From the filings

HQ-led decisions

Denny's

Full service restaurant

Denny's headquarters requires every franchisee to run its Standard Enterprise Technology Platform for point-of-sale and back-office functions. The system spans 1,274 units, 1,212 of them franchised, though franchised outlets are down 4.79% year over year.

For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.

Live signals

Total units
1,274
1,212 franchised
Unit growth YoY
-4.792%
vs prior filing
AUV
$1.95M
Item 19, 2025
Royalty
4.5%
of gross sales
Ad fund
3%
national + local
Initial fee
$30K
per unit
Investment range
$1.62M–$3.07M
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Non-compete
2 years
from the filing
Item 19
Claims
from the filing

Ongoing fee load

What the operator pays every month

The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.

7.5%of gross sales (FY2026)

Ongoing fees: 7.5% of gross sales (FY2026)Royalty 4.5%, Ad fund 3%. Total 7.5% of gross sales. Drawn against a 15% reference scale.

15% reference

Royalty 4.5%Ad fund 3%

Mandated & recommended tech

The systems vendors compete with

4 of these are mandated in the franchise agreement. Each is named in Item 11 of the filing, the incumbents a challenger must displace or integrate with.

DoorDashDoorDash
Mandatory
DeliveryItem 8

redit card program. New Product Offering Program To participate in a New Product Offering, you must execute the New Product Offering Program Addendum for that offering. Currently, DoorDash, Grubhub, P

GrubhubGrubhub
Mandatory
DeliveryItem 1

tems including handcrafted melts, certain sides items, beverages and other products we designate under the “The Melt Down” trademark for take-out or delivery only on the DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates o

PostmatesUber
Mandatory
DeliveryItem 1

tems including burritos, certain sides items, beverages and other products we designate under the “Banda Burrito” trademark for take-out or delivery only on the DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates or UberEat

Uber EatsUber
Mandatory
DeliveryItem 8

ffering Program To participate in a New Product Offering, you must execute the New Product Offering Program Addendum for that offering. Currently, DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates and UberEats are the onl

OloOlo
DeliveryItem 11

gram we designate. For each Virtual Brand Offering concept there is a $5.00 per month fee and a $0.09 trans- action fee payable to Olo for the integration of a new concept through Olo Rails We have es

VerifoneVerifone
PaymentsItem 6

. These charges are collected weekly, monthly, or annually through your franchise finance account based on vendor invoicing. (See Exhibit J) Customer-facing payment terminals from Verifone have a mont

XenialGlobal Payments
POSItem 6

s on behalf of third parties: data extraction and software delivery $60 annually (DINE only), end- point protection $25 per device, and software subscription of $125 per month for Xenial and $48.65 pe

Franchisor behaviours

What the franchisor requires

21 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 8 explicit no's; 5 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.

Accounting

Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?

Yes

Item 11

We reserve the right to connect to and extract data from your systems, including total sales and adjustments.

Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

One hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year of the franchised business during the Term, Franchisee is required to provide to the Company an unaudited compilation of a profit and loss statement and a balance sheet, in a form prescribed by Company, of the franchised business as prepared by a…

How the franchisor buys

Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?

Yes

Item 8

Franchisee Association (“DFA”) created the Supply Chain Oversight Committee (“SCOC”) to collaborate on strategic supply chain oversight and improvements for traditional, full-service restaurants within the contiguous 48 United States.

Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?

Yes

Item 11

We may periodically modify standards for the Computer System, and, if so, you must comply with the modified standards for, or otherwise acquire, at your cost, the modified Computer System and the computer hardware and software comprising the Computer System.

How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?

0

Item 8

In the 2025 fiscal year, we did not derive any revenue from Denny’s franchisees’ required purchases and leases of products and services.

Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?

Yes

Item 8

However, there are a limited number of products where we and franchisees receive rebates.

Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?

Yes

Item 8

How- ever, you may purchase or lease from any approved vendor and may purchase from any other vendor you select if you first submit to us a written request for approval for the vendor.

Communications

Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?

Yes

Franchise agreement

If Franchisee is in default of any obligations under this Agreement, Company may, in addition to its other remedies, temporarily remove references to the Restaurant from the Website and reroute phone numbers as Company deems appropriate.

Data and IT

Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Nevertheless, if ever applicable, Franchisee, its affiliates, and their respective principals will: (i) obtain, maintain and adhere to all applicable standards established by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (“PCI-DSS”);

Franchise management

Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?

Yes

Item 11

Periodically inspect your Restaurant and deliver to you a report of our evaluation.

Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?

Yes

Item 11

Periodically modify the Brand Standards / HACCP to reflect changes in standards, specifications and operating procedures.

Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?

Yes

Item 12

You are permitted to operate the Restaurant only at the location we have approved.

Marketing

Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?

Yes

Item 16

You may not advertise, promote, post, or list information relating to the Restaurant on the Internet (through the creation of a website or otherwise), without our prior written consent.

Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?

Yes

Item 11

If an Ad Coop is established for the area in which you operate a Denny’s restaurant, you must immediately become a member of the Ad Coop and must execute the Ad Coop Membership Agreement and other documentation as we or the Ad Coop may require of members.

Payments

Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?

Yes

Item 8

You will be required to sign our Payment Card Agreement (Exhibit I) and participate in our credit and gift card programs.

Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?

Yes

Item 8

All franchisees other than institutional operators of non-traditional Denny’s are required to participate in our gift card program, under which you will sell and redeem gift cards that are com- mon to all participating restaurants.

People

Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?

Yes

Item 15

We require that you employ at least three managers for the Restaurant.

Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee will also require its employees, in the performance of their duties, wear neat, clean, and uniform attire as described in the Manuals.

Point of sale

Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?

Yes

Item 11

You must purchase, use and maintain the computerized point of sale cash collection sys- tem (including all related hardware and software) that we require or approve in writing for use in connection with the operation of the Restaurant (“Technology Platform”).

Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?

Yes

Item 11

We reserve the right to connect to and extract data from your systems, including total sales and adjustments.

Training

Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?

Yes

Franchise agreement

The Company or a third party may impose a modest training fee for such refresher or additional courses recommended by the Company, and Franchi- see will be responsible for any and all expenses incurred in connection with any such refresher or additional courses of training including, without limitation, the cost of…

The filing answers no to 8 questions
  • Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?
  • Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?
  • Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?Franchise agreement
  • Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?Item 8
  • Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
  • Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?Franchise agreement
  • Must the franchisee use a CRM system designated or approved by the franchisor?
  • Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?Franchise agreement

The vendor opportunity at Denny's

Denny's operates 1,274 full-service restaurants, 1,212 of them franchised, though franchised outlets are down 4.79% year over year. Item 19 of the FDD makes a financial performance representation, reporting 2025 average net sales of $1,951,330 for the 1,178 traditional franchised Denny's restaurants open all 12 months, excluding The Den restaurants. Denny's sits alongside sibling brand Keke's Breakfast Cafe within the Denny's corporate system.

Who controls software purchasing

Denny's headquarters, led by CEO Chris Bode, sets the technology mandate centrally through its Standard Enterprise Technology Platform (SETP): franchisees must purchase, use, and maintain the computerized point-of-sale cash collection system the company requires or approves, and must use only approved hardware, software, and service providers. Franchisees must also participate in the integrated online ordering system Denny's designates, which may be Olo or another program the company designates.

Tech named in the FDD, and what is actually required

DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates, and UberEats are the only approved third-party delivery platforms for franchisees who join Denny's Virtual Brand Offerings (The Burger Den, The Meltdown and Banda Burrito). Restaurants on the SETP pay recurring fees for Xenial and DINE software subscriptions and for Verifone customer-facing payment terminals; franchisees must sign the Denny's on Demand Agreement for mobile and online ordering through Olo, must join the gift card program run with Comdata Stored Value Systems, and must have non-management employees complete training in Ignite, Denny's learning management system. Beyond those named systems, Denny's mandates its own SETP for point-of-sale and back-office functions and requires franchisees to purchase the Computer System, gift card processing equipment, and related supplies only from approved vendors.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

Item 8 runs an approved-supplier list: franchisees must buy goods, services, supplies, fixtures, equipment, and inventory only from vendors listed in Denny's Brand Standards Manual, with McLane currently the only approved national distributor for food products and materials. Franchisees may request approval for alternative suppliers. The initial term runs the lesser of 20 years or the lease term with no renewal right, though Denny's may sign a 10- or 20-year Successor Franchise Agreement with qualified franchisees — with franchised outlets down 4.79% year over year, near-term activity likely concentrates in successor agreements and transfers.

How to read the Denny's FDD

The embedded viewer below carries Denny's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, including the Item 8 and Item 11 language summarized above.

Talk to FranCloud for a ranked list of franchise systems like Denny's where the technology mandate and procurement structure line up with your product.

Questions vendors ask

Denny's, answered from the filing

Denny's headquarters, led by CEO Chris Bode and Chief Global Development Officer Steve Dunn, designates the Standard Enterprise Technology Platform and the approved hardware, software, and service providers every franchisee must run. Vendors should approach corporate development rather than individual restaurants.
Denny's requires every franchisee to purchase, use, and maintain its Standard Enterprise Technology Platform for point-of-sale and back-office functions, with Xenial and DINE software and Verifone payment terminals, plus Olo online ordering under the Denny's on Demand Agreement and Comdata for gift cards. DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates and UberEats are the approved platforms for its optional Virtual Brand Offerings.
1,274 total units, 1,212 franchised and 62 company-owned, in the full-service restaurant segment, with franchised outlets down 4.79% year over year.
Item 8 runs an approved-supplier list: franchisees must buy goods, services, supplies, fixtures, equipment, and inventory only from vendors listed in Denny's Brand Standards Manual, with McLane currently the only approved national distributor. Franchisees may request approval for alternative suppliers.
Denny's initial franchise term runs the lesser of 20 years or the lease term, with no renewal right, though Denny's may sign a 10- or 20-year Successor Franchise Agreement with qualified franchisees. Franchised outlets are down 4.79% year over year, which tends to concentrate near-term contract activity in successor agreements and transfers rather than new openings.
The embedded PDF viewer below carries Denny's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document.
Source

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The brands you can actually sell into, from the filings.

Operator footprint

Who runs the locations

18 operators run 18 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.

Operators by units owned

Single-unit18

Top states by locations

FL12
GA2
HI2
IA1
ID1

Ownership

The portfolio behind Denny's

strategic_multibrand of Denny's.

Sibling brands

Related Full service restaurant brands

Primary franchise filings · updated September 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.