"dennys" news and stories

America is obsessed with bacon. No longer is it just a side with eggs or the 'B' in a BLT; bacon and bacon flavoring have managed to find their way into chocolate, into mayonnaise, and even into vodka. As the slogan of America's Pork Checkoff Program says, "Bacon makes it better."

Denny's is no stranger to bacon, having served it up at breakfast for decades with their Grand Slams. However "America's diner," along with support from America's Pork Checkoff Program, has stepped up its bacon offerings with the new, limited-time menu called "Baconalia!: A Celebration of Bacon." The crispy and salted pork product invades Denny's like never before, with items like Bacon Flapjacks, Bacon Meatloaf, and the BBBLT. But the most peculiar and talked about new offering is the new Maple Bacon Sundae. Here's how it rates:

The Claims: Denny's Maple Bacon Sundae starts with a layer of maple-flavored syrup, topped with a layer of vanilla ice cream, topped with a layer of diced hickory-smoked bacon. All of this is topped by an additional set of the same layers.

The Price: $2.99. (Prices may vary at participating locations.)

Whether you're rooting for the Steelers or Green Bay (or just the commercials), it's likely you'll tune into the Super Bowl this Sunday. (More than 106 million Americans watched the game last year.) Restaurant owners know the big game equals big business, so you can find all sorts of deals this weekend in honor of Sunday's big showdown.

Hosting a game-day party? You might want to consider serving pizza, since Papa John's, the "official pizza" partner for Super Bowl XLV, is conducting a sweepstakes for anyone who places an online order between 10am and 9:59 pm EST. As reported in Nation's Restaurant News, the chain is giving away $45 gift cards every 45 seconds, and offering $10 large pizzas all day. In addition, registering for "Papa Points" will win you a free large pizza if the game goes into overtime. Pizza Hut, too, is introducing a party option with its "Big Dipper" pizza, $12 for 24 strips of pizza and 4 cups of tomato sauce for dipping.

Architectural preservation goes through various stages. In 1959, New York's glorious Pennsylvania Station, which was modeled after the Bath of Caracalla in ancient Rome, was ingloriously torn down to make way for what could best be described as a sub-par sports arena and bland office tower -- an act of cultural vandalism of the highest order. Some 50 years later, the idea of tearing down the magnificent Beaux-Arts hulk that if Grand Central Terminal, just across town, would be unthinkable. In fact, Grand Central now sports a market that is chock-a-block with stalls representing some of the finest purveyors in Manhattan, including Murray's Cheese, Penzey's Spices, and Wild Edibles.

But what about a golden arch? Or, to get right to the icon in question, a retro coffee shop that just happens to symbolize the free-wheeling car culture of the Fifties and Sixties, when America was at the top of its game. Would that be worth preserving? The city of Portland isn't sure.

The place in question, now the Galaxy Restaurant, is not especially distinguished, but it opened as the city's first Denny's, in 1963. Preservationists argue: "Why tear it down to replace it with another restaurant?" Others don't see why it's such a big deal. But, hey, it's an example of Googie Architecture, a term I'd never heard of (have you?) but discovered I know only too well what it meant: that irresistible, outrageous Fifties style full of arches, angles and vaguely Deco design, heavy on colors like turquoise and pink -- poodle skirt rendered in concrete. It seems that Seattle landmarked its original Denny's, but under very different circumstances, ones so complicated they're hard to follow but ultimately bring up the point that Portland's Denny's might not be that much of a retro jewel in the first place. Still, this is a tough call, and depends on your point of view.

Meat, meat, and more meat! That seems to have been the mantra of late at most restaurant chains (e.g., KFC's Double Down, Carl's Jr.'s Footlong Cheeseburger, Burger King's NY Pizza Burger, etc.). It's been a boon for carnivores, but if you're a vegan, well, how about another helping of quinoa?

It's no surprise, then, that vegan blogs have been lighting up like Christmas trees with the news that Denny's (home of the Bacon Slamburger) is now serving a bona fide vegan burger.

When Slashfood first announced the new value meal lineup at Denny's several weeks ago, we had already started planning a field trip to taste test the most extraordinary addition to their menu -- the Fried Cheese Melt, what Denny's refers to as "a grilled cheese with a twist." Here's what it is: Take the classic grilled cheese with sourdough bread and American cheese, then stuff it with four fried mozzarella sticks and serve it with a side of marinara sauce. The $4 value meal is rounded out with a choice of soup or salad and served with a side of French fries.

This sandwich is just the latest addition to the extreme sandwich craze, which has been hitting all kinds of fast-food and restaurant chain outlets. First there was the Double Down from KFC, then the Grilled Cheese Burger Melt from Friendly's, then the foot-long cheeseburger from Carl's Jr. and now this. Due to the extreme nature of this sandwich, we invited Erik Trinidad, Slashfood contributor and creator of Fancy Fast Food, as well as Jake Goodrich, from Asylum.com, along to weigh in and we caught it all on tape.