Denny's — Restaurant in El Cajon

We arrived here off the Mollison exit on the I-8 because we wanted a snack to curb our appetite before our long drive through the desert. Granted it was an odd time being 2:30 in the afternoon to catch some lunch. There was a lot of construction, but the signs said they were still open so we took our chances and went in. It was pretty dead in there. The wait staff was milling around talking and giifing around with each other. The cashier was busy talking to a customer and said she would be right with us. My friend went to the bathroom and I sat in a booth with no menu or any greeting. So I got up after a few minutes and went over and got my own menus. My friend rejoined me at the booth and we sat there waiting. We were totally ignored. I saw the cashier finished talking with a customer and then she fiddled around under the desk and looked at some receipts. I was watching her burning up because she did not still give us any attention this went on for 10 minutes I was going to walk out but my friend was hungry. I saw her go by the water and soda fountains and my friend said it's okay she's going to get us water. She fiddled with something there by the water and drink station but she didn't fill up anything. I was starting to get mad so instead of leaving, I called out to her and said Hey where's the $2 $4 $6 menu. She had the audacity to still say I'll be right with you... it's like okay lady we have already been here over 10 minutes and you haven't gotten to us yet and we are sitting here with no water nothing. Two other bus boys and a waitress were talking and socializing as if no customers were present. She finally started to get us some menus. She glanced over to us and noticed that we already had menus. She came over to sell us some Star Wars cards and said we would break even if we bought $3 for the cards and cashed in the $5 coupon anything over $20. I don't know where she's getting her math but we rejected that offer. I was upset but I just looked at the menu and then she left I said can we have some water please I was ready to raise hell. I ordered $ 4.99 breakfast two eggs hash browns and biscuits and gravy. It was pretty good. They gave me a lot of hash browns. My friend had a grilled cheese sandwich and a salad. The bathrooms were nice and clean. Then our waitress became extremely friendly but then the problem was that the two guys and another staff member kept talking loudly like they were in their living room. They were talking about this and that and laughing like they were the only people in the room. It was extremely rude and unprofessional. There was also another couple eating in there but the 4 staff members ignored us and kept chit chatting. It was very uncomfortable and loud and annoying. It really ruined our dining experience. That will be the last time we ever go in there. The cashier / waitress saw me taking pictures and the other girl went over to her and said hey that lady is taking pictures and she said oh okay well maybe she wants to tell her friends about this place or take a picture of her food a lot of people do that. They were all talking and laughing and joking and high-fiving like we didn't exist. And the other girl said no I don't think so. So then they came over to us and were extremely friendly because maybe they knew I was going to write a review on them. The cashier Wages said is everything okay are you sure and I said yeah fine I was over it by then. I think their manager would like to read this review. They need to be told that when a customer comes in there it's a professional attitude only and you service them when they come in. You never let them sit and wait without water. If the cashier is busy then somebody else...

So the payment machine was down and my order was coming up ready, 2 other gentelmen were ahead of me. As one gentleman goes to pay for his order the cashier discovers he is having troubles with machine processing the payment. Its stalling. Gives a host error message to the receipt. The cashier, who I guess is also a Server, jams the machine 4 more times trying same method over and over. Then, I suggest maybe try another card(mines) see what happens so we'll know if its his card or their machine. I know by error code its theirs. But to no surprise it reads the same error code: do not dispense goods, no host available. So cashier figures hmm why dont I do a receipt invoice and your name and number so we can bill you later- WHAAAT?! WAIT WRITE YOUR CARD NUMBER TO- ....UMMM NO THANKS! Yall can keep it I said ready to reject food and all, I told him that it must be timing out so its declined. Maybe if he re boots system it will jump back online. So he does. BOOM! FIXED! PAYMENT ACCEPTED! And im happy to help I really am. While in the process he even LEARNS HOW TO MANUALLY ENTER CARD INFO WHICH ALSO GOES RIGHT THROUGH EVEN BETTER MAYBE FOR THE FUTURE CUSTOMER WHO CARD WONT READ MAYBE. But now im like ok so i get my COLD FOOD FREE NOW RIGHT ?- I MEAN ITS ONLY BEEN 30-45-50 MINUTES or so LATER & 2 CUSTOMERS who DONE already WALKED OFF one LEAVING FOOD one taking food- LIKE WHY AM I STILL HERE AGAIN?. But to my surprise he gestures that maybe next time hell give me a free oreo shake for the inconvenience. Ha! How about RE COOKING MY 2 MEALS OF $30! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I took my cold a×× food and ran for the door. Yo girl was starved and said fu×× it. Yes it was nasty yes it was cold yes THIS SHOULD BE A CRIME. What a waste of money and if I could regurgitate it and throw it at their windows- i might. Then again I know that's not lady like lol. BUT I DID ENJOY MY OREO MILKSHAKE I BOUGHT ORIGINALLY, THE ONLY THING HALF DECENT STILL IN MY WHOLE ORDER. USUALLY, this Dennys do good for me, but who was this husky built new guy? I hope not management tsk tsk. Dennys you were the first restuarant ive ever given a review of YOU...

I've been here plenty of times always with a good experience. This particular time I went at a slow time around 2 ish in the afternoon. There weren't many people eating at that time maybe 5 or 6 tables spread out with time of arrival. Only one waitress, who was doing great. Everyone seemed happy except one rude man with his family, but he took his family and left because he wasn't attended to immediately after being seated. She sat them and asked for their drink order, they weren't ready so she said she'll be back and made her table rounds. When he yelled across the restaurant for her attention, she acknowledged him, he said he wanted her to help them now, she explained she needed to take care of two other tables first as one table's food was ready and the other just needed Togo boxes and the check, she said she will be right with them. He didn't like this and took his family and left. I think she handed it perfectly. Anyway, I ordered an avocado hamburger, onion rings and a strawberry lemonade to drink. It was great, hot, fresh, and tasted good. She sold me a $5 coupon page with about 5 coupons on it, one being $5 off my meal, so I still paid the same price for my meal and it helped to feed hungry kids. For some reason my card was declining even though there was money on it. She was patient and understanding. I sat back down to call my card and find out what was wrong. (I wonder what would happen if it didn't work out and I couldn't pay? Would I have gotten arrested for a $27 meal?) While on hold a group of about 7 kids came in, after school, to eat, she was very nice to them, not frustrated like some are with kids, she made it so they could all sit together and even asked how much money they had so she could help them make the best choices... I got it fixed, paid and left. I would recommend this Denny's to friends and family and if anyone happened to ask me where they should eat in El Cajon. I will definitely be going...