Denny's
America’s largest full-service diner chain by sales, roughly 1,300 restaurants built on all-day breakfast and the Grand Slam.
19 figures on Denny's, drawn from 3 Modern MBA case studies.
The figures
US dollars6
| Against its own chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Average check size against leading restaurant chains | $10.89 | 8th of 10 · top $26.50 | How much a taco truck actually makes |
| Average spend per guest before tax and tip · 2019 | $10.89 | 1st of 5 · top $10.89 | Why diners never go out of business |
| Average spend per guest before tax and tip · 2018 | $10.38 | 2nd of 5 · top $10.89 | Why diners never go out of business |
| Average spend per guest before tax and tip · 2017 | $10.14 | 3rd of 5 · top $10.89 | Why diners never go out of business |
| Average spend per guest before tax and tip · 2016 | $9.95 | 4th of 5 · top $10.89 | Why diners never go out of business |
| Average spend per guest before tax and tip · 2015 | $9.69 | 5th of 5 · top $10.89 | Why diners never go out of business |
Percentages12
| Against its own chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Food and labor as a share of sales · Labor costs | 39% | 1st of 6 · top 39% | Why diners never go out of business |
| Food and labor as a share of sales · Food costs | 25% | 5th of 6 · top 35% | Why diners never go out of business |
| Restaurant-level operating margin · 2016 | 17% | 1st of 9 · top 17% | Why diners never go out of business |
| Restaurant-level operating margin · 2017 | 17% | 1st of 9 · top 17% | Why diners never go out of business |
| Restaurant-level operating margin · 2012 | 16% | 3rd of 9 · top 17% | Why diners never go out of business |
| Restaurant-level operating margin · 2015 | 16% | 3rd of 9 · top 17% | Why diners never go out of business |
| Restaurant-level operating margin · 2018 | 15% | 5th of 9 · top 17% | Why diners never go out of business |
| Restaurant-level operating margin · 2013 | 14% | 6th of 9 · top 17% | Why diners never go out of business |
| Restaurant-level operating margin · 2014 | 14% | 6th of 9 · top 17% | Why diners never go out of business |
| Restaurant-level operating margin · 2019 | 11% | 8th of 9 · top 17% | Why diners never go out of business |
| Store-level operating margin by restaurant chain in 2022 | 10% | 10th of 13 · top 24% | Why Taco Bell got so expensive |
| Restaurant-level operating margin · 2022 | 10% | 9th of 9 · top 17% | Why diners never go out of business |
Measures1
| Against its own chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Average location size in square feet, 2022 | 4,400 sq ft | 7th of 8 · top 8,750 sq ft | Why diners never go out of business |
Case studies covering Denny's
Case study — Food & beverageWhy Taco Bell got so expensiveThe most profitable chain in fast food is being squeezed hardest, and the reason is KFC and Pizza Hut.11 min read
Case study — Food & beverageWhy diners never go out of businessThree chains, three opposite strategies, and identical 13% store margins. Diners survive everything and grow at nothing.14 min read
Case study — Food & beverageHow much a taco truck actually makesTwo sisters run fifteen unbranded taco stands in LA grossing $7.58M a year. Almost nobody knows the business exists.11 min read