Denny's Slammed by Breakfast Giveaway

If you visited a Denny’s restaurant yesterday you now have proof that Super Bowl commercials work - especially when they advertise something free. During Sunday’s big game the Denny’s advertised a free Grand Slam breakfast between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesday at all its restaurants in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. People lined up and waited for as long as two hours. Some customers were still wearing their pajamas and slippers, and strangers were sharing booths.

Denny's called the promotion a little "economic stimulus" for the average hardworking person. And that this is their way of reacquainting customers with Denny's real breakfast and with the Denny's brand. I am not so much of a Denny’s fan but I occasionally ate there when I lived in California. There are Denny’s in Texas, but not one close to where I live.

A lot of restaurants have been going out of business and it would seem Denny’s is aggressively going after the business. In this economy, businesses have to be creative to attract new customers. Denny’s says their objective is to rekindle awareness of their brand and remind people of the high-quality and good value of the famous Grand Slam breakfast offered at Denny’s.

The Grand Slam breakfast consists of two pancakes, two eggs, two strips of bacon and two sausage links. It weighs in at 44 grams of fat, 56 carbohydrates and 770 calories. The Grand Slam started as a baseball-related promotion in Atlanta, Georgia, in the mid-1970s and has been served chain wide since 1977. Its normal price varies by market but averages around $5.99.

The meal was free but customers were ordering drinks and other foods and gave tips so Denny's did not come out of the day empty handed. And there are reports that Denny’s in some places like Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania charged $.99 for each Grand Slam if you didn't order something else like a cup of coffee which cost $1.75 or orange juice for $2.50. Some places were serving about 110 people an hour and with just $1 per person that’s almost $900 for the 8 hours. But they are expected to make their money some way. They are a for profit business after all.

On a low note, one senior citizen reported this episode: “standing in line ...a college girl kept referring to the disabled parking spot that was open as the ‘Rockstar’ special parking and wondering why people did not take advantage of it. And the straw that broke the camels back was when she referred to the spot as Handi-crapped. Mind you I was right if front of her and I was holding unto a ‘walker’... she must have forgotten her brain and manners. And I Said ‘Excuse me!’...and she immediately apologized left and right ...but at that point after listening to her for a few minutes it seemed a bit lame.

That was an exception as most people said they enjoyed their free breakfast and met some very nice people while standing in line or eating. They also said the servers were good despite the rush. One person said the place was packed so he went next door to IHOP, but he said it got him out of bed early. He thought other food chains should try it. Maybe President Obama should talk to the person that came up with this stimulus plan and put them to work on his plan. This kind of promo is good all the way around. It makes people happy and they interact in a positive way with people they have never met before and it might be a big gain for Denny's in the long run.

Down Home with the Neelys

As co-owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que, Patrick (Pat) and Gina Neely have turned their family restaurant into one of the most successful barbecue restaurants in the South. Now they share the secrets behind their favorite dishes and their passion for food, family and fun on Food Network's Down Home with the Neelys.

After its February 2 premiere, Down Home with the Neelys became the highest-rated series debut in the five-year history of Food Network's "In the Kitchen" weekend block and continues to be a top ratings performer. By the end of 2008, the Neelys will have filmed four seasons of the popular show in their hometown of Memphis. The meals served on the show come from passed-down recipes of grandmothers, mothers, aunts and uncles. Some favorites include their BBQ Spaghetti, Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw, Get Yo Man Chicken and Grilled Pound Cake Sundaes.

Beginning in July 2008, the Neelys launched a second Food Network show, Road Tasted with the Neelys, a cross-country search for specialty stores and family-run businesses that make hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind edibles.

Patrick began working in the restaurant business at the age of 15, learning the art of barbecue from his uncle Jim Neely who taught Patrick and his brother Tony the methods of slow cooking southern barbecue using indirect heat. In February 1988, Pat and his three brothers (Gaelin, Tony, and Mark) opened their first restaurant in downtown Memphis with just a few tables and chairs, one barbecue pit, and $20,000 borrowed from their grandmother. Building on a reputation of hard work, great food and consistently good service, the Neelys now have two locations in Memphis and one in Nashville. Additionally, they operate several concessions in the Memphis FedEx Forum and their products are sold online and in grocery stores nationwide.

High school sweethearts in the 80s, Pat and Gina reunited at their 10-year high school reunion and were married in 1994. For years the two have learned to balance their roles in the family as well as in the family business. They reside in Memphis with their two daughters, Spenser, 19, and Shelbi, 13.

Gina handles the catering division of Neely's Bar-B-Que, which she has expanded to more than 25 percent of the restaurant's total sales. She is also responsible for sales of all Neely's products including sauces, seasonings, shirts, hats, and aprons. Before joining her husband in the family business, Gina served as branch manager at National Bank of Commerce in Memphis and was an events coordinator for The Carter Malone Group, a local public relations firm.

Patrick is a board member of the Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Shelby Farms Conservancy Board, and the immediate past chairman of board for the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau. In 2007, Patrick was named Restaurateur of the Year by the Memphis Restaurant Association.

Gina is a member of the Memphis Restaurant Association, on the steering committee for The Women's Empowerment Summit for the Memphis Housing Authority, and on the PTSA of Cordova High School. She is also a member of The Dreamers Club for the National Civil Rights Museum and an active member at Cummings Street Missionary Baptist Church where she serves in the Hospitality and Greeters ministries.

Gina and Patrick support Memphis youth by sponsoring 25 children to attend every NBA Memphis Grizzlies home game. They are long-time supporters of Melrose High School and Central High School athletics and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Basketball Tournament.

Neely's Bar-B-Que was awarded the 2007 Business of the Year by Memphis MED-Week (Minority Enterprise Development) and a Blue Ribbon Small Business by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C.

The Neelys have also appeared on Food Network's Paula's Home Cooking, Paula's Party, Road Tasted hosted by Jamie and Bobby Deen, and BBQ With Bobby Flay as well as on Good Morning America, The Big Idea With Donny Deutsch and Extra. They also have been featured in USA Today, Family Circle, Cooking with Paula Deen and Jet among others. Down Home with the Neelys airs Saturdays at 11 a.m. ET/PT.