Posted on 02/05/2009 9:30:48 AM PST by fight_truth_decay
It was an obvious marketing maneuver — but free food is free food — and thousands of Western New Yorkers were happy to join in the campaign Tuesday, lining up for a free Grand Slam breakfast at many of the 12 Denny’s locations locally.
By 6 a. m., the parking lot and all of the tables were full at Denny’s Delaware Avenue location. In the predawn darkness and light snow, lines of early-risers spilled out of most of the national chain’s area restaurants, which served free Grand Slams from 6 a. m. to 2 p. m.
One diner, St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute senior Alex Ivancic, got on a bus at about 5:15 a. m. to get his free meal.
“We knew it would be packed; it was already packed when we got here, and we got here before 6,” said CJ Cook, also a senior at St. Joe’s. “I didn’t believe it, I thought there was a catch, but there wasn’t.”
In the eight hours of the promotion, the Delaware Avenue location had given away 12,000 Grand Slams — a plate of two pancakes, two eggs, two sausage links and two bacon strips normally selling for $5.99 — and 2,000 rain checks, which are good until Feb. 13, according to Vince Prestia, Denny’s area manager. Based on reports from the area’s other restaurants, they were equally busy.
“After a while we had the line winding around the building, and when you get to a two-hour wait, it’s no longer worth it,” Prestia said of the Delaware Avenue location. “So we started handing out rain checks to make sure people still took advantage of the offer.”
By noon, the popularity of the one-day offer had surged locally, parking spots were even scarcer and wait times went beyond an hour. At the Maple Road location in Amherst, a lunchtime crowd of 30 people waited outside.
“Denny’s has never done anything like this before,” Prestia said. “Our busiest time of year is Christmas Day, and this was more busy than Christmas. But it was so well-received. It was unbelieveable how well-received it was.”
Denny’s advertised the national campaign with two spots Sunday during the Super Bowl.
Nationally, the total number of breakfasts served was not calculated at press time, but the Spartanburg, S. C.-based Denny’s anticipated up to 2 million people took advantage.
Nine-year-old India Daniels set her alarm clock for 5 a. m. to get there early. Her mother, Sheryl Daniels was thrilled.
“I thought, “Wow, in this economy they’ll be giving away free food,” she said. “I think this is wonderful. You’ve got college kids and people of all ages here. Everybody’s in some kind of situation, and this takes off some of the pressure.”
The free offer at Denny’s became a rare opportunity for many to sit down and have breakfast during a busy week of school and work.
Daniels and her daughters usually grab breakfast as they are preparing for school, but Tuesday they all sat together at a Denny’s table.
“It’s good we can come to Denny’s and have food that’s free,” said 10-year-old Asia.
On a typical school day, CJ, Alex and their other schoolmates wake up at 7:30 a. m. for school and barely have time for a meal. They were so pleased with their experience at Denny’s that they planned a return trip — for the same day.
“We have a two-hour free period and it’s a free meal, so we’re definitely coming back today before 2 p. m.,” said St. Joe’s senior Will Collins.
In addition to serving 12,000 free breakfasts Tuesday morning, the Denny’s on Delaware Avenue handed out 2,000 rain checks when the lines got too long.
I may be odd, but I love this kind of stuff. So I went to Dennys after the 2:00 deadline, because I do like their omlettes (am not a regular customer) and wanted to witness first hand and support this "Feeding America" campaign for business self-revitalization in a poor economy. No Government help, just good old fashioned get 'em in the door with a free give-a-way entrephreneurship idea. Get patrons to learn more about what Denny's has to offer and earn some potential loyal customers from this smart marketing strategy .
Service was fast, food appearance was good and I was hungry! While eating I asked the waiter how the Grand Slam day went, as I watched giddy, but tired employees counting their WAD of tips. The size you snap a rubber band around. He said it was exciting. He wished he could have come in earlier. The assistant manager while mopping up-they all pitched in-said in that time frame 1000 customers were served, turned away 300-400 because of parking and no available seating (a small Dennys) with vouchers to return another day for their Grand Slam.
I paid (not on an expense account) for my Omelette, hash browns, sour dough toast, diet coke and a piece of Hersey Chocolate cake to go. (hey!)
No government stimulus package, just knowing what people want, called the nature of the beast and "giving it to them". Perha0s a lesson here: if leaders of industry (big and small) like Denny's marketing agency, GS&P, were advisory to the President on how to stimulate the economy; we might recover a whole lot faster instead of a incompetent bunch of politicians who have never written a paycheck, only signed the back of a government one. Wait... I think the Honorable John Kerry once was a partner in a donut shop for a few months in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Or the government could just stay out of the economy all together, but that is too much to hope for.
About the Company
Denny's Employees: 21,000
Signature dish: Grand Slam.
Annual revenue: $795 mil
Denny's served approximately 2 million Grand Slams- average of 130 Grand Slams were served per restaurant per hour over the eight hour event.
Including the cost of the food, the Super Bowl spot and other production costs, total cost is roughly $5 million.
Approximately 40 million hits on Denny's website since the Super Bowl giveaway spot aired on Sunday night.
Note: Wal-Mart just reported sales exceeded January projection.
Went to IHOP walked right in sit down and ordered. Wish Denny’s would do this more often!
Wait a sec...doesn’t McDonald’s get SUED because of all the “Bad” food they serve?..so how long before Denny’s gets blamed for upping the cholesterol numbers of nYC
Didn’t make it for my free Grand Slam. DIdn’t want to deal with the crowd, anyway. I would rather just pay and not wait.
But I do love Denny’s. Never disappointed. Service and food always right on the money.
Chicken Fried Steak. YUM!
Wow ... what if all businesses gave away product for free, think of how many customers would come! Confidential to the article’s author: the success is not measured by how many free meals were given out as part of the promo but by how much of an uptick in sales happens in the following days.
Waffle House for me.
I went to Denny's after the 2:00, walked right in and sat down and ordered...and had friendly service. I will go back now in support..and the Hersey's chocolate cake!
We just walked in and asked the manager for rainchecks. They are good for two weeks.
My son and I had errands that morning, so I attempted to take him for the free breakfast. The line was out the door and around the building — and the temp was 8F! It was like that all day long.
We settled for free wifi and bagels at Panera. My son called the Denny’s deal a “high scale soup line.”
Heh, given Michigan’s crappy economy, he’s not far off. ;-)
The Carrot on a stick!
Past two of them while I was out and they both were lined up out the front door and around the building a long ways....I don’t like to wait either....when I’m hungry, I’m hungry now, can’t wait that 2-3 hours for food.
Although I did not partake in this free food...thank you Dennys, a real AMAERICAN chain.
...normally selling for $5.99...“After a while we had the line winding around the building, and when you get to a two-hour wait, it’s no longer worth it,”
Those people who were willing to wait almost two hours for $6.00 need to culled from the voting rolls.
When we go to a popular restaurants and are told the wait is over 45 minutes we leave; and that's for a meal that we are planning on paying for ourselves.
Free is good; but they’d have to actually PAY me to go eat at Denny’s on a NORMAL day (let alone on a day when you had to wait in line for their shoeleather goods).
I know plenty of people who will go to McDonald’s,etc.,
and get their free mocha latte,or whatever,and not even think of going there if it costs them any money.
Some people would eat dog sh!t if it’s free.
I consider them not much above a parasite.
I’m sure that this promotion will cause a(temporary)uptick in sales of several thousand dollars.
Yep! Handouts are right popular in Amerika these days!
Just P$$$$ he couldn't get in, perhaps? I was glad to support this marketing. I was not there for a free meal. Perhaps discuss his analogy by saying the Government had nothing to do with it. The Stimulus package IS a very very"upscale business soup kitchen line".
Plus people got a free meal. They deserve one from someone, sometimes. No strings attached. Kids eat free on other days, I believe. Relates to the "common man". I do not believe you would catch any of the Obama administration there. Too low class! The government will have us paying for decades after their giveaways. That's No class.
It is sickening to watch you common folk.
As a Wall Street banker I sit down and get a check for $24,000,000,000.
You can have your cheap Grand Slam.
Approximately 40 million hits on Denny's website since the Super Bowl giveaway spot aired on Sunday night.
I think it got the desired affect. I imagine there will be some customers who liked their experience, who might go back a few more times. Some people might just go simply BECAUSE Denny's did this, sort of a show of support. I also think the positive feedback from news articles like this will stir some to at least try Denny's once.
I think it'll turn out real well for Denny's.
At least it turned out well for the waiters/waitresses, that day.
I wonder what a follow up promo would do? "Do to the success of Denny's Grand Slam breakfast day, we've decided to do it again."
Might draw a lot of customers away from IHOP. And create a larger regular following.
NO THEY DON'T!
Deserve means an entitlement. People aren't "entitled" to something free at somebody elses expense.
Saying somebody "deserves" this, takes away from true focus of this story. DENNY'S did this, for someone else, at THEIR cost.
Nobody "deserves" something just because they suck up oxygen and take up space.
A good example is our politicians , lead by Dumbo.
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