1. business and industrial
2. advertising and marketing
3. marketing

Spring 2015
Chairman’s Message
Greetings from the Denny’s Franchisee Association
Board of Directors. We hope your year has been fulfilling and prosperous in all regards. Your Board has
been focused on a number of key initiatives and just
completed our 13th annual Allied Partner Summit in
Tucson.
Our Allied Partner Summit this year included over 100
supplier/partners and over 45 panelists consisting of
corporate, franchisee guests and DFA Board members. As always, the event was energizing and provided insights into multiple opportunities to enhance
our Brand’s performance. The event included food
tasting of potential new products presented by 30
companies with over 80 items. Each of the panelists
ranked their top item from the sampling and a list of
the top 5 items will be considered for integration into
our menu. We appreciate the participation of so many
supplier partners and the sponsorship of MBM and
Coca-Cola for this important Brand event.
Our DFA Board primary priorities continue to be profitable sales increases, improved margin dollars and
effective use of capital. The Brand Advisory Councils
each have initiatives and projects in support of those
overall objectives with reports from those groups included on pages three through five.
The Supply Chain Oversight Committee is continuing
to create value for our system, particularly with the
help of HAVI Global Solutions who are providing new
capabilities for (a) sourcing and spend
management, (b) supply network optimization and (c) management of paper
and packaging sourcing. HAVI is a well
-recognized leader in supply chain solutions and we are pleased to have
their engagement with our Brand.
As noted in an earlier message, a technology committee (not limited to POS Craig Barber
considerations) was formed and began
strategic planning over the last several months. The
first face-to-face meeting for this group occurred at the
end of March. The gathering was a productive first
step in exploring capabilities within the fast evolving
technology world with a clear focus on initiatives that
will help us drive traffic into our restaurants.
Our time with Denny’s leadership team at our meeting
last month included a productive exchange of ideas
and continued the encouraging collaboration with our
franchisor. We want to congratulate John Miller on
selection for another award – the IFMA Gold Plate
award for Foodservice Operator of the Year. The recognition of his leadership, spirit and commitment to
mutual success is well deserved.
At the annual meeting between the DFA Board and
Denny’s, Inc. board of directors this month, Lou Neeb
was presented with the DFA Chairman’s Award. Lou
has served on the Denny’s board since
Continued on page 2
Inside this Issue
Chairman’s Message...…………...……....…………1-2 News to Know......................................................7-18
Brand Reports………………………….……...……..3-5 Membership……... ............................................19-20
Election News…………………………………………..6 Meetings & Events……......................................22-24
Board of Directors
Craig Barber, Chair
615-277-1212 - Phone
craigbarber@dennys.org
Sam Wilensky, Vice Chair
850-525-2737- Phone
samwilensky@dennys.org
Dawn Lafreeda, Treasurer
210-694-0707 - Phone
dawnlafreeda@dennys.org
Glenn Beattie, Secretary
480-722-9196 - Phone
glennbeattie@dennys.org
###
Holly Agassi
877-206-0951 - Phone
hollyagassi@dennys.org
Kevin Coveney
740-586-2889 - Phone
kevincoveney@dennys.org
Robert Duskin, CPA
602-248-8223 - Phone
robertduskin@dennys.org
Carl Ferland
919-303-3300 - Phone
carlferland@dennys.org
Bob Gentz
480-829-5090 - Phone
bobgentz@dennys.org
Bob Langford
615-277-1234 - Phone
boblangford@dennys.org
Chairman’s Message
2008 and served as
lead director during the
leadership transition in 2010. Lou is an
extraordinary leader and restaurateur
whose guidance and engagement with
the franchise community has been invaluable to our Brand. Lou retired from
the Denny’s board this year and we
wish him well along with our heartfelt
thanks.
Continued from page 1
tion is now open at dennys.org. Details
on our gathering are included on pages
22 through 24. We hope make plans to
join us in Nashville on October 26th
through the 30th. We will have a great
time together and enjoy a fantastic host
city!
In closing, we look forward to a continued
elevation in performance and building a
stronger foundation for the Denny’s
As a DFA Board, we remain committed Brand. As always, we appreciate your
to providing strong and authentic Brand DFA membership and your commitment
leadership that is constructive and posi- to our Association.
tive for all stakeholders. As noted in my
Best regards,
last message, two Assistant Secretaries
to the DFA Board were appointed to
provide representation of the interests of
multi-cultural and international franchiDFA Chairman
sees. We appreciate the willingness and
service of Leonardo Nahas & Sandeep
Shah in those positions.
Also, this is an election year for the DFA
Board with five positions to be elected
as part of our biannual process. Please
consider your willingness to serve and
reference the details surrounding the
process on page six.
Our annual Brand gathering is an important element of success for our Brand.
Registration for the 2015 DFA Conven-
Rahul Marwah
562-777-2249 - Phone
rahulmarwah@dennys.org
Unit Count:
Domestic:
1,429
303-601-1569 - Phone
jimwainwright@dennys.org
International:
106
Assistant Secretaries
Leonardo Nahas
Corporate:
160
Total Units 3-31-15
1,695
Jim Wainwright
809-985-1031
leonardonahas@dennys.org
New Restaurant Openings Since Jan 2015
Sandeep Shah
909-856-3592
sandeepshah@dennys.org
Advisors
Bill Cox
480-829-5090
billcox@dennys.org
John Lewis, Esquire
615-259-1382
johnlewis@dennys.org
Franchisee
Site Location
Open
Bagnas, Benjamin E
Beshay, David
Diaz, Eduardo
Ghias, Farooq
Hussain, Mohammed
Koch, Doug F
Spongberg, Roland C
Thompson, Donnell
Taneja, Narender
San Diego, CA
Chula Vista, CA
Apopka, FL
Santa Paula, CA
Greenville, MS
Flagstaff, AZ
Lake St Louis, MO
Snellville, GA
Casper, WY
01/17/15
03/30/15
01/26/15
03/08/15
02/22/15
01/11/15
02/22/15
01/29/15
03/22/15
2
Brand Advisory Council Update
Marketing Council
National: From a national marketing standpoint, it’s been a solid start
Field Marketing: New Enhancements to Denny’s Local
to the year. Module 1’s Skillets Across America lineup has been well
received by guests and operators alike, with our popular South by
Southwest Skillet leading the way. Our new Chocolate Lava Cake
has also been a big hit with our guests, quickly becoming one of the
top-selling desserts on our menu and growing overall add-on sales.
Denny’s Online Marketing Tool, the LSM website accessible
through mydennys.com, has some exciting enhancements
coming this spring.
Usage of the Local Store Marketing
Tool by Franchisees has really grown over the past year. In
2013, the LSM website processed 182 orders a month. In
2014, the amount of POP and Creative requests grew to
290 per month. With this growth in usage, we have listened
to you and developed some exciting enhancements.
Similarly, our new core menu redesign has received rave reviews with
its focus on the wide variety of fresh, high-quality ingredients throughout our menu. From a menu mix standpoint, our efforts to incorporate
additional photographs of some key entrée and up-sell items into the
latest redesign have also paid dividends. For example, incidence of
the All American Slam has tripled since the menu launched with a feature shot of this dish, driving positive trades and pairing with the Lumberjack Slam to give us two higher-price, higher-margin Slams delivering strong incidence numbers.
Furthermore, our $2468 menu changes have also delivered positive
results. As you know, a strong and compelling everyday value menu
remains critical to the ongoing success of our brand as we strive to increase traffic and build occasions. To address margin concerns, we
overhauled half of the 16-item menu from the start of 2014 to the start
of 2015 through disciplined product testing. Based on our analysis of
the results to date, we believe we’ve evolved the menu in a way that
has maintained the traffic-driving capabilities while lowering incidence,
lowering food cost %, and promoting positive margin growth.
With our current Module 2, Denny’s With a Twist, we remain focused
on maintaining our topline sales and traffic momentum, continuing our
efforts to keep margins strong, and delighting our guests by giving
them the best “diner” experience possible. By adding delicious twists
to classic diner favorites, we’ve transformed these traditional dishes
into fresh and flavorful entrees with bold flavors that really deliver—
whether guests are looking for something sweet, something savory or
something spicy! Our popular Red, White & Blue pancakes, joined by
our new Banana Bread French Toast and our new Sriracha Spicy Super Chick’n sandwich have gotten off to a great start. Our new caramel coffee (both hot and iced versions) along with multiple ways to
customize their dish by adding ingredients for just $0.99 each are providing great upsell opportunities.
Submitted by National Marketing: Dave Coltrin, Senior Director Product
Marketing Denny’s Inc, dcoltrin@dennys.com
Co-Chair Sam Wilensky, samwilensky@dennys.org
Store Marketing Website
For 2015, Denny’s LSM website, is building on popular features like the Shopping Cart and Tier 4 Auto billing to include a new platform that will increase speed and stability to
the website. Enhanced Search functions are being added
that will make it much easier and more intuitive, when you
are searching for a specific marketing program or POP item.
Due dates on POP will auto populate with the earliest deliverable date. This will cut down the confusion when items
with short lead times, like flyers are ordered at the same
time with products that have a longer lead time, like feather
banners.
Currently, Franchisees have to manually input all of their
restaurant’s unit numbers, when they want to order a product, like a Holiday Bounceback, for all of their restaurants.
Our new LSM website will now have a “select all” feature
that will save time and help us avoid leaving a restaurant
out of an order.
Along with the updates already mentioned, look for enhanced search functions, simplified request forms and more
details when you view thumbnail files, so you won’t have to
take the time to open files to figure out if what you need is
inside.
Look for more information about these enhancements and
an opportunity for you and your marketing leads to sit in on
a training call for the 3.0 launch of the Denny’s LSM Website.
Submitted by Field Marketing: Steve Henry, Senior Director Field
Marketing Denny’s Inc. shenry@dennys.com
Co-Chair Sam Wilensky, samwilensky@dennys.org
New Look of Denny’s Online
Marketing Tool
(Local Store Marketing Website) 3.0
Launching Mid May 2015
3
Brand Advisory Council
Development Council
Operations Council
The Development BAC meets often and the good news is that we are
very busy in 2015. We anticipate positive system restaurant growth
by the second quarter.
Spring is here which means summer is right around the
corner. Your Operations BAC and Denny's Inc partners
are hot after those initiatives impacting your P&L: - Margin Improvement - Service With Speed - Training - and Guest First - read on for an update on some key projects
so far this year. We are pleased to serve & always welcome your feedback and comments.
A large number of remodels come due in 2016-17. We think we can
entice new contractors into the brand to handle the work.
Joe Giordano itemized the costs for the new remodel scope we have
tested called Heritage Sunrise, which will be used for all Vision 3 or
Sunrise restaurants. The projects ranged $78,000-$149,000, with an
average of $108,000. Restaurants with deferred due dates will be
scoped and new due dates will be set.
We are comparing hard flooring options. Luxury vinyl tile has a 10
year warranty. As a rule of thumb, luxury vinyl tile will be twice as
expensive as carpet, before you factor in the longer life and other
maintenance savings. We will continue to look at the test locations
with the goal of a decision by fall.
Curt Nichols presented the sales results. With 35 weeks of DINE
data, the 14 test restaurants have a sales lift of 3.2%. Traffic is up
4.2%, with dinner leading. GCA is down 1%, or $0.09, due to discounts and coupons after reopening.
We looked at options for new Heritage prototype buildings. It flexes
160-170 seats. Several are planned for 2015.
Franchisees have asked for a reexamination of the encroachment
policy, which has generally been the same for many years. There
were only two times since 2007 where a restaurant was approved,
and the actual impact was greater than the survey predicted. One
was against the company restaurant. In every other case, the actual
sales loss was less than the study predicted.
We reviewed the expansion criteria, which have not changed substantially since 2011. We will make minor changes recommended by
franchisees and redistribute.
Contributor: Tim Flemming, Denny’s Inc Senior VP Co-Chair:
Robert Duskin, CPA raduskin@duskincpas.com
Snellville,
GA
Margin & Profitability Improvement
$3,027,680, Annual Savings, (40%)
Our War on Waste & Margin Improvement initiative generated very positive results last year with procurement
and recipe enhancements alone accounting for over
$1.5M in positive margin opportunity.
This year, we are happy to continue that saving opportunity mindset while improving consumer Brand position
with a new pancake syrup service. The new bottle will
net about a 40% reduction in product usage, allowing
the Brand to capture food cost benefit while modernizing
the vehicle used to dispense at the table.
In addition to the new syrup program that will launch
with the June, 26 Core Menu, we are also introducing a
new hybrid lettuce, a combination of Iceberg and Leaf
Lettuce that is easier to use, allows for accurate portioning and short term holding of burger setups. This
change, while more in product cost will save $900K annualized.
A Dipper Well update for the first few months of the
year have shown an average of 11% overall reduction in
water usage year over year. If your restaurants are not
seeing a similar reduction/utility benefit you should confirm that you do not have a water leak somewhere in
your restaurant.
What’s Next? Our ongoing quest at OPs Simplification,
the Brand will be testing a reduced menu test in 30 res-
taurants around the country.
There are two different test cells:
Test Cell 1
 33 menu item or line-item listing deletes
 27 SKU deletes
 13 recipe modifications
 4 menu additions w/no SKU increase
Test Cell 2
 22 menu item or line-item listing deletes
 16 SKU deletes
 6 recipe modifications
 4 menu additions w/no SKU increase
Apopka,
FL
Denny’s Guest Satisfaction Program Update
In Q1 we transitioned to a new Guest Satisfaction Survey partner. Our new partner, InMoment
has over 10 years of extensive experi- Continued on page 5
4
Brand Advisory Council
ence providing guest feedback, analytics and analysis. They provide a leading technology platform in the restaurant business with an
emphasis on operations, and have worked with key competitors within our segment of the industry. Their strength is
delivering actionable insights that enable better decisions to
drive continuous improvement at all levels, creating delighted guests that are loyal, returning more often and have
trust in recommending us to others.
Continued from page 4
Survey
Based on insights from our survey partner and field operations input, we created a survey that provides simple and
actionable data that will allow us to improve behaviors to
achieve operations execution consistency. Go to Dennyslistens.com and enter code 9999 to take a sample survey.
Avg. Survey Completion Time 4m 38s (40% reduction)
Survey Completion Options Web (71%) Phone (29%)
Survey Incompletion Rate 6.9% (Best in Class is >10%)
Survey Languages – English,
Spanish, French
Restaurant Participation - 1472
out of 1695
Receipt Changes - Reduced
receipt size by almost 50%

A redesign of the Approved Trainer and the MIT
eLearning lesions and tests.

“Know Your Menu” is also being developed. The
courses in the section will be available as “Elective”
courses for Servers and Cooks. They will be listed as
“Optional” and will not be required for a “Complete”
status in the job code. Rather, they can be used as a
resource to assist the Approved Trainers as they train
the menu and as a refresher for existing employees.
The individual lessons
will have activities and
exercises to reinforce
the learning and each
Course will have a
comprehensive
quiz
covering all the lessons
in the course.
Old
New
Key Statistics
Incentive
We began 2015 with the Pancake Puppies incentive. During this time we also tested a sweepstakes offer, which
drew a similar response from guests. So, beginning Q2 we
will launch the sweepstakes Brand wide.
The survey incentive offer will change from a "Free Order
of 6 Original Pancake Puppies with an Entrée and Beverage Purchase" to a “Chance to Win $1000.” The prize
will be drawn monthly and will be awarded by an external
sweepstakes company. Official rules will be posted on the
dennyslistens.com website.
Throughout the year we will monitor the program and as we
receive feedback and learn new best practices we will continue to make updates as necessary.
If you aren’t currently participating and would like to sign up
or receive more information, please contact your FBL or
Kelly Phipps at kphipps@dennys.com to sign up for the
2015 Guest Satisfaction Program.
eLearning Update
We encourage you to check out all the new changes and
updates to your eLearning platform. We have taken action
on some of the comments from in-restaurant trainers and
new hires in making these updates. Some highlights are:

On-boarding and job code training redesigned and
shortened to be more user friendly.

eLearning can also now be completed using Internet
Explorer, Chrome or Firefox without any special settings other than “turn pop up blacker off.”

New course structure with improved employee interation and activity.
Please address any questions or suggestions
to: eLearning@dennys.com.
Know Your Menu Courses are:
Know Your Menu Basics
Know Your Beverages
Know Your Appetizers
Know Your Desserts
Know Your Lunch Menu
Know your Burgers
Know Your Sandwiches
Know Your Breakfast Menu
Know Your Dinner Menu
Know Your Eggs
Know Your Soups, Salads & Sides
Know Your Breakfast Slams & Meals
Know Your Dinners
Know Your BYOGS & Sides
Know Your Omelets & Skillets
Know Your Special Menus
Know Your Kids Menu
Know Your Senior Menu
The individual lessons will have activities and exercises to
reinforce the learning and each Course will have a comprehensive quiz covering all the lessons in the course.
Please address any questions or suggestions
to: eLearning@dennys.com
Contributors: Jeff Levy, Director Ops Services, Denny’s Inc.
jlevy@dennys.com
Co-Chair Glenn Beattie, glennbeattie@dennys.org
5
2015 Election News
Year 2015 is an election year for the DFA.
Every two years, five Board members are
elected. At this time the Board nominating
committee will be accepting nominees for
the DFA Board as is set forth in the DFA
Bylaws. DFA is recognized by Denny’s,
Inc. and other franchise associations as being highly effective
and beneficial to the Denny’s brand. As A DFA director, the commitment of time and energy is substantial and sacrificial. However, the DFA has been blessed to have quality individuals and
restaurant professionals serve and help create our well regarded
Association. Directors are responsible for ensuring that the DFA
advances the brand by achieving its stated objectives (per the
Bylaws), as follows:
a.
b.
c.
Communicate with a united voice between association members, Denny's management, and vendors for the purpose of
enhancing the positive sales growth and profitability of Association members' restaurants.
Promote communication among Association members for
the purpose of gathering information and concerns from
individual franchisees and the dissemination of profitable
business practices.
Negotiate prices and programs with third party vendors for
the benefit of Association members.
A DFA Director understands and supports the mission and goals
of the DFA and actively contributes to the governance of this
organization. A DFA director makes attendance at quarterly
Board meetings a scheduling priority and, having read any advance materials, comes prepared to actively participate in decision making. A DFA director is willing to share his/her time and
professional expertise with the Board and with staff to contribute
to the achievement of specific goals as determined by the Board
and Executive Committee, which may include periodically assuming a leadership role in chairing a committee or spearheading a DFA-sponsored project. A DFA director is an advocate for
the Association and promotes the DFA in ways appropriate to
his/her profession and contacts.
A DFA director must uphold their commitment to the membership and conduct Association business in a manner that is always honest and forthright and seek to understand and anticipate the needs of our members along with providing a professional working environment based on trust and teamwork.
The Nominating Committee shall review submissions for nominations and, in accordance with the Bylaws, determine the nominees presented to the membership for election. Submissions for
nominees must be received by August 26, 2015. (60 days prior
to election per the Bylaws.) Nominees and relevant information
to support their nomination will be presented to the membership
prior to the Annual Meeting. Information regarding the ballots
and online voting will be provided for in the next few weeks.
Submit the Board of Director Nomination form enclosed or call
the office at (888.4 Dennys) 888.433.6697 or write to
info@dennys.org.
News to Know from Allied Partners
ServSafe® Food Safety
National Restaurant Association
Will Your Denny’s Be Connected ?
“By 2020, BI Intelligence estimates
that 75% of cars
shipped globally
will be built with
the
necessary
hardware to connect to the internet” *
The amount of
time the average
American has to
make or pick up dinner is constantly decreasing, often
making faster dining options the only option for most
consumers. With their ability to connect to the internet
and software that allows users to stream music, look up
restaurants and make transactions right from their
dashboard, connected cars are revolutionizing the restaurant industry by speeding and easing the dining out
process.
Currently, WAY.com—a service marketplace-- is developing an app to be integrated into Audi and Volvo’s
connected cars. With our specially designed software,
WAY users will be able to not only view dining options—as well as a variety of other services-- based on
their location but also make purchases from their
dashboard. Questions? 408.663.5037
Jessica Magallan
jessica.magallan@way.com
As an industry “lifer” (from an Eastern MD farm family, to helping build a successful seafood restaurant, and world travels in food production and global
logistics roles), I’ve come to the conclusion there is one cardinal rule in foodservice:
It has to be safe! Beyond that – taste is in the eye of the beholder.
As a Denny’s Franchisee, keeping food safe should not be something you do
because it’s mandated by corporate, the health authority, insurance liability,
etc.; it should be a key pillar of your customer service strategy.
Recent CDC numbers: 3,000 deaths per year; 128,000 hospitalizations, 48
million instances of food borne illness. While 3,000 deaths seem statistically
insignificant compared to traffic accidents, etc., it’s not if the victim is a child,
loved one, or anyone for that matter.
The human loss is tragic. Beyond the deaths, the impact on those afflicted
can range from lost work (and income) to long-lasting after symptoms (such
as joint aches from certain toxins like ciguatera fish poisoning) and living each
day wondering if an existing food allergy might go “anaphylactic” without
warning. A friend’s 13 year old son nearly died from E. coli (source never
determined) – leading to a month-long Intensive Care stay and months of
recovery for this all-star baseball player (not to mention school time missed).
Food borne illness outbreaks can be “business ending”. Lost revenue. Lawsuits and civil payouts. Increased insurance premiums. Loss of reputation.
Brand damage. Loss of good staff (let’s face it – we all need good folks and
those with talent can work anywhere they want). Add long-term scrutiny from
public health authorities (for good reason) – and the impact builds.
That is why what we do at ServSafe® (a program of the National Restaurant
Association) is so important. Food borne illness is in the news somewhere –
everyday – with multiple web services and social media dedicated to announcing said events. An outbreak at one brand/restaurant affects all operators. In this age of multi-units – an outbreak at one franchisee will affect all
units under that banner.
*businessinsider.com
Protecting guests, staff and your business is what ServSafe® (and its predecessor – Applied Foodservice Sanitation) has been working at for 40+ years –
certifying over 6 MILLION food safety managers in that time.
And that is why we’ve partnered with Denny’s Corporate to provide a significant value to DFA members for Food Safety Manager Training/Certification
Exams and Food Handler Training/Certification (California, Illinois, Maricopa
County AZ – and more states expected to mandate food handler training in
the future).
DFA members save 52% for Manager Online Training ($65 versus $125
retail).
All other Materials are 20% off; Exams ($28.80 online/$30.40 for SCANTRONS), ServSafe® Manager Textbooks ($56.24), as well as the opportunity for ServSafe® Food Handler at $10.20 (putting your staff “in-sync”
with certified managers).
For more information – please email me:
kscott@restaurant.org Protect your guests, your
staff – and your business. ServSafe®! Submitted:
Kevin Scott National Accounts Manager
ServSafe® (The National Restaurant Association)
540.868.8292 kscott@restaurant.org
7
News to Know from Allied Partners
Maintenance Guidelines
Denny’s Porcelain Tile
Proper care will help protect and maintain the appearance
and performance of your ceramic/porcelain floor. The maintenance program should include the following guidelines for
preventative, routine and wet cleaning. Before wet cleaning,
allow tile and grout to dry for 72 hours after installation.
Preventative Maintenance: Identify and address all
sources of soiling:
1. Maintain a clean exterior (parking lots and walkways).
2. Use mats at entranceways, transition areas and special
areas such as food service areas and restrooms to confine
soil, oil, grease and high moisture areas. Mats should cover
at least 6 footsteps to capture soil transferring from shoes.
Additional matting may be necessary during inclement
weather. Always keep mats clean.
Recommended mat categories:
Soil removal – scraper type used at entrances to
remove soil from shoes
Absorbent mats – used inside to minimize moisture
and other liquid materials such as oil, grease and
spills. Additional matting will be required to help
control and confine oils and grease from kitchen areas.
3. When moving heavy objects always protect floors to prevent permanent surface damage.
4. Use appropriate wide floor protectors.
Routine Maintenance and Spot/Spill Remover:
ratio on label. It is best to use Ecolab’s dispensing unit for
dilution accuracy.

3. If mopping is the end user’s preferred system, use the
two bucket system where the cleaning solution is maintained in one bucket and the rinse water in another. This
will minimize using dirty cleaning solution.
4. Rinse the floor with clean water. Repeat the rinse process if necessary. Use air movers to expedite drying times.
Steam mops and products containing bleach are not recommended.
**Additional deep cleaning may be needed. Patcraft/
Shaw recommends using an auto scrubber with a neutral pH cleaner to deep clean the floor.
These recommendations are general guidelines; identify and schedule your facility for specific conditions
and frequencies. For textured floors (Ecoline SR), a
more stringent and frequent maintenance schedule
may need to be implemented.
Safety Caution: Slip properties of hard surface floors
change during wet cleaning. Use appropriate safety
measures until floors are completely dry.
Contact Patcraft Customer Connect at 800.241.4014 for
additional inquiries.
Submitted:
Mike Whitely
Mike.whitley@patcraft.com
803.413.8699
1.Sweep, dust mop or vacuum floors daily to remove soil
particles that can scratch the surface. Do not use vacuums
with rotating beater bars on hard surfaces. Dust mop treatments are not recommended.
2.All spills should be addressed as quickly as possible to
avoid staining and slip/fall hazards. Absorb wet spills and if
necessary use a neutral pH cleaner and rinse with water.
Always blot dry.
Wet Cleaning:
1. Periodic or daily wet cleaning will be necessary to maintain the floor’s appearance. The frequency will depend on
traffic and soil levels. Always vacuum or dust mop before
wet cleaning.**
2. Use mile neutral pH cleaners designed for porcelain tile
that will not stain grout and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dilution and use. Routine cleaners that are strong
acids or high pH alkaline cleaners are not recommended due
to potential damage to tile and grout.
Recommended Cleaners:

Edward Don & Company - Neutra Clean
EcoLab - Maxx Dual Action
Maxx Dual Action can be used to clean the kitchen floor as
well as restaurant flooring. Follow manufacturer’s dilution
8
News to Know from Allied Partners
Uniform Ordering Made Easier !
Are you addicted to Facebook and texting? Can’t go more
than 15 minutes without checking your smart phone? Would
you be lost without your GPS? If you enjoy the ease and
convenience of the latest technology, you will be glad to
know that Superior Uniform Group® designed a web store
that makes ordering uniforms for your employees fast and
easy!
The web store ordering system we’ve created exclusively for
Denny’s is simple and will save you valuable time. Some of
the advantages of using the web store include:







Instantly processes orders
No need to worry about misplaced fax orders or errors
Tracking and shipping information readily available
Manager & server uniforms available with just one click
Website is open 24/7
Easy-to-navigate site
Order from the convenience of your computer or tablet
Receiving orders on the web store allows orders to be processed more quickly and efficiently. The web-based ordering
process is streamlined and secure, can ensure accuracy of
shipments, and increased customer satisfaction. In 2015,
approximately 200 million Americans will be shopping online,
according to Forbes Magazine, showing the trend continues
to grow.
All orders will be required to be placed online by December
31, 2015. So why not take the opportunity now to visit the
web store at http:/store.sug.biz/Dennys to become familiar
with the site and see how painless the uniform-ordering experience can be.
It’s easy to get started. Just email your dedicated Customer
Service Team at execteam2@SuperiorUniformGroup.com to
receive your online credential and to get started. Ordering
uniforms has never been easier or more efficient!
Submitted: Megan Cope,
mcope@superioruniform.com
727.397.9611 x1429
Visit our custom webpage for you: http:/store.sug.biz/Dennys
Order Today, Cholula Red Hot Sauce
#40503
9
News to Know from Allied Partners
Stampede Meat—20 Years
Need to Know For FICA Tip Credit
Cash tips make the restaurant industry slightly harder to
determine and report an employee’s true compensation.
The purpose of this tax credit is to eliminate an employer’s incentive to hide or underreport the tip income of
employees. The IRS has an income tax credit uniquely
for restaurants, known as the FICA Tip Credit. The FICA
tip credit allows restaurants to receive an income tax
credit equivalent to the amount paid for employer portions of payroll taxes that are calculated on employee
tips.
The Mechanics of the FICA Tip Credit
Employers are eligible to receive a credit equal to the
amount of FICA taxes paid on employees’ tips. This
amount, however, begins at the rate of wages set to
match the federal minimum wage. Currently, this rate is
set to $5.15 for employees who receive tipped incomes.
If an employee does not meet the minimum wage
through reported tips, the employer is obligated to pay
the difference.
Qualifications & Filing Information—Tax Tip Credit
Keep accurate and detailed records. Restaurant owners
should include all compensation to an employee for calculation purposes: wages, tips/ gratuities, and even
meals that the restaurant may provide to the employee.
On Pay1 Payroll Services’ portal, this information can be
recorded and accessed in reports to determine calculations and eligibility. When tips exceed the federal minimum wage, the restaurant may qualify for the FICA tip
credit.
The FICA Tip credit information is reported on IRS Form
8846, as a part if the business’ corporate tax return. The
credit is not refundable, and therefore, in order to claim,
the employer must owe some taxes on their corporate
tax return.
Challenges are still present. For one thing, employees
should be accurately reporting their cash tips to the employer. Secondly, this tip credit qualification requires
strict record keeping. Pay1 can help with both. Pay1’s
system accurately records the information for calculation
purposes and is retrievable at any time.
All Denny’s restaurants are welcome to our free resource for your employees that encourage accurate cash
tip reporting. Request yours at the email address below.
Submitted: Yasmin Ismail 1.888.700.7291 (Pay1) visit
Yasmin@pay1online.com
Visit us at Pay1online.com
January marked a significant milestone for Stampede Meat, Inc.
as we celebrated our 20th anniversary. What began in 1995 as a
family business has grown into a leader in the industry. We owe
this achievement in part to the vision of our founders who based
every relationship be it with customers, employees or partners on
trust and loyalty.
This year so far has been a celebration of twenty years of hard
work, determination and success. We have great pride in knowing
that our success is largely attributed to the teamwork of approximately 40 employees celebrating their 20th anniversary with the
company and the other 1,600 employees and all of their contributions. This loyalty is a clear sign that working at Stampede is more
than just a job; it is a work family, the Stampede family.
For two decades Stampede has been supplying its customers with
the highest quality products and unmatched consistency that our
customers have come to expect from us. By employing the strategy of putting “Customer Satisfaction” first we have been able to
develop relationships based on trust and honesty. Customers turn
to us every day for industry information and new cutting edge culinary ideas.
It is exceptionally gratifying that Stampede has operated for 20
years and has grown to over 500 million dollars in revenue. Stampede has come a long ways from its humble beginnings in the
Chicago Stockyards to the current Company headquarters operating out of the state of the art 145,000 square feet facility in Bridgeview, IL. Our top of the line fully cooked products are produced in
our Oak Lawn, IL facility. The grandest facilities are only as good
as the people and customers that keep the lights on and the
freezer cold.
The success achieved is driven by our strong team members and
their desire to better themselves daily. It is our goal to be steadfast in our efforts to continue to operate and run with the same
pride and values that were chiseled into the Company two decades ago.
It is a tremendous accomplishment and privilege to grow and
prosper as we have for twenty years. As we move forward we
hope that each of you will continue to grow with us in the future —
and join us in recognizing over 40 people who have been with us
from the very start.
Submitted: Brock Furlong,
brock.furlong@stampedemeat.com
800.353.0933
John Harbut, Casey Cikowski, John Cikowski, & Krys Harbut celebrate 20 years of
service at Stampede Meat with Brock Furlong and Bill Asleson pictured below.
11
12
News to Know from Allied Partners
Denny’s Lighting Case Study
In February 2015 Red Mountain Lighting completed an LED
lighting upgrade of six Denny’s company units in the Arizona region. This upgrade included all exterior lighting including parking
lot site heads, wall packs, soffit lights, and roof lights. All of the
new LED fixtures carry a warranty ranging from 5 years up to as
many as 10 years on the parking lot lights. The goal of the project was threefold:

Reduce utility expense

Improve curb appeal and visibility

Eliminate costly exterior maintenance and repairs.
The project for the six units included 150 fixtures. The financial
matrix for the project is as follows;
$54,999.00
Installed Project cost
$40,763.00
Net installed cost
$22,743.00
Bottom Line Estimated annual
savings 1.8 ROI
The LED lighting upgrade all but eliminates costly exterior lighting repairs. The energy usage was reduced by
an estimated (70%). The rated life on the new LED
products range from 50,000 hours up to 100,000
hours. Based on dusk to dawn operating hours
100,000 hours is a 20 year useful life on the new fixtures.
Call us for your complimentary analysis and quote to
see how we can help you to reduce expenses, improve
night time sales and eliminate costly lighting repairs.
Financing is available for qualified buyers.
Submitted by Bruce Sweeny
602.549.5117 cell
888.841.7871 office
bulbs@redmtnlighting.com
13
News to Know from Allied Partners
Do & Don’t During OSHA Inspection
Quality Merchandise - Clean Design
30 + years of solid service
Don’t get caught unprepared when an OSHA inspector
arrives. Follow CrewSafe’s guide for the Top Do’s and
Don’ts to remember during an OSHA Inspection!
Our Services
DO:
Check the Compliance Officer’s Photo Identification
Make sure every employee knows that OSHA is
conducting an inspection.
Take notes during the opening conference.
Provide the Compliance Officer with any requested
documents such as:
 OSHA 300 Logs and 300A Summary Forms
 Training Records
 Safety Meeting Documentation
 Safety Inspection Documentation
AC Furniture Company, Inc. (ACF) is one of the country’s largest
contract manufacturers of seating for the hospitality, healthcare and
food service industry. In continuous operation since 1977, ACF employs over 400 people.
Creative Craftsmanship
AC Furniture has experienced ongoing and continuous growth in
sales and profitability. We continue to work toward our goal of becoming the market leader and have the commitment of each of our
employees. Our pledge is to consistently provide quality merchandise, responsive customer service, and high value products to all
the markets we serve. By doing so, we will continue to demonstrate
that ACF provides products that are not more than you need but
more than you expect.
Allow the Compliance Officer to interview non‐
management employees if he/she asks.
Take detailed notes during the inspection.
Take pictures of anything the inspector takes pictures of.
Ask questions if the inspector seems concerned about
something and you don’t understand why.
Take notes during the closing conference.
Tell the inspector about any safety programs you have
that illustrate the safety policies of the company.
Ask the inspector what the penalties might be.
Ask the inspector if you will be given extra time to fix
large complex issues.
SANDY EVANS
VP – Operations
P: 276.650.8477
sevans@acfurnitureco.com
acfurniture.com
DON’T:
Don’t point out safety issues if the Compliance Officer
doesn’t notice them.
Don’t make negative comments like, “This isn’t going to
go well”.
Don’t allow the Compliance Officer to privately interview
members of management.
Politely remind the Compliance Officer that this is not
allowed.
Don’t take pictures of safety issues that you notice but
the inspector doesn’t.
During the closing conference, try not to interrupt the
inspector.
Don’t argue with the inspector during the closing conference.
The Informal Conference after a citation is issued is the
proper time to dispute a citation.
Don’t ask the inspector if he/she would like to see an
area. Let the inspector decide where to go.
BE PREPARED!
CrewSafe is determined to prevent any fines related to
OSHA Audits by providing you with the proper training,
products and services! If you need specific training, products or services that can help improve
your process do not hesitate and contact your experts at CrewSafe today!
Submitted: Keith Henderson
henderson@crewsafe.com
888-331-9001
crewsafe.com
15
News to Know from Allied Partners
Streamline Energy Management
Overview
Small Box Energy helps restaurants reduce energy costs by actively managing lighting, temperature and refrigeration systems. Restaurants needed to
replace bulky and expensive desktop PCs used to host software with a tablet
that could significantly reduce costs, require less space, simplify operations
and provide a platform for a future move to cloud computing.
Samsung Solution
After an evaluation of 15 tablets from various vendors, Small Box Energy
selected the Samsung galaxy tab. The galaxy tab is now shipped with the
chameleon application pre-installed and is mounted in the manager’s office or
kitchen area. Employees access the tablet to control the restaurant’s lighting,
temperature and refrigeration through an easy-to-use interface that shows
energy use in dollars as well as kilowatts.
Results
By offering the Galaxy Tab as an alternative to desktop PCs, Small Box Energy has cut its equipment, installation and maintenance costs in half. Restaurant managers and employees say the tablet is easier to use than a PC
and takes up almost no space. The galaxy tab also uses far less energy than
a desktop PC and monitor.
Customer Small Box Energy
Headquartered just outside Phoenix, AZ, Small Box Energy and its chameleon energy management system grew out of an engagement with a global
fast food chain that needed to automate and reduce its energy costs.
The restaurant chain wanted to change employee behavior by helping them
understand energy consumption in dollars as well as kilowatts saved. Small
Box Energy responded with an energy management solution that covers all
three major areas of restaurant energy consumption: HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), lighting and refrigeration. The chameleon energy
management system reduced energy costs by up to 30 percent.
In 2012, Small Box Energy began shipping chameleon to other restaurant
chains, expanding to 240 customers around the world. Chameleon helps
customer’s lower costs by educating and encouraging them to reduce the
amount of energy used and better manages expenses. Their philosophy is
that if the customer has the information to make the right decision, it will use
less energy and save money.
With its chameleon energy management system, Small Box Energy can provide real-time information to improve energy management for a more efficient
operation.
The Customer Need—Reduce size, Cost and Complexity of a Control
Solution in High demand
Restaurants use a significant amount of energy for lighting, cooling, and operating their kitchen equipment. According to energy star, just changing a single
degree in cooling can make a three to five percent difference in an energy bill
and have a significant impact on the bottom line.
Small box energy’s chameleon system actively manages the restaurant’s
lighting, HVAC and refrigeration systems with sophisticated algorithms integrating information from multiple sources. The system, for example, can
check weather forecasts to see how much lighting is needed in the restaurant.
Originally, customers accessed the system onsite with desktop PCs and
touch-screen displays. While effective, Small Box Energy recognized the setup’s inefficiencies. The PC and touch-screen monitor
combination was expensive and required more time to install and
support, and took up a lot of space.
So Small Box Energy began looking for a new control solution that
would streamline costs, simplify support and free up office space.
We needed a tablet solution that would take up less space in a manager’s office and provide an interface that employees were familiar
with and comfortable using. If easier to use, employees would be
more likely to make changes to the temperature, lighting or refrigeration to save money.
We wanted a tablet that could be preloaded with the chameleon
solution to reduce installation time. And they needed an open and
flexible platform to make improvements to the user interface, such
as swiping capabilities to adjust settings.
“The idea was to create a solution that could be set up for employees to use with certain access controls so anyone can turn on or off
a light. But no one could change a schedule without authorization,”
says Small Box Energy CEO Tracy Markie.
A tablet was also seen as a way of advancing Small Box Energy’s
aspirations for delivering more mobile and cloud based solutions so
that customers could monitor and control energy settings from anywhere.
The Samsung Solution
After extensive evaluations, Small Box Energy selected the Samsung galaxy tab with a 10.1-inch display to replace its PC-based
configuration. Markie says the galaxy tab was ultimately selected for
its quality, reliability and value.
“We physically evaluated 15 different tablets and researched even
more,” he says. “and we kept coming back to the Samsung Galaxy
devices. Android was a much more open community that was growing and thriving. and you could really tell the difference in stability
with Samsung and the latest android version. They were always
much more stable.”
The galaxy tabs are pre-installed with chameleon and a mobile device management solution. the tablets are wall-mounted inside managers’ offices for easy but controlled access by employees. the
bright and crisp displays make it easy to monitor energy consumption and make changes to all three areas of HVAC, lighting and
refrigeration.
Connecting to the chameleon server by Wi-Fi, the galaxy tabs simplify installation and reduce clutter. the tablet also provides GPS
capability so Small Box Energy can factor in weather conditions as
part of its energy analysis and cost predictions.
The galaxy tab includes a built-in 3-megapixel camera, which opens
up new opportunities for Small Box Energy to improve support
through video conferencing. It’s priced at half of what the company
was spending on PCs and displays. And it provides more than
enough memory and processing power to run the chameleon solution, with a user interface that supports plans for future improvements to the solution.
“The quality of the hardware, combined with the right feel and right
price range is what sold us,” Markie says. Continued on page 17
16
Continued from page 16
“And the user experience provided by the quality of
the display was as good as anything out there, but
at a much lower price.”
The Results—Equipment Costs Cut in Half, doors opened for Future
Enhancements
Replacing PCs and touch-screen monitors with Samsung galaxy tabs has
brought quick and measurable results to Small Box Energy. the hardware
cost per system decreased by hundreds of dollars, allowing the company
to invest in enhancing the chameleon application and user experience.
The tablets take up less room in the delivery trucks and in the customers’
offices. And the usual 45-minute installation time has been cut in half.
“The average restaurant manager’s office is usually pretty small, so the
last thing we need is a large desktop PC and monitor,” says Famous
Dave’s manager Christopher Benner. “The galaxy tab takes up far less
space and it’s easier for my employees to access and use. And with the
Small Box Energy solution, they know exactly how much each change in
temperature means in dollars and cents, not just kilowatts.”
David Andow, president of Small Box Energy, says the tablets also provided less tangible benefits such as ease of use and familiarity for restaurant managers. Instead of interacting with complicated PCs, employees
now have a familiar device that they’re comfortable using.
“Employees can now go to the tablet, hit an icon and easily turn a light on
or off,” he says. “For the managers or employees, it’s easier to set schedules and lock down certain settings, eliminating the need for them to worry
or think about the HVAC and focus on the customer experience.”
graphics better. It’s an
intuitive experience
because
smart
phones and tablets
are so prevalent. so
there’s a comfort and
familiarity with the
tablets.”
As a powerful, flexible
and enterprise ready
mobile platform, the
galaxy tab has also Employees can easily adjust temperature, lighting and refrigeration
opened the door for new features and capabilities to be added to the
chameleon system. The portability of the tablet provides an opportunity
for customers to remotely access environmental controls over a future
chameleon cloud-based application.
The galaxy tab is available in 7-inch, 8-inch, and 10.1-inch sizes. the
wide range provides flexibility for future deployments while maintaining
a single technology platform and a consistent look and feel.
“The quality and functionality of the galaxy tab with the android os is
stable and we know we can count on it,” Markie says. “We’re just
scratching the surface of what we can do with the Samsung tablet platform - it’s opening new ways to deliver customer value.” Submitted:
David Andow 480.745.3732
dandow@smallboxenergy.com
“The customer response has been very positive,” he says. “they like the
17
News to Know from Allied Partners
Restaurants Are Targets
Restaurants are targeted by cyber thieves. Over the last
couple of years, large breaches of retailers such as Target
and Home Depot and restaurant chain P.F. Chang’s have
made it clear that the retail and hospitality industries are
prime targets for cyber attacks. The reason is simple: A vast
amount of personally identifiable information (PII) passes
through and may be collected by these enterprises’ networks.
In 1950, when Slick Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed
banks, he quipped, “Because that is where the money is.”
In a similar vein, cyber thieves go where PII is.
According to one security firm, a whopping 69% of cyber
attacks target restaurants and retailers.
Numerous restaurants have been cyber attacked in the
past:

Hackers stole credit card data from 216 Jimmy John’s
locations during the summer months of 2014.

At least 108 locations of Zaxby’s were breached in
January 2013.

Chick-fil-A is investigating the possibility of a breach that
could have occurred in 2014.

At least 395 Dairy Queen locations were attacked in
2014.
Other restaurant breaches or suspected breaches that have
been made public include brands Beef 'O' Brady's and Little
Caesars Pizza, as well as numerous local eateries.
One area where retail and hospitality firms have heightened
vulnerability is the point of sale (POS) terminal and the communication and data storage surrounding it. When a credit
card is swiped, there is a complex web of interactions with
third-party payment processors, issuing banks, and merchant banks to authorize the transaction. This all occurs
amazingly quickly, in most cases in just a second or two.
The Payment Card Industry (PCI) has created a Data Security Standard (DSS) for entities that process credit
cards
from
the
major
players
(including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover). PCI DSS is rigorous and often difficult for businesses to comply with completely, and when there is a
breach that can be traced back to a business using bank or
credit cards to receive payment from customers, that business has the burden of proving to the PCI that it is innocent.
Satisfying PCI DSS is particularly important for retail and
hospitality companies, as nearly two-thirds of their total
transaction value is via payment cards, according to the
Federal Reserve.
The good news is that since malicious parties are looking
for the easiest targets, an incremental increase in security
results in a disproportionately greater decrease in the likelihood of an attack. In most cases, a merchant needs only
to be slightly more secure than their peers to be passed
over by attackers. So what should every business be doing in the area of cyber security? We have talked extensively in the past about security measures. We will recap
some of the most important:
Strong Passwords – A strong password is one that has
never been used before, by anyone. This is a very difficult task, and let’s face it, no one likes to remember the
myriad of passwords in today’s online environment.
However, consider for a moment that your enemy, a malicious attacker, can use tools that guess over one billion
passwords per second. One IT professional suggested
nursery rhymes to develop hard-to-crack passwords. By
using the first letter of each word of a nursery rhyme
(include capital letters), exchanging one letter for a symbol and another letter for a number, an easy to remember
password that is very difficult to crack can be created.
For instance, take the first line to “Mary Had a Little
Lamb”. By substituting “$” for an “s” and “5” for “a” the
resulting password becomes “Mh5llllllMh5llifww5$”. This
is simple to remember, yet very difficult to compromise.
Encryption – Lost or stolen laptops/devices are the most
frequent cause of data breaches, but the danger of data
falling into the wrong hands can be easily and inexpensively mitigated with encryption. Nearly all state breach
laws include provisions that encrypted data be treated
similar to a paper document that has been shredded, thus
eliminating some or all of the regulatory notification requirements.
Patching – Keeping software updated with the latest
patches is critical. Many fixes pushed out by vendors specifically rectify a known vulnerability in the software. Malicious individuals constantly watch for networks that are
delinquent in patching to exploit.
Email Safety – There is a saying that goes, “Teach a man
to fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to ‘phish’ and
he eats an expensive steak dinner with
his buddies tonight.” A high percentage Continued on page 21
Membership
of attacks originate from phishing, in which
a reputable-looking email is sent to victims,
in hopes they will click a link or button that appears to be legitimate. Doing so will install malicious code on the unsuspecting
users’ machines, and from there the cyber criminals can wreak
havoc.
Continued from page 20
It is suspected that phishing was the method used in the recent
attack on health insurance giant Anthem, in which a staggering
80 million records were compromised. Although difficult to
stop, advising employees never to click on links, download files,
or open attachments in emails from unknown senders is a good
start. It is also best to open an attachment only when it is from
both a known sender and when it is expected.
Whatever precautions a business takes, though, IT professionals admit no system can be 100% safe. The unavoidable, incremental risk is addressed by cyber insurance policies which
are tailored to address cyber exposures. These policies can
cover a range of costs, including breach notification, regulatory
fines and penalties, attorney fees and lawsuit damages, loss of
revenue from business interruption, and computer forensics to
stop and repair the breach.
Cyber risk insurance policies are readily available and currently
are surprisingly inexpensive. Every insurance or risk management discussion should include the potential for a cyber loss
and ways to mitigate and transfer the risk. Written by Steve
Haase, INSUREtrust, http://www.insuretrust.com/
Submitted: Charlie Page, Charliep@lgaltanta.com
DFA Bronze Sponsor
770.734.1516
New Allied Partner Member
Marlin™ Franchise Financing is excited to join with the Denny’s brand family
as a DFA Allied Partner and announce that we are an approved Denny’s
franchise lender. We are introducing a special lending program designed for
your business. Unlike time-consuming and paper intensive SBA loans that
can take weeks or months, Marlin’s franchise finance program offers fast,
easy and affordable financing to keep your business in growth mode. From
new Franchisees to multi-unit owners, Marlin has been lending to Denny’s
Franchise since since 1997. In fact, we’ve extended credit to over 10,000
franchisee customers since our inception. Whether you’re looking to expand
your units or upgrade your technology, equipment or facilities, Marlin is the
lending partner you can trust. Marlin promises one-to-one financing expertise, consultation and a level of service that is simply unmatched. Call Joe
Haynes 888.479.9111 ext. 4165 to get started and we can provide a fixed
monthly payment quote in 2 minutes. marlinfinance.com/dennys.
Submitted: Joe Haynes 888.479.9111 x 4165,
ayes@marlinfinance.com *For transactions under
$100,000.
New member of our Sponsors Group
Daily's® Premium Meats offers a variety of processed pork items,
from hardwood smoked honey cured bacon to hickory smoked hams
to fully cooked breakfast sausage. Since beginning in 1893,
Daily's® Premium Meats has perfected the bacon-making process.
From our signature hardwood smoked honey cured bacon to our
deep Applewood smoked bacon. We provide roasted bacon to the
Denny’s Brand in the West.
John Garlinghouse, john_garlinghouse@dailysmeats.com
801.652.5034, dailysmeats.com
New member of our Sponsors Group
Established in 1992 with the goal of marrying food science and culinary
excellence to improve the quality and reduce the cost of manufactured
foods, Haliburton has grown into a specialty foods powerhouse. We
service the nation's largest retailers, national restaurant chains and top
100 food manufacturers from our newly constructed 300,000+ sq. ft.
state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Ontario, California. We are a
major supplier of sauces and soups to the Denny’s Brand.
Maria Bavaro, 909.438.8520, mbavaro@haliburton.net, haliburton.net
New member of our Sponsors Group
Direct Capital’s success is from small business owners that bring passion to their business everyday. For more than 20 years, we have been
providing small and mid-sized businesses with fast and easy access to
the capital they need to grow and prosper. With a blazing fast online
lending platform that delivers 30-day to 7-year financing at competitive
prices, Direct Capital has lent $2.25 billion to over 80,000 businesses
across a multitude of industries...and we like to think we're just getting
started. Direct Capital has also received notable recognition as one of
the nation's fastest-growing private companies on the Inc. 500/5000
list.
Matt Goyette, mgoyette@directcapital.com,
603.433.9415 | directcapital.com
Current Sponsors: Title: Coca-Cola Diamond: MBM Gold: Cargill, Travel Media, Stampede Meats, Ventura Foods Silver: Albertville, Bruce Foods,
Cholula Foods, ConAgra, Ecolab, Fontanini Meats, Haliburton, S & D Coffee, Freshmark. Bronze: Basic American, Christopher’s, CTI Foods, Daily’s
Foods, Dakota Provisions, Direct Capital, Dr Pepper, Fair Oaks Farms, Kemps, Leavitt Insurance, McIlhenny, National Entertainment Group, Schreiber
Foods.
Membership
New Allied Partner Suppliers - 2015
Five Star Custom Foods
Steve Breunig, VP Sales
(817) 838-3442
sbreunig@fscfoods.com
Proud supplier of Denny’s nacho topping, sausage crumbles,
soups and diced ham.
Heinz North America
Stephanie Delyanis, National Account Mgr.
(516) 749-3001
Stephanie.delyanis@us.hjheinz.com
Heinz ketchup, condiments and portion control.
Kraft Food Ingredients
Russ March, National Account Manager
(901) 381-6781
Russ.march@kraftfoods.com
Cheese Ingredient Solutions – Soft cheese, process cheese,
cheese slices.
Marlin Franchise Group
Joe Haynes, Franchise Finance Manager
(856) 505-4165
jhaynes@marlinfinance.com
Nationwide provider of commercial financing and depository
products.
PlotWatt
Keith Overfield, Vice President Sales
(919) 384-6280
keith@plotwatt.com
Brightening bottom lines for restaurants and utilities by lowering
electricity bills and detecting issues.
ServSafe – National Restaurant Assn.
Kevin Scott, National Accounts Manager
(540) 868-8292
kscott@restaurant.org
Food safety training and National Certification exams
Small Box Energy (Engenuity Systems)
David Andow, President
(480) 745-3732
dandow@smallboxenergy.com
The chameleon is an Energy Management System that monitors
and controls what conserve the most energy (HVAC, lighting, &
refrigeration). Small Box delivers the ultimate energy management experience.
Stearns Bank NA
Cheryl McDonough
(844) 256-BANK
cherylm@stearnsbank.com
Quality financial products and services for your franchisee association.
Stewart Sutherland
Mark O’Day, Sales Manager
(904) 553-0576
oday@ssbags.com
Supplier of paper and foil wraps and bags.
Way.com
Jessica Magallan, Sales Associate
(888) 519-4198 x14
Jessica.magallan@way.com
An online marketplace for people to list, discover and book
What’s Around You, including dining, parking and more!
Be sure to refer to your online Buyer’s Guide for suppliers at Dennys.org > Suppliers.
You can search for suppliers by category or name.
++++++++
All Allied Partner Suppliers support you and the brand by underwriting your dues and convention
registration. Give them the opportunity to bid for your business!
20
Meetings & Events
country music past and today's hottest stars.
Nashville—Free Music All The Time
Ride the Row — Take a tour of Music Row and
This is the DFA’s first group
visit historic RCA Studio B, the famous re-
visit to Nashville. We hope
cording studio where Elvis recorded over 200
that you all can take the time
songs. Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Chet Atkins,
to explore this popular city.
Eddy Arnold and many more recorded classic
Our convention site , “Music
hits here. Tours of RCA Studio B depart daily
City”
from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Mu-
hosts
live
music
24/7/365. The best part, you
seum.
don't have to pay a pretty
Visit
penny to listen to Nashville's
Home Of the
live music scene. Take a stroll
G r e e k
and open the ears to all the
Gods
FREE music playing around
Nashville’s
the
—
In
every nook and cranny in Music City.
Centennial
Want to be in the know with Music City? Then
Park,
you’ll
download Nashville's FREE Live Music Guide App. For
find
the
a complete list of Music Venues throughout Nashville feel
world’s only full-scale reproduction of the ancient
FREE to browse here: visitmusiccity.com/musicvenues.
Parthenon in Athens, Greece. The Parthenon houses an art gallery and museum as well
as Alan LeQuire’s Athena Parthenos. Standing at
almost 42 feet in height, Athena is the tallest indoor sculpture in the Western world.
Take In a Songwriters-In-the-Round Show —
One of the most unique ways to hear music in
Nashville is at a songwriters show. Typically
called a “writers night,” songwriters are put
somewhere where they are not used to being - in
the spotlight. Several singer/songwriters will play
‘in-the round’ as they sit on stage accompanied
Things to do in Nashville
only by a microphone, a guitar and their im-
It’s a city that resonates with life and vibrates to the beat of
mense talent. These shows can be found in
every kind of song. It’s a wonderland of American music,
small, intimate clubs including The Listening
Southern hospitality, unbelievable cuisine, and a bound-
Room Café downtown and the famous Bluebird
less spectrum of nightlife. Come join us and together we
Café as seen on the popular TV series Nash-
will keep the music playing!
ville.
Hit the Hall — Kick off your Nashville experience with a
day at the newly expanded Country Music Hall of Fame
and Museum. The world's largest popular music museum
offers ever-changing exhibits featuring the legends of
22
Meetings & Events
Get Scootin’—Get Artsy
Enjoy our convention city in October. Nashville’s art
scene is booming with art galleries, festivals, art crawls,
and more. Be sure to head over to the First Center for
the Visual Arts, the Downtown 5th Avenue art galleries, OZ Arts Nashville, Cheekwood Botanical Garden
& Museum of Art, the First Saturday Art
Crawl, Tennessee Craft festival, and more.
Take a Timeless Journey —
The Ryman Auditorium, also called the
“Mother Church of
Country Music,” on its
legendary stage since
1892. You can take a
backstage tour and
record your own song
in the Ryman recording studio. The stars of the Grand
Ole Opry perform every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday
night (at the Grand Ole Opry House February-October)
with guest appearances by the biggest names in music.
Nashville's Newest Sounds — Honoring musicians
from stars to studio players that represent all genres of
music, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum is
housed in the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. From
Hank Williams, Sr. to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Motown
to Southern Rock – there is truly something of interest to
everyone. Pay homage to the Man in Black at
the Johnny Cash Museum located on 3rd Avenue. Featuring the most comprehensive collection of Johnny Cash
artifacts and memorabilia in the world.
Salute — Three U.S. Presidents called Tennessee home
- Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson.
You can revisit the past at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage: Home of the People's President. Polk is buried on
the grounds of the historic State Capitol building in
downtown Nashville.
Visit Honky Tonk Highway — Tootsie’s Orchid
Lounge, Legends Corner, Second Fiddle, The
Stage, Layla's Bluegrass Inn and Robert’s Western
World are all experts at serving up cool longnecks and
hot country music. You never know who you’ll see in
these Lower Broadway clubs in the shadow of the Ryman.
REGISTRATION OPENS MAY 15th!
Go to Dennys.org > Event Info
Franchisee Members receive two complimentary registrations per paid unit. All units must
be paid for each owner entity, per the DFA Bylaws.

2015/16 Franchisee dues must be paid for
each unit by September 15, 2015

Complimentary registration ends September
15th. After September 15th, the following
registration fees apply:
September 16th—October 15th: $300/person
October 16th—Onsite: $500/person
October 16th: Online registration closed
Retrieved from http://www.visitmusiccity.com/Music/musicofmusiccity
23
Meetings & Events
DFA Board Meeting/Conference Calls
April 27-30
May 12
June 9
July 14
Aug 18
Sept 21-23
Oct 12
Oct 25, 30
Nov 17
Dec 15
Allied Partner Summit
Telephonic Meeting
Telephonic Meeting
Telephonic Meeting
Telephonic Meeting
Meeting, Nashville
Telephonic Meeting
Meetings, Nashville
Telephonic Meeting
Telephonic Meeting
DFA Committee Meetings
DFA Board members as well as other franchisees serve and meet monthly
on Brand Advisory Committees (BAC). If you wish to communicate on any
issue please contact the committee chair below.
Marketing
Sam Wilensky
samwilensky@dennys.org
Development Robert Duskin
robertduskin@dennys.org
Operations
glennbeattie@dennys.org
Glenn Beattie
DFA Annual Convention & Trade Show
Save The Date—October 26-30
Mark your calendar for this once a year gathering of more than
1,000 attendees that represent and serve the Denny’s brand.
Corporate, Franchisees and Suppliers gather, network and discuss the future year of the Brand.
Suppliers, be sure and reserve your trade show space NOW.
Trade Show space sells out every year!
Franchisee, register early receive your FREE registration
Our convention site this year is the Omni Nashville Hotel which
just opened in 2013 in Music City. It is one of the newest addition to Nashville’s growing skyline, complete with the city’s first
and only rooftop pool.
Omni Hotels & Resorts properties reflect the local flavor of the
city in which they are located; In the Omni Nashville Hotel, the
design and décor, culinary, lifestyle and retail venues all stem
from and become reflective of Nashville. The hotel, which was
designed to celebrate the city’s heritage with
prevalent musical, artistic accents and comfort
food creations, experienced unparalleled success in its first year as locals and visitors alike
came out in droves. Come join us in October!
Register NOW at dennys.org
Management Group: Barbara Magro, barb@dennys.org | Tiffany Danley, tiffany@dennys.org | Rich Danley, rich@dennys.org
888-433-6697 | info@dennys.org | dennys.org