Dennys Launches "Better for You" Options to Give Guests New Choices

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(Business Wire)

SPARTANBURG, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Denny’s is once again putting their guests first by introducing their new Better For You menu additions. Denny’s believes Better For You items will give guests additional meal choices that will complement Denny’s current menu selections. “Denny’s realizes that we must have options on the menu for consumers who have special dietary needs – low/no sugar, low sodium and low fat,” says Michelle Thompson, Director Food Science and Technology, Denny’s. “We will also be making selected adjustments to our main menu, adjustments that will in no way compromise taste or food quality.”

The development of the Better For You product choices is, in part, Denny’s response to the company’s year-long negotiation with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The watchdog group has demanded that Denny’s chain of restaurants amend their sodium or fat content across all menu items by 45% within three years; a demand which Denny’s has concluded is impossible without accelerated high costs and significantly compromising taste and guest satisfaction, which they cannot afford to pass on to the consumer in this tough economy. The group is also asking for proactive menu labeling. Denny’s already provides nutrition information on the company’s website and was one of the first family restaurant chains to do so.

“Denny’s agrees with CSPI’s mission and philosophy and recognizes the importance of their work. At the same time, we have smart customers who know what their dietary needs are and what they need to do to individually meet those needs,” notes John Dillon, Vice President of Marketing and Product Development, Denny’s. “It’s all about personal choice. Our responsibility is to provide choices so our guests can continue to have great experiences at Denny’s while maintaining their personal dietary requirements. We think our customers would agree that our new product additions provide these choices which are well within today’s accepted nutritional and dietary guidelines.”

Better For You menu choices will launch in June, 2009 and will include delicious items with reduced fat or sodium such as turkey bacon, chicken sausage, wheat pancakes, egg whites, fresh fruit, granola and yogurt. They will also add terrific choices for kids: dippable vegetable sticks (carrots, celery and cucumber), apple slices, spaghetti, Jell-O and yogurt. The dippable vegetable sticks will also be part of the general menu. Denny’s will also be eliminating or replacing certain meals on the children’s menu determined to be higher in sodium or fat.

In addition to the Better For You menu, Denny’s will also soon offer smaller portions for some favorite menu items that consumers want but are heavier in sodium and fat content. They include decreasing their meatloaf portion by one-third and their Brownie portions by 30%. The company has already reduced sodium in shrimp skewers by 25%, cheese sauce by 20%, and hash browns by 25%. They will continue to review other opportunities to decrease portions and sodium over the next year and ongoing.

About Denny’s

Denny’s is America’s largest full-service family restaurant chain, with more than 1,500 locations. For more than 50 years, Denny’s has been serving up real breakfast 24/7. Home of the famous Grand Slam® breakfasts, Denny’s provides a variety of flavorful food and beverage choices. For more information on Denny’s, please visit www.dennys.com.

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For Denny’s, Spartanburg
Hill & Knowlton
Cori Zywotow Rice, 305-443-5454
cori.rice@hillandknowlton.com