73 Years Ago, Denny's Opened Its Doors — But Modern Diners Wouldn't Recognize It

Whether you're an early bird who loves their breakfasts or a night owl who appreciates a late-night milkshake or a Grand Slam, odds are good you've eaten at Denny's. This iconic chain has over 1,200 locations in the United States alone, as well as a growing international footprint. Despite its popularity, the very first Denny's (opened in 1953) would be utterly unrecognizable to modern fans of the fast-casual diner. For starters, it wasn't a diner and it wasn't called Denny's. 

Originally, Denny's opened as Danny's Donuts in Lakewood, California. It wasn't until three years later that Harold Butler, one of the original owners, changed the restaurant concept from a donut shop to a coffee shop and the newly renamed Danny's Coffee Shop offered the 24-hour service Denny's would eventually become famous for.

As for why Danny became Denny, a different California restaurant was responsible for that change. After the shift from donut shop to coffee shop, Butler worried that people would confuse his restaurant with Coffee Dan's, another LA-area coffee shop. In 1959, to ensure potential guests knew the difference between the two, Danny's Coffee Shop became Denny's Coffee Shop. By 1961, the need to include "coffee shop" was deemed unnecessary, and Denny's Coffee Shop was once again renamed to Denny's; the name that has stuck around to this day.

While Denny's as we know it came to be in 1961 after a few twists and turns, many of the top-ranked menu items came later. For example, while Denny's has offered breakfast combinations for decades, the Grand Slam combo breakfast was first introduced in the 1970s – and its counterpart on the AR menu would come even later. Fans of Denny's savory main dishes for lunch and dinner might also be surprised to learn that the Denny's menu of 1967 didn't feature hot non-breakfast foods, instead offering only cold sandwiches and salads along with the hot breakfasts. Today, though, diners can enjoy classics like meatloaf and pot roast or newer menu additions like Mediterranean-inspired chicken.

Another major innovation at Denny's since the donut shop days is the menu collaborations. Denny's has debuted limited-edition menus to coincide with popular movie franchises, including Star Wars and the Hobbit films. For a taste of nostalgia and Denny's history, you can finish your meal with a batch of the "pancake puppies," which are made of Denny's famous pancake batter, but look and taste similar to the donut holes you might have found at the original Danny's Donuts.