, north of Irving Park and south of 35th street is the Suburbs to me!

what are buffalo shrimp? I have an idea, but have to ask -why?

^Same concept as buffalo wings. Just take shrimp and dunk 'em in a hot & spicy butter sauce. I've never had them but they sound delish.

For the record, Detroit proper doesn't have a Denny's, although I think I found a former one on 8 Mile Road that's now a coney island. Flint hasn't had a Denny's in over a decade either.

There are almost no national breakfast chains in Dayton except Big Boy.  We only have one Denny's just south of downtown.  As far as I know theres only a couple Perkins over a large area.