12 Denny's Menu Items, Ranked

It's the classic "American Diner" with the yellow-and-red sign. Historically, the askew vintage Futura Condensed font spelt out "Denny's," a comfort word for tired road trippers. And it has been for almost 80 years. Famously open 24 hours, Denny's provides people with hot meals, whatever their situation. In the past few years, it's been in a slump, resulting in reduced hours and the closure of some of its underperforming locations. But don't put a toe tag on Denny's just yet; they still have some delicious food and life left in them. That being said, their menu could use a glow-up. The company has held on to dishes for years, which may be the reason for its slump and its longevity. 

In this article, we will explore one of my favorite fast casual restaurants and rank its best and worst menu items.

When my editor offered me this assignment, I was delighted. Denny's has always held a strong place in my theoretical clogged-artery heart, and the chance to review some of its most popular menu items was like a dream come true. Furthermore, when Denny's itself offered to host a tasting for me, I think I actually yelled in delight from my office chair.

I knew the iconic fast casual diner had made some changes to its menu since I eat there occasionally, but now was an opportunity to taste dishes I haven't had in a long time (or at all) in one sitting. My review is based not only on popular menu items that I have had before, but also new ones that might be of interest to others with special dietary needs.

I ranked them on presentation, uniqueness, and above all else, flavor. There is also a small amount of nostalgia factored in to see if Denny's has added anything new to old favorites. My tasting was held in the Signal Butte Road location in Mesa, Arizona, and I've included pricing and food photos taken by me at that specific dining room. Prices and plating may vary according to where you're dining.

This is Denny's signature breakfast dish, The Grand Slam ($15.19), has been around for a very long time. Yes, it's basic, but it's the perfect combination of protein and carbs to either start your day or give you a boost anytime you need it.

It comes with bacon, sausage, eggs (any way you want them), and their popular pancakes. Add a cup of coffee and juice and you have a well-rounded and delicious meal. The bacon is perfectly crisp and salty. It adds a savory counterbalance to the pancakes and syrup. Their maple syrup is nothing fancy, but it pairs well with the flapjacks, which absorb the liquid like a sponge.

Their sausage could use some work, but it will suffice. Overall, if your appetite isn't stimulated by nostalgia alone, this course is a delicious breakfast that will fill your belly in the most comforting way.

Not many sandwiches can compare to the ones you get at the delicatessen, but Denny's California Club Sandwich ($14.29) gets points for trying. This huge piling of turkey breast, ham, and Applewood-smoked bacon. Lettuce and tomato are not only a mouthful to describe but also to eat. It's a massive dish that might require an unhinged jaw to eat, but it's well worth it. 

What I liked about this sandwich was its consistency. They placed everything where it needed to be. Most notably, the tomatoes at the bottom of the sandwich are more likely to stay put. As for the ham and turkey, they aren't gourmet, but still have enough flavor profile to give you contrasting tastes. The bread is toasted nicely and not too raspy to shred the roof of your mouth.

I recommend getting the delicious seasoned fries as a companion to add some saltiness and seasoning to your mouth as a primer. This is a refreshing sandwich. A perfect lunch for someone who doesn't want something too heavy, but not too light either.

Denny's Zesty Nachos ($12.99) appetizer has taken on different forms over the years. It used to be served on a plate with no fanfare. Today, they present it in a large white bowl, the kind you might find in a fancier restaurant. Thin, crisp chips, perfectly salted, are piled high with loads of beefy sauce and cheese. "Zesty" is the perfect word to describe this dish. It's not going to scorch your mouth with spice, but it will give you a mild kick.

The sauce is a bit like chili. The cumin comes through in a satisfying way, and mixed with the mild pico de gallo and the dollop of sour cream on top, creates a balance of cold and hot that the whole table can enjoy.

I'm an "appetizer-as-a-meal" type of person because it allows me to try multiple items at once without having to commit to something I may or may not like.

Denny's appetizer platter ($14.29) offers four of their popular side items in one dish: Onion rings, mozzarella sticks, boneless buffalo wings, and French fries. The good news is that everything is delicious. The onion rings are beer-battered and slightly sweet. The boneless wings are drenched in basic buffalo sauce, which is neither too hot nor too mild, and the French fries are crisp on the outside while remaining hot and soft on the inside. The only slight misstep is the mozzarella sticks; they are nothing special and don't have much of a cheese pull, but they keep their structure and are a tasty side note. I don't recommend dipping them in the provided boring marinara sauce; they pair better with ranch dressing in my opinion.

If you want a hardy breakfast sandwich, Moons Over My Hammy ($15.99) is another massive Denny's classic that got better with age. They took a classic American breakfast and put it between two slices of toast, and suddenly, a diner superstar was born. The eggs were fluffy and soft, scrambled, and folded over like an omelet on top of a generous serving of warm ham, which wasn't too salty. This is all paired with melted Swiss and American cheeses that bring in just the right amount of saltiness. Adding some ketchup in between the bread and eggs gives it a sweetness, complementing its crave-worthy savory spirit. 

The Slam Burger ($16.69) is Denny's other signature breakfast sandwich, but with a twist; it's made with a 100% beef hamburger patty. This is a great variation on using sausage or bacon as the only protein. The patty isn't overly seasoned, with the buttered and soft brioche bun providing a sweet addition to this hefty sandwich. The potatoes served on the side might make it overkill, and they could get cold if you don't attend to them quickly.

The downside is that this sandwich can get messy. With the grease from the hamburger and hash browns, the butter from the bun, and an over-easy egg might create a soggy, uncontrollable landslide. That being said, for originality, this gets points for consolidating an entire Sunday breakfast into one big, hardy sandwich.

You might think of pancakes when you think of Denny's. But don't sell their waffles short. They are surprisingly good. The pancakes in the traditional Grand Slam are the main character of that dish; however, the Waffle Slam ($18.99)  is a great supporting player, that is, if you like your morning meal sweet.

Although it's small, the waffle has an immense amount of sugar even without adding syrup. It almost seems like a dessert item rather than a meal. To me, it tasted like something from the Willy Wonka factory rather than an American diner. It's also a bit hard on the outside.

That's not to say it wasn't yummy; the dual use of crystallized and powdered sugar is inspiring, but your dentist might not be happy.

Besides its greasy spoon appeal, Denny's does have some healthier options like the Cobb salad ($11.99). For those who want a large serving of greens to go with their proteins, this is the perfect option.

The salad is presented in a large bowl and comes with a choice of salad dressing,s including vinaigrette, ranch, or blue cheese. Although this is a great menu item, as with most salads, it's only as good as its toppings. This one comes with hard-boiled eggs, Applewood smoked bacon, sliced avocados, grape tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. What's missing? A traditional Cobb salad usually has chicken, which is sadly missing from Denny's plate; you have to pay extra for it. But as a healthier option to a menu so full of indulgent meals, this gets high marks for pricing and substance. 

A list of down-home southern comfort foods wouldn't be complete without a country-fried steak plate, and Denny's does its best to recreate it in the form of its Country Fried Steak and Eggs ($17.79) plate, but alas, it's not going initiate a praise break from a diner except one who appreciates a lack of flavor.

It looks pretty on the plate, but even though it has curb appeal, it lacks flair on the inside, which means it will stick to your ribs, not your taste buds.

First, the coating has none of that down-home flavor; it's barren of seasoning. Texture-wise, they got it right, but basically, it tastes like a hamburger patty dressed in a wool coat. The gravy gets marks for thickness, but keep your pepper shaker nearby because if you want that familiar cracked pepper flavor, you'll have to add your own.

Chain restaurants like Denny's have tried to keep up with the culinary times by offering a few plant-based menu items as a twist to their traditional ones has become standard fare.

Enter Denny's Plant-based Pancake Slam ($11.89), a healthier version of their Grand Slam, just without all the cholesterol. Served with a dish of fresh fruit instead of hash browns and eggs, these pancakes are passable but not without compromise. They are made with flaxseeds, cinnamon, and brown sugar, which makes them dry and dense. My server suggested I try them with sliced bananas on top, but I wanted to taste them without the flourish. The pancakes are good on their own, but are more uncanny valley than passable dupe, which may not be what they're going for; still, it lessens the experience to a meat and egg eater like me. They are better with syrup.

The name might sound grand and appetizing, but Denny's Ultimate Omlette is a kitchen sink dish with an identity problem. One problem with restaurants that use only a handful of food distribution products to create menu items is that eventually they throw everything into the pot to see if people will like it.

On the surface, the Ultimate Omelette ($16.69) sounds good: eggs, sausage, bacon, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes. However, despite all of that, there is no personality to it, and it just becomes a salty, meaty one-note slog. There needs to be a contrasting element to food to keep it exciting on the palette and that's absent here; the hash browns have more personality. It also doesn't help that you can see they just cut up sausage links as filler; crumbling them up might have been better, or maybe using a sausage patty would have helped. The pieces make it seem like they just used leftovers from the kitchen and added them in. 

Of all the delicious menu items Denny's offers the menu, its House Salad ($9.89) is its most basic. That's why it's at the bottom of the list. Traditionally, a salad comes before the main course, preparing you for the dining experience ahead. If you're dieting, a salad is a great option to have on the menu, but if that's all you want in a comfort food menu palace like Denny's, you might want to get it somewhere else.

The salad is presented nicely in a large bowl with lettuce, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, cheddar cheese, and croutons.

Denny's has held on to its iceberg lettuce tradition, and it's still a truly bland experience. The good news is that its balsamic vinaigrette is delicious and will put some excitement into your otherwise bored mouth.