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This section is meant as a quick look through all of the information that is Project: Denny's. The selections here are both my favorites, and items that I feel represent the pages well. While I encourage you to read the entirety of these pages, if you only read one section of the site, this is it.

My goal is to visit as many Denny's as possible before I die.

The entries here are for a variety of reasons. Some are here because they're key points in the project, others are locations where I got especially spiffy free stuff, others are just personal favorites, and others I just like the photos. This list may seem a bit long, but it's a hell of a lot shorter than the full index.

From As Seen On TV Denny's #0440 Carte Madera, California 21 May 2002 11:50am PST 5839 Paradise Drive (415) 924-9202

• Attendees: P7A77, Dave, Branson, Omar, Craig
• Wait-person(s): Marla
• What we ate: P7A77 - Veggie Cheese Omelette (w/ grits & wheat toast), Milk, Orange Juice; Dave - Original Grand Slam (sunny side up), Coffee, Orange Juice; Branson - Original Grand Slam (over easy), Hashbrowns, Orange Juice; Omar - Grand Slam Slugger (lightly scrambled, w/ grits), Milk, Orange Juice; Craig - All-American Slam, Hashbrowns, Orange Juice
• You may be wondering by now what the hell is going on here. Well, I'll tell ya.
• One fine morning (and it was really fine), the crew from KPIX's Evening Magazine stopped by my apartment to do a segment on this whole wacky cesspool of untempered fascination we lovingly refer to as Project: Denny's. I told them that they didn't really want to do that. They said they did. I told them I knew better. They insisted. Then they told me about the car. And the CBS Credit Card. I asked when we could start.
• First they wanted to get a sense of the scope of the whole thing, and have me display some of the swag I've gotten from previous visits. So I set some up. Then I set up the rest. Then I thought about how a lot of the stuff I've gotten has been thrown or given away. Then I reflected upon my adult life. Then I wept quietly to myself.
• But by now it was too late. So we hopped in the Rolls and headed on up north to Marin. We thought yeah, ha-ha, fancy car in front of Denny's, so much ironic humor abounds. Then we got there. Leave it to the fine folks in Marin to have a Rolls Royce dealership across the street from Denny's. Still, that didn't stop them from giving me the red carpet treatment.
• Our waitress, Marla, was pleased as punch to be part of our segment. She even recognized Branson (the cameraman). I think we made her a little nervous. Understandably so. But she was the epitome of good service. Perky, attentive, friendly, and prompt. I got the feeling she would have been that way even if the camera hadn't been there. But hoo-boy she sure did try to sell the camera on the Denny's in Corte Madera. As Dave (the Emmy-winning producer) said, "the service is so good, it's almost scary."
• The food, as is to be expected by a Denny's really trying to look good on television, was possibly the best I've ever tasted at a Denny's. The omelette was light and fluffy and just packed with veggies. The grits were a nice consistency. As Omar (the chauffeur) noted, however, the orange juice was rather watered down. But Craig (the chase-car driver) said it was the best Denny's he'd ever been to in Marin county.
• All in all, a good Denny's with which to start the day.
• WAY: Yes (Terry, no longer employed)
• Free Stuff: Three (3) Sets of Power Rings, Two (2) Daytime Menus, Three (3) Keychains, One (1) Grand Slam Slugger Pin, One (1) Personalized Name Tag

From Bingo and Spam Denny's #6375 San Francisco, California 24 June 2001 1:10pm PDT 1700 Post Street (415) 563-1400

• Attendees: P7A77, Adder, Sonya
• Wait-person(s): undetermined
• What we ate: P7A77 - Spam, Scrambled Eggs, Kimchee, Steamed Rice, Milk, Coke; Adder - Farmer's Slam, Hashbrowns, Coke; Sonya - Club Sandwich, Coke, Grasshopper Blaster Milkshake
• Adder come down to visit me for Bingo in San Jose, so I returned the favor for Pride March with him and his lovely wife in San Francisco. And rather than take the advice we received there as to what we should eat, we went to Denny's in Japantown.
• You read that right. I ate Spam. At Denny's. That's why I wanted to go there in the first place. I'd heard from many people that one can get Spam there. I'm not afraid to say that I like Spam. I've made it several times myself. One of my favorite things to do is fry up some Spam, scramble some eggs (with white and yellow American cheese melted on top), toast up some sourdough, slop on some mayonnaise, add a touch of Tabasco, and throw it all together. That's right. Moons Over My Spammy.
• But I digress. Turns out I couldn't just have them serve Spam with any meal (or possibly follow my Moons recipe), but had to order it from a special menu, as part of a special meal. Rice and Kimchee, with the eggs. Hell yeah! Korean food with Spam in the Japantown Denny's. Bring it on! I ordered Coke when I sat down, but once I saw that I was getting kimchee, I added milk to my order. I ain't no fool.
• The food wasn't bad. I was a little frightened of the kimchee. It was stuffed in a little monkey dish, but every time I pulled a piece out, twice as much seemed to replace it. The Spam was... well... it was Spam. Would have been better on a sandwich. But still tasty and Spamariffic!
• The Denny's itself is pretty cool. Part of a little mini shopping area, and it's two stories. It was very small and very crowded, but they were very fast. We were in and out faster than we usually are at most other Denny's on a good night. So was Adder's food. He suffered from food poisoning shortly after we left. I was fine, though. No more or less gassy than usual. Mmm, kimchee.
• WAY: undetermined
• Free Stuff: diarrhea

From The Price of Fame Denny's #6327 Phoenix, Arizona 04 February 2001 1:55pm MST 4120 N. 51st Ave. (602) 247-4195

• Attendees: P7A77
• Wait-person(s): Kelli
• What we ate: nothing
• I'm glad I didn't eat here. Kelli was generally clueless as to everything around her. Besides, they were pushing their seafood dinners. I don't know about you, but eating seafood at a second-rate franchise diner in the middle of the desert isn't exactly top on my "things to do before I die" list. It might end up being the last.
• WAY: No
• Free Stuff: nothing

From Bing! Denny's #6760 Chandler, Arizona 02 February 2001 6:20pm MST 7400 W. Chandler Blvd. (480) 940-8882

• Attendees: P7A77
• Wait-person(s): Brad, Robert, Steve
• What we ate: P7A77 - Bacon Ranch Chicken Sandwich, French Fries, Coke
• Das Büs is in storage, Der Satürn is in Sunnyvale... looks like I'm stuck making the visits with Die Geö. But that's okay, because the first Denny's on this trip is right down the road from where said vehicle was purchased a couple of years ago. I probably should have visited the Denny's then, but the purchase was a spur of the moment sort of thing and it took a really long time (thereby ruining the moment) and I just wanted to get home when it was over, having felt used and dirty. I actually tried to stop at it once since then, but I was looking for it on the wrong side of the highway and ended up eating at Cracker Barrel instead. They have good biscuits and gravy, that Cracker Barrel.
• But why the trip? What's goin' on? Where's Amie? Faithful readers will remember we drove Amie up to the SF Bay area a while earlier and that I'm soon to follow. Even more faithful readers will know that while I've lived in the area for four years and have been to Phoenix many times, I never really got around to visiting all of the area Denny's. Basically, time was running out. I had to get to them. As a happy coincidence, my grandmother was in Scottsdale for her annual winter hideaway trip, so it gave me a good reason to go up there. I thought I could visit the ten or twelve area Denny's I hadn't been to while I was there. Make that thirty or so. Yeesh.
• So this is how it started. The first visit for Die Geö at the Denny's right near where it began its life with me. I was lucky to get there right when the sun was setting to snag a nice "magic hour" shot. But this ain't it. The digital camera decided to eat the disk a few Denny's down the road, so I had to recreate the shot a couple of days later on my way out of town. I won't tell anyone if you won't. Besides, the recreated shot is much cooler than the original anyway.
• I had high hopes going into this place. It wasn't very crowded and I was seated immediately by Steve. It took a while for Brad to take my order, but that was okay because I wasn't very hungry yet and I had to map out all of the Denny's I was to visit. I decided to tackle the area east of I-10 and on either side of Rt. 60 before going to gramma's house. They were pretty spread out, so I knew it would take a while, and gramma was expecting me. I had actually utilized Mapquest earlier in the day to get a general idea of where everything was, but I also got a larger city map to plot it all out on one big surface and just make sure I got it all right.
• Steve had seated me and Brad had taken my order but Robert served me. Brad was standing next to him observing the masterful way by which he gave me my sandwich, so I figured he was a trainee. My figures proved accurate after they left my table when I heard Robert tell Brad that he usually checks back with the customer a few minutes later to make sure everything is okay. Woo-hoo, I thought. I'll get good service. I never heard from either of them again. By "usually" he meant "not this guy". Steve ended up giving me my check, and I noticed it was his name on the ticket. He also took my money from me, and he re-rang the ticket to include the tip in the base cost of the meal, so I think he may have completely screwed Brad and Robert out of their share of my two dollars. If either of them are reading this, go punch Steve in the nuts.
• WAY: No
• Free Stuff: Jelly Holder

From Goin' Back to Cali Denny's #7099 Cabazon, California 19 October 2000 5:35pm PDT 50920 Seminole Dr. (909) 922-0112

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie
• Wait-person(s): Hjordis (general manager)
• What we ate: nothing
• This Denny's more than made up for the previous few lackluster visits. Behind the restaurant were two sculptures featured in a certain special-effects laden motion picture containing the most memorable dinosaur scenes ever put on film... that's right, these are the dinosaurs from the Burton/Reubens/Hartman epic, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure! Here's a shot of both of them, of the T-Rex, and of the Brontosaurus with Denny's behind it.
• Hjordis the general manager is a pistol. She was very curt with me. I asked what the restaurant number was, and she demanded to know why I was asking her. I commented on her name (that I was reading and writing down from her name badge), and she proceeded to spell it for me, even though I was clearing reading it. I asked if there was a Weird Al look-a-like, and she asked if this was some sort of hobby of mine, and she wasn't phrasing it as a compliment. I immediately liked her. Even more so when she gave me a mug! Hot damn! Pee-Wee dinosaurs AND a mug! Maybe California isn't so bad after all.
• WAY: No
• Free Stuff: Coffee Mug

From Great Red North Denny's #6741 Sedona, Arizona 13 May 2000 7:00pm MST 1950 W. Highway 89A (520) 282-5481

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie
• Wait-person(s): Tamala
• What we ate: P7A77 - Water; Amie - Silk Chocolate Mousse Pie
• We got to Sedona during a beautiful time of the day and found a side street that took us to a great place to walk around. To prove it, here's a photo of the drive up. And one while hiking around. And of a wild dalmatian. And of my shoes afterwards. We walked around a bit, getting some nice photos, but not worrying too much about what we got, as we were planning on spending the night and getting some good morning shots the following day. So after we climbed around a bit, we went to a motel. Full. Went to another. Full. What the hell's going on? Jazzfest. Gol-dangit. So we went to Denny's, and noticed several "no vacancy" signs on the way.
• The Denny's (as all establishments in town) had to conform to the local building and style codes, which is an attempt to prevent the city from being raped by strip malls. A decision that has some merit, however covering everything with orange stucco isn't the way to do it.
• To add insult to injury, they didn't have the delicious-looking strawberry desserts that we saw advertised at the Mesa location. And on top of that, they were out of keylime pie! What sort of madhouse was this?!
• Since our plans in Sedona were shot (it looked like we needed way advance notice for the balloon ride anyway), we thought of somewhere else we could go. Amie thought of Monument Valley, so we asked our waitress if she knew where it was. She didn't, so she went to ask someone else. She came back and told us that the person she asked thought it was in Egypt. We went to get the atlas.
• Monument Valley turned out to not be in Egypt after all, but it was still a little too far to drive that night. We toyed with the idea of the Grand Canyon, but decided that we wanted to be able to spend more time than just one day there. Besides, it was on fire at the time. So we decided to try our luck for a hotel in Cottonwood.
• WAY: no
• Free Stuff: Menu, "Cody" Name Tag

From Mile High Club Denny's #0374 Las Cruces, New Mexico 23 January 2000 8:25pm MST 740 S. Main St., 2 miles north of I-10 (505) 524-0791

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie, Jon Vanderford
• Wait-person(s): Dinah
• What we ate: P7A77 - Rainbow Sherbet Vanilla Shake; Amie - Moonquake Shake (banana, coffee, and chocolate sauce); Jon - Strawberry Shake (with real strawberries)
• Well, hell. This is one difficult Denny's to find. We missed it on the way up (we got on Main Street too far north, and by the time we realized it, it was too late), so we took the main freeway on the way down, and looked for Main Street. No main street. Once we got out of town we figured we had gone too far, so we drove back the initial way we had gone through town, but this time took Main Street the other direction. Then it ended and became Water Street (or something). Then it was Main Street again. And there was the neon Denny's sign. In the old-style text. A rarity, to be sure.
• Dinah was almost more waitress than we could handle. Meaning, she was great, not that she was overly large or anything. She not only offered to make us custom shakes (mainly because she wasn't sure what they had and didn't want to check), but she suggested the "Moonquake" variety to Amie. How 'bout that! I figured I'd be able to get some really keen free stuff out of her, but I think I crossed the line from "cute & quirky" to "goddamned annoying", because she finally just gave me her Employee Safety Bingo Card to get me the hell out of there. Sorry, Dinah.
• Still, though, a satisfactory coda to a Denny's-filled weekend.
• WAY: Bob (cook)
• Free Stuff: Employee Safety Bingo Card
• Video: Mile High Club Part VII (~5.3MB)
• [NOTE: If you want to view the entirety of the video series, visit the original entries in the Chronological Reviews]

From ZOOBS Denny's #7219 Santa Clara, California 04 July 1999 10:45am PDT 3715 El Camino Real (408) 296-1048

• Attendees: P7A77, Wade Bell, Matthew Ross Davis, Linnea Lorthsher, Barbara Reece, Michael Reece
• Wait-person(s): Pancho
• What we ate: P7A77 - Ultimate Omelette, Hashbrowns Covered & Smothered, Rye Toast, Coffee, Water; Wade - Hotcakes, Coffee, Water; Matthew - 2 Egg Breakfast (over easy), Hashbrowns, Sourdough Toast, Coffee, Water; Linnea - 2 Egg Breakfast (scrambled), Country Fried Potatoes, Coffee, Orange Juice, Water; Barbara - Eggs Benedicts (no ham), Sourdough Toast, Hot Chocolate, Water; Michael - 2 Egg Breakfast (scrambled), Hashbrowns, Sourdough Toast, Orange Juice, Water
• We went to visit friends in San Francisco for a 4th of July weekend bash. This wasn't just any sort of pansy-ass cookout... this was a kick you in the head, slide your face around in the gravel, punch you in the gut, scrape your kneecaps to the bone sort of bash. We partied. HARD. When all was said and done I was awake for about forty hours, which isn't that big of a deal usually, but when one has been torturing his mind and body as I had been, it seems like an eternity. This trip to Denny's was made on about hour 28.
• The Denny's was only about a mile or so from the bash location, and since nobody was in much of a mood (or a state) to drive, we walked. The morning sun was cruel to my eyes, but refreshing to my body. The folks I was with were all tech-heads, and as we were walking I asked exactly where Silicon Valley was. They said I was right in the middle of it. This is at what I was looking when they said that. I was still mulling that over when I got to this point. Not quite what I expected.
• Finally we got to Denny's. It seems like a newer location because of the store number, but it was interesting to see the old style logo in a non-Denny's-shaped sign. Tho' at that point I really didn't care too much. I wanted to get in and eat.
• This was the first time I had been to a Denny's since they started their ZOOB promotion. For those who don't know or haven't seen it, ZOOBS are these little plastic modular toys that one can piece together to make various things (such as the "ZOOB DUDE"). It's a mix between Lego blocks and Tinker Toys. Same sort of concept. On their lobby display they had a note that they'd give you a set with which to play for free while you waited for your meal, and they also strongly suggested that one purchase more than one set, because look at all the fun things you can make with two, three, or even four sets of ZOOBS. What marketing. Get the kids hooked on playing with them, then show them how more is better. First one's free, but after that, it takes more and more to get the same feeling.
• We were seated, but they only had booths. We thought we might try to get everyone crammed into a booth, so we asked for a chair. Then we decided there'd be no way to get comfortable with that, so we opted for two booths. Alas, it was too late to stop the order for the chair, so we kept it anyway. Then, a few minutes later, the family at the large table across the aisle left (possibly prompted by our presence), so we swapped, putting their dirty dishes and tip on our table, and moving our drinks and silverware and bodies over to theirs. And, since it was still a little crowded, I ended up sitting in the chair.
• The meal came and went without incident. I noticed that most of my dining companions (picture two) had a two egg breakfast and sourdough toast. Must be a California thing. Every time the waiter came by, I asked about purchasing some ZOOBS. He kept saying he'd get some, but he never did. Finally he told me they were out. Blast! So I asked if I could buy the box that was in the front lobby display. He checked and said no. Well, then, since they were out of Zoobs, could I have one of the ceiling displays? He had to check on that. He came back and said that if I could get it down, I could have one. These things were eight or nine feet in the air, so he probably thought I'd never get to it. He must have forgotten the chair. A few steps and snips later, I was the proud owner of not only a ZOOB display, but a ZOOB DUDE and a ZOOB SCORPION (on the back of the display). Unfortunately, they were glued together, so I couldn't take them apart and make more ZOOB creatures, but in the grand scheme of things, I didn't really care.
• When all was said and done, this turned out to be one of the most fruitful Denny's trips I've taken. I mean, how can you go wrong with ZOOBS.
• As a footnote, Amie and I also did a little sightseeing (after a nap and a shower). Here's a nice shot of the Golden Gate Bridge, and another of us in front of said bridge.
• WAY: no
• Free Stuff: ZOOB Display

From Chrome... Lots and Lots of Chrome Denny's #7249 Tucson, Arizona 21 June 1999 6:00am MST 1510 W. Valencia (520) 295-1955

• Attendees: P7A77
• Wait-person(s): Mary (trainer)
• What we ate: P7A77 - Grand Slam (sunny side up), Hashbrowns, Coffee, Orange Juice, Water
• I set my alarm for 4:00am the night before. I was excited, and had trouble getting to sleep. When the alarm started going off, I cursed a bit to myself that it sure didn't feel like it was 4 in the morning. It felt like much earlier. After a bit of investigating (and, unfortunately, waking up), I discovered that it was, in fact, 3 in the morning, and that I had inadvertently set my clock's time ahead an hour. Waking up at 3 in the morning is an evil, nasty thing. I very rarely wake up that early. It's more common that I'm going to sleep at that time.
• As I was leaving, I realized that Amie had my camera, and since she was away on business there wasn't much of a chance of me being able to get it from her. I went to Safeway to get a disposable camera, but they were closed. There wasn't enough time to scout out a 24-hour grocery, and I was staring to worry. Thankfully, 7-11 came to the rescue.
• By now you're probably wondering a few things. Why was I waking up so early? Why was I pressed for time? Why are you wasting your time reading these ridiculous pages? I can't answer that one, but as to the first two, I was going to a brand spanking new Denny's! It was scheduled to open at 6:00 that morning, and I was determined to be the very first customer. The reason I knew of its opening was that one of the trainers kindly sent me an email a few days previous informing me of it. And, to top it all off, it was a Denny's Classic Diner. I had never been to one before, and I can't think of a better way to have my first visit.
• I arrived at about 5:20. I wandered around, admiring the sunrise and taking photographs. I took note of the date and pondered why a restaurant famous for being open all night would choose to start business on the longest day of the year. I guess they thought they needed some practice with their night shift before the winter equinox rolled around.
• Some of my first impressions were that it was very cool looking, but I wondered if it would still feel like "Denny's". I theorized that it would probably be the cleanest Denny's I'd ever visited, but knew not to get my hopes up too much on that. I saw that they had outdoor seating, but the cramped parking lot, compared with the lack of shade and proximity to the main road, made me wonder how much it would get used. It would probably be fun for nighttime dining, but I suspect they don't allow people out there at night for security issues.
• I noted the new logo, which I like better than their previous new logo, but still not as much as the two versions of the logo that came before it. As an aside on that, one of the Denny's in my town that I previously visited had one of the really old trippy 60's logos on their road sign, but recently replaced it with this new one. A pity.
• After a while of wandering around and sitting in my car, I was beginning to question the sanity of being there so early, but at around 5:40am, while I was sitting in my car listening to the news, some guy just walked up and sat down at the bench right by the front door! A few minutes after that (so as not to seem pushy), I got out of my car and sat down on the other bench, and started chatting with him. Our conversation was painfully dull and strained, but when all was said and done, he let me go into the restaurant first when it opened.
• I sat at the counter by the jukebox. I put in my dollar and picked Greased Lightning, Get Back, and Joy to the World (all appropriate in their own ways), but some bizarre version of YMCA started playing, and very loudly. Don't get me wrong, I like the Village People, but this was an awful remix and the whole staff was looking at me and no doubt wondering why I would subject them to it. Finally someone came over and found the volume control.
• I figured an appropriate first meal would be the Grand Slam with all the side items that they like to put around it in the photos. While waiting for my order I looked over the new menu. A few new items, including "Simple Simon's Sampler", the "Lumberjack", and the "Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Slam". The first two are passable, but someone in marketing really needs to work on that last one. Regarding the previously mentioned cleanliness issue, I saw that the floor was a little dirty and even had some stains. I think that's the way they come from the factory. I didn't check for creamer stains on the paintings or duct tape on the booths, but I think I should have.
• My order arrived quickly (since they couldn't use the excuse that they were backed up), and it was, dare I say, the best Grand Slam I've ever had. Everyone was attentive, but not too attentive. The best part of all was when the waitress asked if I had a dollar bill on me. She said that if I did, that would be all I'd have to pay, and that they would frame it as their first dollar earned. This had nothing to do with the Project, of course, it was just because I was the first customer. I said, sure, I'd be tickled as punch, and other mixed metaphors. I figured I should write some encouraging words on the dollar, but I couldn't think of anything, so I wrote something utterly lame like "I'm honored" and signed it. I haven't been back to see where (or if) they framed it, or to give them a copy of the photo I took with them. And even tho' (and because of) I got the meal basically for free, I still left a sizeable tip. Let that be a lesson to all of you.
• So what are my thoughts on Denny's Diner? Eh. It's Denny's.
• WAY: no (but give them time)
• Free Stuff: the meal

From I Hate Snow Denny's #0825 Oak Park, Illinois 6 March 1999 5:35pm CST 711 N. Harlem Ave. (708) 386-6964

• Attendees: P7A77
• Wait-person(s): Mike (manager)
• What we ate: P7A77 - French Fries (to go)
• Amie sat in the car, so she doesn't get credit for this trip. I wasn't terribly hungry, so I just got french fries to go. There were a bunch of poorly colored leprechauns pasted on the Mother Butler display. While I was waiting for my order, two people walked in (not together) for the sole purpose of using the phone. Seemed a bit odd at the time. I noticed that this Denny's closes at midnight. Stinking bastards.
• But that's not important. What is important is that we had a great time hanging out with Josh (formerly "The Bear"), Chad, JCR3, and Jern. Josh has got a pretty fun apartment in the "Ukranian" part of Chicago. Here is a picture of Amie navigating the cold icy stairs. It's worth noting here that Josh and Chad, who were big social revolutionaries in college, now currently have the most corporate sellout jobs of us all. Actually, that's probably not true, but it seems that way because of how vocal they were at the time. Real Life will do that to ya.
• The big fun of this trip was the morning breakfast at Daisy's. It was suggested that I do a Project:Daisy's page, but I forgot to get photos inside the restaurant. Standard greasy spoon sort of fare. I had the chipped beef and eggs. I wasn't sure what chipped beef was, but it sounded good. I'm still not sure. I think it might just be hamburger meat cooked to taste like sausage. I tried to order biscuits and gravy, but everyone else yelled at me when I mentioned it. They pointed at the big sign that said they serve biscuits and gravy 'til 11am and that they cost $2.50. Okay, fine, I was okay with paying the $2.50. But then someone pointed out that it was well past 11am. Damn. I was really looking forward to them, too.
• For some reason, the waitress decided that I really like ashtrays, because she kept pushing them in my direction. I think I had three or four by the end of the meal. I wasn't even smoking. The cook had a bit of a cold. She coughed into her hand and then proceeded to pick up food. Fabulous. I would definitely eat there again.
• And if you really feel the need to see a photo of this Denny's, here it is. But trust me - it looks the same as two thousand other Denny's in the world.
• WAY: no
• Free Stuff: take-out menu (lousy, but appropriate)

From The Big Chicken Denny's #7066 Atlanta, Georgia 27 December 1998 3:05pm EST 1935 Piedmont Circle at I-85 (404) 874-4522

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie, ADYONKA, Fern Peterson
• Wait-person(s): Ritch (host), Randy (waiter)
• What we ate: P7A77 - Chicken Quesadilla (no guacamole), Coffee; Amie - Water; ADYONKA - Applesauce, Wheat Toast (dry), Diet Coke; Fern - Sampler (w/Ranch), Coke
• A friend of mine from college goes to school in Atlanta, and he was pleased as could be to go with me to an area Denny's. And he had a rough idea of where it was located, too, so that was helpful.
• The waiter was wearing some sort of cowboy priest outfit. That would've been weird enough, but while he was taking our order, he was standing at the booth next to us. There was nobody in that booth, so we were pretty sure that he was talking to us. It was like a covert operation. Knock three times if you want your drink with no ice. On the other hand, the booth did seem exceptionally small, so maybe his aim was just off. I had to request that my quesadillas not come with guacamole a few times before a light finally went off in his head and he said, "Oh, Guac." And apparently to him, "Guac" also means "Sour Cream", because I didn't get any of that, either. ADYONKA's toast was dry (as he requested), but it also had a little piece of some sort of meat on it. It looked like chicken. I told him to hold it between his knees. He didn't get it.
• While we were eating, we noticed an overly made-up waitress with a scarf around her neck sorting silverware. She was also wearing clip-on earrings (she took one off to answer the phone). When we got up to get our photo, we asked her to be in it with us. She refused, but offered to take it for us (after joking that it was "cash up front"). In order to get the proper angle, she had to get down on her knees, about which she had no qualms doing. When she saw that we were holding the oversized suckers in the photo, she commented that if it was a photo with suckers, maybe she should be in it.
• For those of you who need it spelled out:
  1. Overly made-up
  2. Scarf around the neck
  3. "Cash up front"
  4. On her knees
  5. Sucker
• That's right... this Denny's waitress was a drag queen. And quite a good one, too. Took a while for us to notice. Now I wish she had been in the photo with us.
• After visiting Denny's, we went up to Marietta to see the Big Chicken. I only wished I had known about this sight of a site before visiting the Marietta Denny's. Oh, well. We also got to grab a shot with the Colonel. If you're ever in the Atlanta area, do yourself a favor and visit the Big Chicken.
• All in all a very entertaining Denny's trip, mostly due to the hosting services of ADYONKA. Thanks, ADYONKA!
• WAY: Yes
• Free Stuff: Coke Display (stolen)

From 365 Degrees Denny's #7068 Macon, Georgia 26 December 1998 8:15pm EST 2530 Riverside Dr. at I-75, on access road (912) 745-5071

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie, Rachel Graham
• Wait-person(s): Nora
• What we ate: P7A77 - Chicken Quesadilla (no guacamole, extra sour cream), Coffee, Water; Amie - All-American Slam (all sausage - no bacon in Macon), White Toast, Water; Rachel - Home-Made Spaghetti (made by the manager, John)
• This is what Denny's is all about. When we arrived, the place was packed to the gills. Not an open table in sight. We were thinking we'd be stuck at the counter, which wouldn't be so bad, except that we wanted to kick back and relax for a while after the hellish drive from Savannah. Anyway, while we were standing in the lobby weighing our options when a woman came up to us, told us that she had a booth but that her friends weren't going to be there for quite some time, and asked if we wanted to sit with her. A regular. Inviting me to her table. Hot damn you betcha I want to sit with her! (And hell, it beat waiting around for forty minutes.)
• Her name was Rachel, and she showed us a few of the sights. The wall by her head had stab marks from a butter knife. The painting by the booth had some creamer stains. She was eating spaghetti that had been made by the manager and brought in for the staff (even though she's not an employee). She said the regulars are always getting special menu items and freebies and whatnot. And as most of you loyal readers know, finding a Denny's these days that's kind to its young punk regulars is difficult.
• Before we left, we exchanged a few food combination favorites. She suggested mayonnaise with french fries (always a favorite of mine), but also said that either ranch dressing or sour cream (not both together) are good on seasoned fries. I usually get barbecue sauce with my seasoned fries, so I'll have to try that.
• So if you're ever in town (perhaps checking out their local baseball team, the Macon Whoopie... I'm not kidding), check out the Denny's. Rachel's booth was in the corner by the phones and bathrooms. Even if you don't like it, it was a perfect way to end a long day's trek around Georgia.
• WAY: Matt (not an employee - one of the regulars)
• Free Stuff: Orange Juice Carafe insert (given by Rachel)

From A Strange Glow in the Sky Denny's #0141 Las Vegas, Nevada 26-May-97, 12:45am PDT 3680 Las Vegas Blvd. South (702) 733-8707

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie Vanderford
• Wait-person(s): Cindy
• What we ate: P7A77 - Chicken Quesadilla with No Guacamole and extra Sour Cream, Large Strawberry Banana Orange Juice; Amie - Moons Over My Hammy, Hashbrowns, Coke
• This is it. The one-hundredth Denny's for this project. And, as far as I'm concerned, quite an appropriate one to symbolize cheesy excess. They were pretty busy here, too, but our waitress was still all smiles. She was also quite good at upselling food. Even though they were busy, we got our orders very quickly. When we were finished, it took a while to find someone to talk to for free stuff, and I was prepared to leave, but Amie suggested we hang out for a while. And it was worth it. I got me a free Save the Children handprint tshirt. Now I can pretend like I've had little kids run their hands all over my chest. The trip to Vegas was well worth it.
• WAY: No
• Free Stuff: Save the Children tshirt

From A Strange Glow in the Sky Denny's #0113 Las Vegas, Nevada 25-May-97, 10:00pm PDT 2545 E. Fremont St. (702) 384-7441

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie Vanderford
• Wait-person(s): Erlinda
• What we ate: P7A77 - Coke; Amie - Coke
• Things were hectic at this Denny's, what with the large crowd, apparent lack of servers, and people complaining about stolen bikes. We were hoping to find directions to the varios Vegas Denny's, since we wanted to make sure the Casino Royale Denny's was our hundredth. Our waitress didn't seem to have the best grasp of the English language (but she was very friendly, so we didn't hold it against her), which only complicated things. Luckily, the manager, Richard, was more than helpful. He gave us very good and complete directions to all the Vegas Denny's, and gave us some pretty groovy free stuff.
• Too bad I didn't win at the slot machines.
• WAY: No (but they did have someone who looked like Gallagher)
• Free Stuff: Suggestive Sell Cards (for employees), Denny's Lapel Pins

From One Last Visit Denny's #0866 Cincinnati, Ohio 14-Feb-97, 9:50pm EST 3320 Highland Ave., off I-71 at Ridge Ave. N (513) 731-5751

• Attendees: P7A77, Adder, Dan Mess, Aaron Yonka
• Wait-person(s): Teresa, Dietra
• What we ate: P7A77 - Charlston Chicken Sandwich, Seasoned Fries w/BBQ Sauce, Coffee, Water; Adder - Moons Over My Hammy, Coffee, Water; Dan - Delidinger, Biscuits and Gravy, Coffee, Water; Aaron - Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs (scrambled) with lots of pepper, White Toast, Large Orange Juice, Water
• Before moving to Arizona permanently, I paid one last visit to my alma mater. Besides, I still had one Denny's left in Cincinnati to hit. At first, the waitstaff was great, but our favorable opinion of them was quickly diluted by the fact that they never refilled our coffee. Thankfully, all was not lost. They eventually made a fresh pot just for us. Ain't they sweet?
  Adder, Aaron, and I have a friend who goes by the moniker "Ox". Ox is a spiffy fellow; in fact, OX ROX!!! While sitting at the restaurant, we made up all sorts of Ox jokes. Here are a few of them:
  • What does Ox keep stuff in? OX BOX!!!
  • Whom does Ox coach for football? OX JOCKS!!!
  • What does Ox wear on his head for a night on the town? OX FROCKS!!!
  • What does Ox use to wash his foot coverings? OX SOCKS CLOROX!!!
  • What sort of small plants does Ox have growing around his trees? OX PHLOX!!!
  You get the idea.
  When we got up to leave, we saw that, while we had one check, it was actually split up into separate checks. Sort of an itemized single check, but it was separate. Well, we thought it was interesting.
• WAY: No
• Free Stuff: Motel Guide, Scarf, and Drink

From Hey, Look, Mountains! Denny's #6913 Tucson, Arizona 25-Jan-97, 6:15pm MST 555 North Freeway, I-10 exit St. Mary's (520) 623-8249

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie Vanderford
• Wait-person(s): Jim
• What we ate: P7A77 - Nachos, Coffee, Water; Amie - Moons Over My Hammy with Tabasco, Hashbrowns, Hot Chocolate, Water
• If you are anywhere even remotely close to this Denny's, you must go there. Jim was everything a Denny's waiter should be and more. He was goofy, funny, energetic, helpful, and charismatic. He told us that he had just moved to Tucson a few weeks previous and was enjoying the hell out of it so far. When we commented on his waiterly anticts, his response was "no brain, no pain." Maybe you had to be there. Heck, he even lit one of the other customers' cigarettes while he was holding onto a tray full of plates with the other hand. He also brought Amie a free refill of hot chocolate. Of course, he was a new employee, so he'll probably be grouchy and bitter by the time you get there.
  By the time we were ready to pay, Jim was swamped, so we had to bug the woman at the cash register for free stuff. She didn't give us a damned thing. I bet Jim would've.
  The sign outisde had one of the really old psychadellic logos, but the mugs had the new one. To fit in with retro sign, there was parsley on our plates. How often do you see THAT any more, huh?
• WAY: No
• Free Stuff: Malts & Melts table display (stolen)

From "Weird Al" Yankovic Denny's #6659 Toledo, Ohio 23-Sep-96, 11:00pm EDT 3302 Secor Rd., near I-475 (419) 531-1190

• Attendees: P7A77, J-R Little, Damian Krabill, Chastity Armola
• Wait-person(s): Stacey
• What we ate: P7A77 - Seasoned Fries w/BBQ Sauce, Coffee, Water; J-R - Patty Melt, Mayo on Side, Fries, Root Beer w/Cherry Sauce; Damian - Denny Burger, Fries, Raspberry Iced Tea; Chastity - Bacon-Swiss Burger, Fries, Hot Chocolate
• Okay. So there was only one Denny's on this "trip", but it was the last one in the Toledo area that I hadn't gone to for this project, and it was after a "Weird Al" concert, dammit.
  Since we ran out of film before we got to the Denny's, the photo is of J-R and myself with some musician-type before the show. He said he played some kind of stringed instrument, but he looked rather shifty to me. Also before the show is when we met up with Damian and Chastity (how's that for contrast in names?). The way we met him was that J-R and I were commenting on how some of the Al concert T-shirts were fit to be worn by Alternateens, and we heard behind us someone quote a line from the Wally Pleasant song "Alternateen". We turned around and, lo and behold, there was a guy (Damian) wearing a Wally Pleasant t-shirt! So, after the show, Damian and Chastity followed Das Büs to Denny's.
  To make up for the fact that there is no actual photo from this Denny's here (it looks like most every other old-style Denny's in the midwest - trust me on this one), I'll make up for it with lots of photos from the concert.
  By the way, it was a pretty good Denny's experience, too. The waitress was fun-loving and gave us a free baseball card. Plus, there was a "Weird Al" working there. It couldn't have been more perfect of an evening.
  • Al signing a parking ticket from Das Büs (photo by Damian)
  • J-R and P7A77 with one of the caterers
  • J-R with the head caterer
  • Like a Surgeon
  • Al singing
  • Smells Like Nirvana
  • Fat
  • Al with his accordian (Steve in the background)
  • Encore! (the whole band)
• WAY: Yes (John - Server)
• Free Stuff: Tony Gwynn Hologram Baseball Card (with 3.5 seconds of actual game action)

From No Denny's in West Virginia Denny's #1593 Norfolk, Virginia 26-Jul-96, 8:00pm EDT 930 N.Military Highway at Military Circle Mall (804) 461-8470

• Attendees: P7A77, Seth "GothGrrl" Bartles, Conrad "He" Chuang, Corpse, Roger "Nim" Everett, Sven "Condor" Geier, Malcolm "Peri" Gin-Hopwood-y-Silva, Roger "Trism" Giner, Barbara "Eclipse" Reece, TWIST
• Wait-person(s): Lisa and Diana
• What we ate: P7A77 - Grand Slam, Eggs Scrambled, Coffee; GothGrrl - Fries, Coffee; He - Vegetable and Cheese Omelet, Fries, Rye Toast, Sweet Tea; Nim - Roast Turkey with Stuffing, Sweet Tea; Condor - Scram Slam, Coffee; Peri - Chicken Fried Steak, Fries, Root Beer Float; Trism - Charleston Chicken Dinner, Fries, Fruit, Large Tomato Juice with Lemon; Eclipse - French Slam, Eggs Scrambled, Meat on Side, Hash Browns, Coffee; TWIST - Chicken Fried Steak, Garden Salad with Ranch, Lemonade
• I was going to Virginia Beach for a little summer vacation, so I thought I'd be hitting up a lot of Denny's. Nope. This is the first Denny's I saw after driving over a thousand miles in the bus from Dayton, Ohio, to Norfolk, Virginia. I-64 is a vicious and unforgiving stretch of highway.
  Anyway, there was a party of sorts happening at Virginia Beach so I took some folks along with me to Denny's. (Don't worry.. I knew all these people before the trip.) We had a bitch of a time finding the place. According to my Denny's guide, it's located at the intersection of Rt. 13 and Rt. 58. What the guide fails to mention is that in the area there is also a Business Rt. 13. We stopped a few times for directions, but none of the locals seemed to know where it was either. Finally we saw a stretch of road with a Perkin's, a Big Boy, and an IHOP, so we figured that Denny's must not be much further. Thankfully, we were right.
  There were too many of us for one table so we had to split up. The waitress for my table, Lisa, had only been working for five days. Either I have an amazing ability to always talk with green workers or Denny's has a high turnover rate. I suspect the latter.
  A few quotes from the evening... "The fries are greasy.. they shine." -GothGrrl; "Bland." -Eclipse; "A bit too conventional; unsurprising." -Corpse
  Overall, though, it was a pretty good evening, though the service was a bit slow. So friendly and energetic were we that a couple sitting at the next table got up and left. I tried to get Lisa to give me a food tray, but she didn't seem terribly pleased with that idea. Fortunately for myself, the manager gave me one of the glasses that come with the root beer floats. Diana (the other waitress) was kind enough to look the other way while the other table took an orange juice carafe (which was later converted to a bong by TWIST the paraphernalia craftsman).
• WAY: Undetermined
• Free Stuff: OJ Carafe, RB Float Glass

From Tour de Dayton Denny's #0853 Springfield, Ohio 13-Jul-96, 10:00pm EDT 2209 S. Limestone St. (513) 324-3320

• Attendees: P7A77, John "Adder" Fink, J-R Little, Phil Stewart, JT Tartarra, Jan Warren, Rachel Weidinger, Josh Wyen
• Wait-person(s): Kera and Carol
• What we ate: P7A77 - Super Bird, Seasoned Fries with BBQ Sauce, Root Beer with Cherry Sauce, Coffee; Adder - Southern Slam, Eggs Scrambled, Coke; J-R - Denny Burger Combo, Seasoned Fries, Caesar Salad, Sprite; Phil - Shrimp Dinner, Corn, Water; JT - Play It Again Slam, Eggs Over Easy, Hash Browns, Large Orange Juice; Jan - Denny Burger Combo, Garden Salad with Ranch Dressing, Water; Rachel - Grilled Cheese, Fries, Vegetable Soup, French Vanilla Coffee; Josh - Super Bird with Extra Tomato, Seasoned Fries with BBQ Sauce, Coffee, Water
• We finally made it to Springfield! Better late than never, I suppose. We loaded the bus up with a fresh crowd, went to Adventure Golf again, then headed straight to Springfield - no stops. Mary (the manager) was wise this time and didn't wait there for us, so we tried to give her a call. Unfortunately, the hostess (Kera) wouldn't give me Mary's phone number. I suppose that wise for security reasons, but I'm a nice enough guy. No matter, because Carol (our waitress, who bore a striking resemblance to Phil Donahue) knew what was up and gave Mary a call.
  This is an old-style Denny's (the best kind, as far as I'm concerned), and the staff reflected that sort of charm that you expect to go along with that. Once Mary showed up, she took us all to the back of the store where she presented us with not one toilet.. not two toilets.. but two toilets AND a sink. Wow. They had recently remodeled the employee washroom and had this stuff lying around. Mary and her friend (who went by the moniker "Truck") were both good ol' Harley-Davidson kind of folks. As if the toilets weren't enough, the whole trip was worth it just to hear a large bearded man wearing a Harley shirt and named 'Truck" say something to the effect of "I wanna see this online soon." Break those stereotypes! Yee-ha! All kidding aside, I'm the last one to judge by appearance (unless the appearance is that of a clean-cut beer-drinkin' date-rapin' frat-boy type, but hey.. nobody's perfect), and Mary and Truck were both great. (Plus, I know they're going to read this, and Truck is significantly larger than I am.)
  It should also be noted that the sausage and gravy were very good (according to Adder), and this Denny's actually had parsley (a garnish that is becoming increasingly rare at Denny's).
• WAY: Undetermined
• Free Stuff: two toilets and a sink

From Das Bus Denny's #6657 Toledo, Ohio 31-Mar-96, 6:30pm EST 5125 Monroe Street, near Franklin Park Mall (419) 885-2922

• Attendees: P7A77, John "Adder" Fink, J-R Little, Aaron T. Porter, Kasey Princell, Chris Roehl, Dan Springer, Kristen VonGruben, Anne Wooster, Josh "The Bear" Wyen
• Wait-person(s): Ireta
• What we ate: P7A77 - Super Bird, Seasoned Fries with BBQ Sauce, Coffee; John - Souther Slam, Hash Browns with Onions, Coffee; J-R - Mexican Omelette, Biscuit, Fries, Sprite; Aaron - Grand Slam (eggs Sunny Side Up), Wheat Toast, Coffee, Milk; Kasey - Ultimate Omelette, Biscuit; Chris - Grilled Cheese, Coke; Dan - Beef Vegetable Soup, Fries, Coke; Kristen - Chicken Strips, Hash Browns ("Slattered and Smothered"), Iced Tea with Lemon; Anne - Seasoned Fries, Lemonade; Josh "The Bear" Wyen - Grand Slam (eggs scrambled, all sausage)
• This is the Denny's I used to work at, and it's also the first one that Das Büs visited, so it had special meaning for me. I was happy that the four original players of Project:Denny's (P7A77, J-R, Chris, and Josh) were all present for this visit.
  All of the staff was different than it was when I worked there... except for Roy. I'm convinced that Roy came with the building. The man never ages, either. He even remembered me. The waitress, Ireta, also rocked. She offered to give us separate checks. We didn't even have to ask. I've even had some places refuse to give separate checks before.
  Amusement was to be had all over this Denny's. Aside from the wonderful quarter-machines in the lobby ("Give me a quarter! I love quarters! I tell your fortune for a quarter!"), there was a bus boy there who even I thought was a bit goofy-looking. He was goofy-looking on his own, but what did it was the hair. At first it looked like a bowl cut, but when he moved, you could see that all but the very top of his head was shaved. That, combined with his general goofy appearance, was good, but what did it for me was the rat-tail in the back.
  Another great feature about this particular Denny's is the sign outside. It's the oldest logo I've ever seen. It's sort of like the logo that's slowly being replaced by the crappy new one, but more psychadellic. Ah, hell, you can see for yourselves in the picture.
• WAY: Yes (Johnnie - Cook)
• Free Stuff: Chef's Tie and Tie Clip

From Arlington Denny's #2104 Arlington, Texas 19-Mar-96, 7:35pm CST 4928 S. Cooper (817), 467-0354

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie Vanderford, Loree Parker, Richard Pruitt, Teresa Gubbins
• Wait-person(s): Debbie
• What we ate: P7A77 - Seasoned Fries with BBQ Sauce, Coffee; Amie - Nothing; Loree - Fries, Coffee; Richard - Nothing; Teresa - Coffee
• And so we grabbed media attention. This was the first of a small five-stop trek around Arlington, Texas. We met up with a writer and photographer for the Dallas Morning News here (the article was printed in the "Today" section on March 25, 1996, and will soon be available to read here). It's a fairly new Denny's (the DFW area sure seems to have a lot of new stores), and was pretty fancy looking. I was wearing the Denny's Tie Clip I got from the Ardmore Denny's, and the cook kept starting at it (as well as at the other members of our party). Teresa, the interveiwer, actually had heard of Wally Pleasant. Wow. The highlight of the evening was gettin' five whole smackaroos from Teresa. I should have kept it so as to represent the first payment (of hopefully gobs and gobs more) as a result of this project, but instead I used it to pay for my fries and coffee.
• WAY: Yes (Terrell - an older, fatter, balding Al, but as close as we could get. His attitude was nice and goofy, and personality goes a long way.)
• Free Stuff: Mini Easter Basket (with mini chocolate eggs)

From New Castle to Denton Denny's #6317 Gainesville, Texas 18-Mar-96, 9:55am CST 1938 I-35 (817) 665-2565

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie Vanderford
• Wait-person(s): Gayla (manager)
• What we ate: Nothing
• When I asked the manager where I was, she said, quite proudly, "You're in Gainesville, TEXAS". The "no concealed handguns" sign next to the front door helped drive home the fact that I was finally in Texas. Gayla, the manager, was great, and gave us a tie clip (like the ones the cooks wear), a Coke pin, and a four-foot tall "Lunch Baskets" poster. Hell, I was expecting another damned Minute Maid pin.
• WAY: No
• Free Stuff: Denny's Tie Clip, Coke Pin, Lunch Basket Promotional Poster

From New Castle to Denton Denny's #1048 Fenton, Missouri 17-Mar-96, 4:40pm CST 1096 S. Highway Drive (314) 343-1480

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie Vanderford
• Wait-person(s): Niki
• What we ate: Nothing
• I really don't remember anything from this Denny's, and quite franky, I was getting a bit sick of stopping every few minutes just to get some crappy free thing. At least the cook let me wear his hat for the photo.
• WAY: No
• Free Stuff: Minute Maid Pin

From New Castle to Denton Denny's #0677 St. Louis, Missouri 17-Mar-96, 3:30pm CST 1515 S. Hampton Ave, I-44 & Hwy 40, near Zoo (314) 645-1754

• Attendees: P7A77, Amie Vanderford
• Wait-person(s): Dade
• What we ate: P7A77 - $1.99 Grand Slam (eggs o/e), Wheat Toast, Coffee, Large Orange Juice; Amie - $2.99 Burger Basket, Fries, Water
• This Denny's was exceptionally busy, especially considering the time of day it was. Maybe all the green beer from St. Patrick's Day was making everyone hungry for Grand Slams. Then again, maybe not. It took a while to get service, and Dade, our waiter, was a bit boring at first. He warmed up later on, though. He was the Weird Al lookalike of this Denny's, and when we asked if he was a manager, he said he turned down the position because he didn't want to work 60 hours a week for a measly $22,000 a year. What a guy. It's good to hold on to your ideals like that. This Denny's also had a Baskin' Robbin's inside. It was also the first Denny's that had a waiter (as opposed to a waitress) since I started this quest.
• WAY: Yes (Dade)
• Free Stuff: Flagstar Brand Vomit Clean-Up Kit (complete with bio-hazzard bag)

From Cincinnati to Knoxville Denny's #1214 Cincinnati, Ohio 18-Feb-96, 11:30pm 9350 Colerain Ave, across from Northgate Mall (513) 385-1365

• Attendees: P7A77, J-R Little, Josh Wyen, Chris Roehl
• Wait-person(s): Undetermined
• What we ate: Coffee
• This is the visit that started it all. I thought it might be fun to stop at all the Denny's on the way from Oxford, Ohio, to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. We started off our trip light, just stopping for coffee and cigarettes. Much to our merriment, there was a corner booth full of local counter-culture youth, which inspired us to get our photo taken. Lucky they were there to give us the idea, else this journal not be as visually-enhanced as it is.
• WAY: Yes ("Jim? He ain't no manager. He thinks he is, but he ain't.")
• Free Stuff: Denny's Travel Directory

Condensed version of various letters, awards, and links that relate to these pages.

The folks over at Denny's, Inc, found out about my quest and these pages, and sent me a letter, as well as some goodies (including a tshirt, some caps, a keychain, $30 worth of gift certificates, and other fun stuff). They've been very friendly towards me so far, and haven't yet threatened to sue me for my violation of copyright, and I hope that they continue that trend. Of course, another view of this is that I've given them thousands of dollars worth of free radio, print, and web advertizing, and all they've given me is thirty bucks and some trinkets. If your point of view is along these lines, I wouldn't object to you suggesting to them that they give me more stuff. 1-800-7-DENNYS. You didn't get the idea from me, though. Remember that.) Anyway, here's what he wrote:

203 East Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29319
803-597-8678
Fax: 803-597-7505

C. Ronald Petty
President & Chief Executive Officer
Denny's


April 2, 1996


Jason Pfaff
109 McKee Hall
Miami University
Oxford, Ohio 45056

Dear Jason:

We were pleased to read about your ongoing Denny's project in a recent article in th Dallas Morning News. Visiting each of our more than 1,500 company and franchise restaurants nationwide presents quite a challenge and I have enclosed some gift certificates and a current Travel Brochure to assist you in your travels.

As I'm sure you have already discovered, Denny's is made up of great employees who care about serving our customers. Our guests are the reasons we are in business, and we want each guest to feel comfortable dining in our restaurants. It is our hope that every Denny's you visit will meet your expectations and provide you with consistently good food, and service.

Since you also noted that you enjoy collecting "cool stuff," we've enclosed some Denny's merchandise to add to your collection.

Best wishes to you and Happy Trails!

Sincerely,

C. Ronald Petty

Breakfast

I wrote an article (and will probably write more) for this very entertaining and well written little home-made publication out of Minnesota.

The Dallas Morning News

One nice viewer of these pages (I forget his name) saw that I was planning on going to Dallas, and so notified the Dallas Morning News about my impending visit. Teresa Gubbins (writer) and Richard Pruitt (photographer) were assigned to the case. They followed us around Arlington, Texas, interviewing us and taking photos as we went. The article was on the front page of the "Today" section on Monday, March 25, 1996. After its original publication, the article was picked up by newspapers all across the country. You can read the text of the article here without having to go out and buy your own copy, since it's too late to do that anyway. But I saved you a trip to the library.

Crazy and Wacky Radio Morning Show DJs

As these things seem to go, various radio stations noticed the articles, and started contacting me. On average, I received three or four phone calls a day from different radio stations, and that only stopped because I moved out after about a month (thought not because of the phone calls). These interviews were usually qutie basic, and it seemed that very few of them were even aware of the web pages or of my quest for free stuff. In other words, they were content with just the idea of me visiting Denny's. Some people are entertained by the strangest things...

The Washington Post

Featured among the web reviews in the "Style" section on November 21, 1996. Read the text of it if you're so inclined.

suck.

Picked April 23, 1996. I've been picked by suck. I can die happy now.

Yahoo's Picks of the Week

Only up for a month, barely had any updates, and already chosen for the week of March 25, 1996, under some sort of "Celebration of Spring". Must have been short on good links that week. At the end of 1996, Yahoo! selected thirty or so of their Weekly Picks from the past year and featured them again. Go figure.

Matthew and Jake's Adventures

A selection of some of the words of joy and wisdom that viewers of these pages have bestowed upon me.

• "Hi Jason this is Wally Pleasant. I saw articles about you in Detroit, Dallas & San Jose. What you are doing is a real gift to humanity."
  - Wally Pleasant

• "The Denny's Project is easily the defining event of our generation, and perhaps all generations. Jason Alan Pfaff is no longer ours -- he belongs to the ages."
  - Gilmore, the Exploding Heads Creator - gilmore@vv.com

• "Your page frightens me."
  - Dr. Derek Robb - aieeee@tezcat.com

• "If any one URL could justify the World Wide Web, nay, THE ENTIRE INTERNET, it would be your page. I am amazed."
  - Gene Greger - gene@graphics.cornell.edu

• "I love yer page!!!!! Damn it's great!!!!!"
  - Starvo - starvo@mc.net

• "This is probably the greatest, and sickest thing I've seen on the web yet. Truly wonderfull."
  - Kyro- jn@trib.com

• "I took a peek, and it's pretty funny!"
  - Bermuda Schwartz (drummer for "Weird Al" Yankovic) - bermuda@loop.com

• "Hail Denny's
  Please keep sending me stuff.
  Sincerely, Wally Pleasant"
  - Wally Pleasant - pleasant@acd.net

• "Hey, when do you guys find time to do this, don't you have to work?"
  - TBone1515@aol.com

• "Hi there...I jsut waned to say I like your website very much...have you ever thought about translating this to a book or screenplay? Thats the first thought that came into my mind."
  - Mark Kregel - mkregel@ix.netcom.com

• "IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU AND YOUR COHORTS HAVE STOLEN MANY ITEMS FROM DENNY'S RESTAURANTS. JUST TO REMIND YOU THAT MANY DENNY'S WILL PROSECUTE FOR THEFT OF ANY MAGNITUDE. IT IS NOT UNLIKE MANY RESTAURANT MANAGERS TO GIVE AWAY MENUS OR OUT DATED POP MATERIAL (JUST ASK). I ALSO HAVE BEEN TO SEVERAL DENNY'S (IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 133) AND FIND THAT MOST OF YOUR CONCLUSIONS ARE CORRECT AND THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE ARE GENERALLY LOYAL AND COMMITED TO THEIR JOBS."
  - Reginald B. Campbell, Jr. - regburch@bellsouth.net

• "This is perhaps the oddest thing I've ever seen on the Internet."
  - Mike Ward - mward@crl.com

• "I actually did the same thing you did a few years ago, when I discovered the Denny's Travel Directory. I used to check 'em off as I went. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Texas, something like thirty different restaurants. You need to note which type of decor they have in each store; also, find out how many seats. That determines the architecture of each store, whether it has a bar, back room, etc.
  "Nice site! (Personal Denny's faves: Coffee with enough sugar to cause rock candy formation on the spoon, mozz sticks, and chicken strips.)
  "P.S. Ever play the menu game? Quiz each other about menu prices. We used to be REALLY good; then they raised the prices."
  - Benjy - b-feen@students.uiuc.edu

• "this is odd.... i have the same dream as you.. as soon as i'm 18 ish i've planned on visitng every denny's i could (since bvefore i visited the site, i'm not a copy cat). I live in Menotr Ohio and am an official denny's rat... such a big one i have my own Denny's Website. I just want to say goodluck on your mission."
  - Chris - Renfeild14@aol.com

• "Way back in 1990, my friend Damon Rich, who's now at Columbia U., made it his mission to visit every Denny's in St. Louis."
  - Darrell D. Hancock - 102452.145@CompuServe.COM

• "h0h0h0! a very noble undertaking indeed, this Denny's thingy ya' got going here! i've been gathering bits and pieces of Denny's detritus and sooner or later will be tossing it up on the web as well, so i'll be sure to give ya' the URL when i do "
  - Monty Cantsin - roet@i-link.net

• "My friend and I have been talking about doing a Denny's tour for years. Last night we discussed it again while dining at the brand new Denny's location here in Tampa (I had an All-American Slam, he had a Ham & Cheese Omlette). Then I came home and, just for kicks, checked to see if I could find any Denny's-related sites on the Web. My first thought was, "Hey! This asshole stole our idea!" My second thought was, "Hey, it's really good to know there's someone out there even more pathetic than we are." Keep it up."
  - joe negative - joeminus@cftnet.com

• "hey, nifty page. this summer, a close friend of mine and myself are doing a tour de denny's. it sucks to see that others have done such a thing first but hey, i'm proud that we're not the only ones out there who take such pride in traveling around to denny's....."
  - trev - vonkrug@scream.csh.rit.edu

• "HI! awesome idea. my freinds and i were once talking about touring every meijers in michigan. i wish you luck on your venture through the world of denny's."
  - lsteigen - lsteigen@remc11.k12.mi.us

• "This is SO wierd - I swear, just about a week ago, I was in a Denny's in East Brunswick, NJ at about 2 in the morning (when the hell else are you in a Denny's) and I was with 3 of my friends. We were looking through the Denny's Travel Guide thing and we were thinking how cool it would be to go to EVERY SINGLE DENNY'S!
  Now, there are slightly over 1,500 Denny's so that would be a LARGE task to undergo.
  But I see I'm not the only one with that idea.
  Well anyway - we're starting this summer.
  Good eatin' - maybe we'll cross paths sometime!!!"
  - David Zarnitzky - david_zarnitzky@hotmail.com

• "I came across your site and was stunned to find that you had realized the exact same dream that me and a friend , Peter, had about four years ago! You see we loved Denny's too and thought how cool it would be to go to all of them in a bus cross country. We talked about this a lot but never actually had the cojones to do it. We did buy a bus though- 69' Harvester which we were gonna follow the Dead around in but we ended up getting married (not to each other, but two women : } ). I fulfilled beyond words; I can die a happy man now. Great web site work too!"
  - BOB - wax@poetic.com

• "I must admit, I am disheartened to find that the idea of visiting every Denny's has already been taken, and that you are succeeding in your quest to visit Denny's nationwide (and eventually worldwide, if all goes well for you.) Nonetheless, I am proud of you. If you ever meet a Denny's server by the name of Homer, who resembles Isaac Hayes in a strange sort of way, mention him in the logs of your travels, he has disappeared into the oblivion, a lost Denny's server, and I hope to see him at every Denny's I visit, but this far he has been gone for over a year."
  - Alex - fsponge@usa.net

• "Let me tell you something, Babydoll, you've got yourself some competition. My best friend and I are going to visit every Denny's in the Continential United States. That's right-- Oh, it's on! Here's a backdrop of your competition: My name is Tara. I'm an 18 year old college student (nursing major to be exact) from Chicago. My best friend, Mandy, is a journalism major. We've been best friends since freshman year in high school. Our infactuation with Denny's began in high school. Denny's was "the hangout." Everyone who was anyone hung out at Denny's. Well, Mand and I go to Denny's so much that when it's time to order, the waiter/waitress asks "the usual?" And we go "yup" (FYI-- "the usual" is Moons Over My Hammy with hashbrowns and a Sprite for me and a classic burger, with cheddar, no onions and a coke for Mand) We were visiting a neighboring Denny's one day who gave us a "Denny's Travel Directory" listing all the Denny's in the USA. Our idea was born. We would hit every Denny's in that book. Imagine my shock when I found your website and you were doing it too! So, far we've hit all of them in the greater Chicago land area. The goal: all the Denny's in Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana by the end of Summer. And eventually all the Denny's by the end of next Summer. And oh, we will do it. So, I suggest you guys better get going. Because we will do it first. Oh and you cheat!!! You have like five trillion members of Project Denny's. I know what you're doing! Franchaising! That way you can send different people to different Denny's. Well, Mandy and I are doing it the RIGHT way! Our rules include this: We don't count a trip unless we were both there. And it's just the two of us. Reguardless of your army of members- WE WILL DO IT FIRST! I'll be sure to keep you updated on our progress."
  - Tara - Chicago017@aol.com

• "Dear sir, it may sound crazy, but my brother is also traveling around to different Denny's in a Bus. How Bout that."
  - Eric Pfaff - epfaff@uoft02.utoledo.edu

• "Web site is cool. why Denny's ? Why not something with kitch? maybe Bobs Big boy."
  - ??? - User367626@aol.com

• "If you get tired of Denny menus, you might check out the Chart House chain..."
  - Phil Keeler - pkeeler@imagine.com

• "Dennny's is okay when you can't find anyplace else, but as a former waitress of Sambo's why not do your next assignment there."
  - Vicky Smith - smoo@ocsnet.net

• "No offense, but IHOP will forever be in my heart."
  - Donald Morton - skillet@tyler.net

• "I'm a Shoney's fan myself. Love that breakfast buffet when I'm on the road."
  - Elly - ejcramer@odyssey.net

• "Ok, you all are doing really well with Denny's, but I thought that I would suggest once oyu're done to move on to the Charthouse. If you get one of their cards and have it scanned at every Charthouse in the world (less than 500 worldwide) they will send you around the world to all of them again for free (as in pay all your travel expenses too) plus while you're going to the restaurants you get other free stuff from it and discounts and stuff. Just a suggestion."
  - Vicki - tjbubble@erols.com

• "I came across your page by accident. I think it is well done but you need to pick a differant restaurant. I was actually hoping that Denny's was on the net because their new commercial is terrible. My grandchildren hate (and will not go to) Denny's after seeing their commercial with Humpty Dumpty."
  - Hugh Zorger - haz157@worldnet.att.net

• "DAMN this page is hot! How about doing a little trip to all the TACO BELLS in the U.S.? That would be tha shit! Do it man!"
  - Phillip Kirkpatrick - stinky@pernet.net

• " Your web-site is very cool and very creative. But if you really want to check something out, you should tour some of the Waffle Houses in the Southeast. They are absolutely fascinating. Each one has its own unique employees and customers. It is almost like a soap-opera. I work at one in Newport News Virginia, and believe me it is never boring there, especially on third shift."
  - Robert Cohen - surfers3@worldnet.att.net

• "Growing my friends and I had a strange fondness for Perkins. We felt at home there, and acted like it. Often we would play cards on the floor while waiting for a table...or there was the game of Scatagories that we started and brought other tables in on. I respect your quest. Salute!"
  - KLHVA@aol.com

• "have you ever been to a cracker barrel in the mid-west, south eastern states?? mmmmm. however, ya gotta admit nothin' beats a grand slam before ten am."
  - ricks@gncom.com

• "WAFFLE HOUSE RULES !!! DENNY'S IS FOR THE WEAK. REPENT OR BURN (LIKE THE EGGS ON A WAFFLE HOUSE GRILL)"
  - MerediN@aol.com

• "Every Denny's in the world? No problem. Try every McDonalds in California. That's a real challenge. Vote for Dole in 2000!"
  - Steven Worrell - stevenW@webtv.net

• "Love the site! Keep it going... Someone needs to start an I-Hop or Dairy Queen site."
  - Kevin - kevin@jvclab.com

• "Let me know when the Waffle House Crusade begins. I have lots of gas money."
  - Funkwalrus@aol.com

• "If you need cash from a sponsor, maybe instead of doing trips to Denny's in the USA you might want to consider doing trips to Citibanks."
  - David Tiberio - dtiberio@pb.net

• "Sounds like a fun trip - next year you should go south and go for the Waffle House tour."
  - Ori Hoffer - ohoffer@aol.com

• "I was thinking, next trip, maybe you should visit Waffle Houses!"
  - Angela Londino - londino@worldnet.att.net

• "Don't come to Long Island. There ain't no Denny's, unless you need some body work done on your car. There are White Castles though, but I think you would have to combine White Castle trips with visits to portable restrooms."
  - David "Grand Slam" Tiberio - dtiberio@pb.net

• "We do not have a Denny's here in Manhattan. However, we do have big cockroaches."
  - Sandy Hawkins - shawk@panix.com

• "Well, since I live in the UK, and we don't have Dennys here, I haven't a bloody clue what you're on about. Though if Dennys are anything like the fast food places we have over here, I hope your sanity holds on the tour...."
  - Chris McMullen - sccmcmul@ucsalf.ac.uk

• "Terrific site old boy, being a Dennys addict but living in the U.K poses a problem like we dont have any ? So your site is where ill have to get my slam fixes until i visit the States again, keep those orders coming boy.. nice one."
  - Steve Smith - 100604.2156@compuserve.com

• "I'm just writting to say that's it's not fair that we haven't got a Denny's over here in the UK. I have been to Denny's in America and I'll tell you that I haven't come accross any resturant that beats it. Please get on to them to get a Denny's opened up over here!"
  - Jason - CpexCo@aol.com

• "HOW ABOUT A DWNNY'S IN QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS? NONE THAT I KNOW OF IN THIS AREA!"
  - Michelle Pfeiffer - michelle12@webtv.net

• "I live in a medium sized town called Beckley in the southern part of West Virginia, (no, not western Virginia) West Virginia! It is a state! Sorry but I feel I must clarify that for the morons out there still living in the ice age. Anyway, to get to the point, everytime I travel I make it a point to stop at every Denny's I can find (much like yourself) as you will see from the list below. Since I know the Denny's corporate people are avid readers of this web page, (nicely done by the way!) (yes I am sucking up!!! I haven't figured out why yet though) I thought I would ask the question: WHY IN THE FUCK ISN'T THERE A DENNY'S HERE??? It isn't like we have every other resturant in the world or anything! Are you afraid??? Chicken Shit!!!"
  - Guy Parker - gparker@cwv.net

• "Hey! Great page you have here. I'm from the Philippines and I have had meals in Denny's Las Vegas and Bufallo, NY. I was satisfied and I would gladly appreciate it if we had our own Denny's here, so we won't have to go all the way to North America. Can you help me have a Denny's contact number or address? Thankx!--kevs"
  - shapes - shapes@netasia.net

• "Been living here in The Netherlands since '91. A transplanted Southern Califonian pining for Denny's on the European continent. Are there any Denny's here in Europe or do they have any plans to open one?"
  - T. Thomas Scheers - therdog@wxs.nl

• "Could you answer me one question? Why do you have a page about dennys??!! The page is actually put together pretty well but Dennys? I don't know maybe it holds some nostalgic value to you so maybe you could exlplain."
  - Marist High School Student

• "I am mailing you from my college. I love it wasting tax payers money by E-mailing a Denny's website."
  - wbzc@bcc.edu

• "Your quest seems so odd to me, as it has always been my stated goal to never set foot in a Denny's anywhere."
  - Jeff Byrd - byrdj@teleplex.net

• "well it all started out innocently enough..... It was about three in the Am and I had stoped into dennies for a quick cup of jo and a little omelette. the weird al looking guy came up and took my order. things were going fine, I was looking out the window at the cars passing buy on broad street, I like doing that becouse I can secretly watch the wait staff by the night time reflections in the window...... Suddenly strange things started to happen... I think i saw the anti-christ appear in the reflection...he was making pancakes and wearing a little paper hat. he looked at me and smiled, his dingy yellow teeth glistenedd in the window he gave me a wink, quickly I turned around to face the devil, but when I did it was just a pimply-faced teenager. "this is odd" I thought to myself there was alittle old lady eating a muffin in the booth directly ahead of me, I fixated on her face. as she chewed, her jaw seemed to float more and more around in space...then I noticed her eyes were slowly sliding down her face......followed by her nose, then her jaw seemed to fall off MY GOD! this womans face was melting! her face was melting right off her head! "can I help you? she said and was all normal again....... "what the Hell YOU lookin at buddy?" what the hell? where did that come from? Iloked down it was my omelette! it had arrived, it had a face and was talking to me..."HEY JERK! EAT ME!" it yelled "c'mon you little freak, take a big bite out of me you cock sucking bastard!!" "I-uh I..." was all I could say, I started to freak out. I had to get out of there, it was an evil place this was the dennys of hell I couldnt stay, i ran! I knocked over the waitress who was trying to keep me from leaving with out paying, i crashed through a window and took off running
  I guess what Im trying to say here is..you shouldnt drop acid at the denny's"
  - BaronAHV1@aol.com

• "I was shot in a Denny's last year. Two gentlemen were in a heated argument when one pulled out a gun and attempted to hit his friend. Unfortunately, it only struck my arm. Now many say I should be afraid to enter another Denny's for as long as I live, yet I regularly visit my nearby establishment without haste. And besides, even though it was not their fault, I enjoy the occasional free meals."
  - Jake Ignatowicz - Ignatowicz@webtv.net

• "Please advise me on how to franchise denny's? thank you"
  - wes456@yahoo.com

• "Are you out of your FRIGGINING MIND?!?!?! You went to college for four years so you could drive around the country eating spicy fries and drinking coffee at Denny's?!?!?! Are you on somsort of medication?"
  - baxtda@muohio.edu

• "Please send me franchise information."
  - Mayra Hernandez - Pinkmay@aol.com

• "hey, know of any dennys in CAlifornia?"
  - The Briskins - pbriskin@concentric.net

• "Hey there. You and I have spoken before, it was a while ago mind you. I own dennys.net and Denny's lawyers are on my NUTS about it. I've changed the page around to be a page about "Hangout-X", for now anyway. You and I and any intellegent person knows what Hangout-X is. I've put up a links page and want to add you to it. I'm asking your permission first because Denny's knows I'm out there and if they find your page, they might harass you about the logos being up there. Check out the page and fight for the cause."
  - Christian - www.dennys.net

• "Hi! I like the food in your restaurant. May I get more information about franchise? Please send me details of franchise! Thank you very much!"
  - Fiona Liu - fiona@mail.uniair.com.tw

• " I have coupons!"
  - Wally Pleasant

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