Not Even The Power Of Grayskull Can Save Denny's Masters Of The Universe Menu

Denny's calls itself "America's Diner," and for the most part, I think that seems to be true. It has that quick service feel; servers bustling about, weaving around each other, sharp table corners, and wayward toddlers. It's sad to see Denny's closing so many underperforming stores – and it's hard to believe. On a busy day, it's like being at Grand Central Station, full of balancing acts and other agile tricks. So I get excited when Denny's adds new items to the menu. Chances are that means I get to review them and, in turn, experience the joy of being in a busy place where everyone has one goal: to eat and enjoy.

This time was extra special. Denny's is celebrating the live-action movie adaptation of the weekday afternoon cartoon series, "Masters of the Universe." The show was a syndicated futuristic sword and sandal action series from the '80s that was the best kind of brain rot. It had a running hero arc, interesting side characters, and a massive toy line.

Denny's new menu items have been created to celebrate the show's unique flavor and flair. The brand is always trying to improve itself with new food items — Denny's has previously offered a "Star Wars"-themed breakfast, for example — so this is the perfect opportunity. I tasted each one at my local Denny's. Are these items worthy of Eternia? Or is it all just sword and saucery?

I was excited to do this review. I have been a fan of "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" for decades, first as a kid, then as an enlightened adult who appreciates the camp of it all. When I first heard that Denny's, one of my favorite restaurants, was doing a tie-in menu to promote the new live-action movie, my enthusiasm was through the roof. I made it a bucket list ambition to try everything on the chain restaurant's really big menu. 

I went to my favorite local Denny's restaurant in Signal Butte Road in Arizona. They have a robot busboy that's absolutely adorable. I was worried that the new items were a part of the kid's menu since Denny's does a lot for kids, even offering a highly customizable menu. I arrived unannounced, and the staff had no idea I was doing a review until after I sat down. I brought my sister along to help me with the food, but all opinions are my own. The "Masters of the Universe" items were not on the kids menu; there was an insert in the centerfold of the regular one.

Everything came out quickly to keep it hot — or frozen when ice cream was involved. I ranked the dishes on flavor, presentation, originality, and whether or not they represented the spirit of the classic show. I felt that if a restaurant is going to dedicate a sub menu based on "Masters of the Universe" it should also celebrate the bombastic character that is He-Man. Value was also a consideration, although it wasn't a primary one since Denny's is a chain that's kept its menu relatively affordable.

Naming a product after a villain is kind of risky. I think whatever it is should be bold, almost dangerous, but delicious at the same time. With an antagonist like Skeletor, who is as incredibly colorful as he is evil, there is plenty of room to be inventive in palette (and palate) as well as presentation.

Denny's doesn't quite stick the landing with its Skeletor's Dark Shakeverse. It's basic. This $6.59 shake is made with strawberry ice cream and blueberries, with a rosette of whipped cream topped with popping candies. This is an okay flavor combination; you can taste both fruits, which go well together, but where's the flair? The excitement? Is the concoction worthy of a super-villain like Skeketor? This was Denny's chance to get innovative. The chain could add chocolate ice cream to the mix and use salted caramel sauce as a drizzle, then top it with the sour apple popping candies.

Instead, Denny's is offering an unimaginative menu item that doesn't capture the spirit of Eternia, the fantasy world where the show takes place. This shake feels and tastes like an uninspired cash grab.

Despite the fabulous name, this is another "Masters of the Universe" tie-in dish that is so incredibly lazy that one wonders how hard the Denny's development team tried to celebrate the iconic show. This plate uses pancakes as its base. Denny's pancakes are already terrific, so building upon them feels a bit futile unless whatever's added is something fantastic or original. Sadly, the only original thing about this bore is the tiny popping candies.

What you get are three undeniably delicious silver dollar hot cakes covered in vanilla cream, a piped sweet and smooth topping that looks like a very underdeveloped butter cream. That is then topped with minuscule popping candies, which produce the "crackle" of the title. This dish will cost you a modest $6.49.

This is nothing more than a flattened cupcake. The flavors are okay, but adding the candy (I think it was sour apple) was a mistake. On paper, this probably sounded like a good idea, but the result is a mix of flavors that just don't gel. You could probably get away with the pancakes and vanilla cream alone, and that would be fine. In this case, the fun factor is just a gimmick and not an enhancement.

This dish is visually striking, almost like the animated show itself. It costs $12.99 and comes with two buttermilk pancakes, eggs, hash browns, and bacon or sausage. But here's the twist: The pancakes are topped with a huge scoop of mint-chip ice cream and a heavy-handed drizzle of chocolate syrup zig-zagging across the top. It's a strange combo, which had me scratching my head as to how it was associated with "Masters of the Universe."

I am a huge fan of Denny's pancakes, which rank pretty well compared to other chains. They are light and fluffy and just soft enough to absorb whatever is poured on top of them. In this case, it's the mint-chip ice cream and chocolate sauce. Unfortunately, this combo has an identity problem. While kids might enjoy this "dessert as breakfast" twist, the adults will most likely pass on this indulgent meal. It got me to thinking if Denny's is trying to appeal to a new generation of He-Man fans rather than the older ones who grew up watching the show.

The mint-chip ice cream was great, and it kept its shape even after several minutes atop the hot pancakes. The flavor combination wasn't bad, either; however, after the second bite, the overpowering mint flavor was too much, and the pancake lost its entire profile. This might have been better if the recipe had been reversed, with a mint-chip-flavored pancake topped with vanilla ice cream. That would have kept the quirkiness of the meal while softening the effect of the mint.

This is by far the best item on the new Denny's "Masters of the Universe" menu. Although it costs a pricey $17.79, this massive sandwich is full of surprises, much like He-Man himself. It's made with a delicious beef patty that is then layered with hand-pulled braised beef. It has Applewood smoked bacon, BBQ sauce, white cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Moreover, inside all of that are crunchy pickles and red onions. It's a daring sandwich that pays off flavor-wise.

The layering of flavors is a dopamine rush that only gets better. You have the juicy beef patty that's softly textured with the flavorful braised beef on the front end. The middle notes of pickles and cheese carry you into the backend, consisting of tomato and BBQ sauce. This is what you want when you think about a He-Man-sized meal. It's representative of his character, who turns from a mild-mannered prince into a massive gladiator holding a colossal saber and fights for justice.

The He-Man Battle Burger also comes with wavy-cut fries. I suggest opting for Denny's seasoned fries to complete the spirit of the meal. 

In general, Denny's gets high marks from me for its jam-packed menu. Amazingly, the eatery can create so many finger foods, tavern fare, and full meals using its cross-utilization of ingredients. However, that could be the problem with its "Masters of the Universe" menu.

This themed menu only offers four options: Two are pancake-based, one is a shake, and the other is a burger. I don't feel like Denny's needed to go all out, but it could have tried just a little harder. After all, the chain rolled out that incredible He-Man Battle Burger, and it doesn't seem like it added anything extra to its stock in order to create it. Another thing I wondered about was who the focus was for these offerings? They weren't a part of the kids' meal, at least they're not marketed that way, but the fare is too juvenile for adult fans of the series.

The food wasn't bad, per se; mostly boring and lifeless. "Masters of the Universe" is a bold and vibrant hand-drawn animated series. Even though the nostalgia is there through images and lobby standees, sadly, Denny's couldn't harness the power of Grayskull in its menu. That's something not even Orko could fix.

Although I wasn't able to find a detailed nutrition list for the "Masters of the Universe" items on the Denny's menu or website, the brand does print the calorie count right on the menu. Some of the caloric numbers are surprising. The dishes you would think would be higher are actually manageable. For instance, the Jr. Grayskull's Epic Cracklecakes made with pancakes and vanilla cream contain only 265 to 630 calories per serving. The bigger pancake-based meal, Eternia's Premium Breakfast Slam, ranges from 970 to 1770 calories depending on what you choose as your sides. 

The lowest item in calories is Skeletor's Dark Shakeverse, which comes in at 590 calories. The biggest indulgence is going to the He-Man Battle Burger with a whopping 1060 to 1450 calories, depending on how many hamburger patties you want and your choice of fries.

The Denny's "Masters of the Universe" menu is available now at participating locations nationwide. The menu is advertised as being available for a limited time, to tie in with the release of the movie on June 5, 2026.