Denny’s Leverages First-Party Data for Smarter Restaurant Guest Engagement |

By Orit Naomi, RTN Staff Writer – 8.8.2025
Full service restaurant chain Denny'sWith 1,558 restaurants worldwide, from which 1,474 franchise/license locations and 84 companies are in corporate ownership, they invest a lot in technology to advance customer loyalty and to improve operational efficiency. The point-based program, which is currently starting in test and training phases in the second half of the year, is intended to provide personalized advertising campaigns based on individual guest behavior.
The initiative builds on Dennys database of 5.5 million digital guests who already visit restaurants twice as often as the average customer. By collecting and using first -time data across channels, the company can address guests with offers that are tailored to its purchase history, frequency and the preferred menu items. The managers expect the loyalty program to increase the traffic over time by 50 to 100 basis points and at the same time contribute to a higher margin turnover due to more relevant, behavior-driven advertising campaigns.
The program will be accessible in Denny's digital ecosystem, including its website and its mobile app, to facilitate the participation and participation for customers. Instead of relying on broad discounts, the company is shifted to a single marketing model in which offers are personalized on a scale. This step corresponds to a larger trend in the restaurant industry, in which brands are increasingly turning to customer data and digital tools in order to build long -term relationships and increase the service life.
The technology also plays a key role in off-premises growth. The digital order and taking away were around 21 percent of total sales in the second quarter. Denny's extends its portfolio of virtual brands to maximize kitchen use and use additional sources of income. The company continues to operate the burgers, the Melta Down and Banda Burrito and, in collaboration with Franklin Junction, began to test a virtual hot dog concept. This concept with Nathan's famous hot dogs is now available in more than 70 percent of the company's own restaurants.
She made the low operational complexity of virtual brands attractive for the operators. Minimally additional inventory and simple preparation enable kitchens to fulfill incremental orders in slower day groups, which contributes to improving overall productivity without considering considerable new investments in work or equipment.
Keke's day café, a sister brand with 74 locations, also starts with data -driven advertising campaigns In cooperation with the PAR technology. The first system -wide campaign offered 5 US dollar children's meals with the purchase of an adult starters that aimed at the summer travel families and increases traffic on weekdays. Kekes recorded an increase in sales in the same business by 4 percent in the second quarter.
The overall results for the quarter reflected some of the challenges that the food faces with a fully defender. The turnover with Denny's same business decreased by 1.3 percent, while the net income of $ 3.6 million decreased to $ 2.5 million in the previous year. Sales rose modestly to 117.7 million US dollars. The largest markets of the brand, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston and Phoenix, experienced a more difficult economic pressure that managers have contributed to a softer performance in the quarter.
Even if macroeconomic conditions fluctuate, Denny's leans into its digital transformation. The loyalty program, the virtual brand expansion and the growing off-premise channels are part of a wider strategy to make the brand of agile, data-informed and reaction quickly to changing consumer behavior.
When the restaurant industry becomes more competitive, brands like Denny's technology not only use to adapt, but to differentiate. The upcoming start of his personalized loyalty platform could be a decisive step in how the company builds customer relationships in a digital first environment. With scalable technical infrastructure and a clear focus on first -party data, Denny positions itself in order to compete more effectively in a landscape in which personalization and comfort increasingly define success.