Denny's — Restaurant in Phoenix

I've been coming to this Denny's for years and even left good reviews for the work staff and how friendly and accommodating they have been however, with a capital "H", today was a major exception and the first time I've been served by the manager. I'm a vegetarian and as I said for years they have always substituted for me when I can't eat the meat because I don't believe in killing animals. Today however I ordered something that had the meat and ask them to substitute an egg by stating I'm a vegetarian, leave the meat off and add an egg. I assume that he knew that that was a substitution not an addition since I've received that in the past. However it was a $14 breakfast that turned into $29 and some cents and I took the issue up with the manager himself and he argued with me saying that he tells all of his staff not to do substitutions that he's just like every other restaurant when it comes to that. First of all I was under the impression that Denny's was a family-oriented restaurant and that was their claim to fame and that they would bend over backwards to accommodate people and not wait till they're up at the cash register to do so in front of a whole packed house. He finally agreed to take a couple dollars off of my breakfast however only after berating me and making me feel like I was complaining unnecessarily. So in summary, I don't mind if you want to discriminate against me being a vegetarian and not go the extra mile and trouble yourself in a professional manner to make me feel comfortable and welcome in your establishment as long as you don't mind me leaving a terrible review for your lack of foresight and fairness in a world where there is little of that around and much needed. I won't be coming back I'll go to IHOP next time I've always had a good experience there. No wonder so many of your businesses are going under. Thank you for the discount however even if it was after me having to argue with you about it. I will give you credit for that.i would think the objective should be to be better than the rest,NOT be the same. That's forward thinking when it comes to...

I placed a take out order online. I planned on going inside (despite that it was sprinkling) per the online instruction. I saw they had parking spaces for curbside and figured I might as well park there (even though online ordering didn't not give a curbside option. I figured I wait there until the estimated time my order was ready and call the number on the curbside sign, since I was rather early. But as I'm waiting one of the server is at my window and asked if I was waiting on the to-go order. I said yes but I'm early and I can go inside to get it. Jacob assured me that it was almost ready and insisted on bringing it to me (even as it was cold and still sprinkling) a few minutes later Jacob was at my window, with a smile and my order. I forgot to order ranch with my food (and as we all know, ranch makes almost anything better). I explained that I forgot to order it and that I could go inside to get it (since he'd already came out to my car twice. But again he insisted on bringing it to my car. To some this just may seem like a normal customer-server interaction but let's face it, for those of you that remember customer service, it's almost non-existent these days. The last time I ordered Denny's (at another location) the server that brought it to me, did not say one word and handed me the bag with no expression or even trace of a smile. Jacob was so kind and professional that, that Denny's is going to become my regular Denny's. If I have one complaint, and this is directed at you, Denny's corporate, allow for tipping for your online orders. Your servers work hard and on AZ for less than minimum wage. With today's online culture, no one carries cash. I've even been with friends were we choose not to order from somewhere, because you cannot tip online and we didn't feel like stopping for cash. So no only is it not fair for your servers (the good ones at least, like Jacob) but it's an inconvenience to your customers, that may just be lessening your customer basis. That being said, Thank you Jacob for being a great server. Denny's is lucky...

My toddler son and I ate lunch here every Saturday while he was in his chocolate-chip-pancakes-for-breakfast phase. Just about every week, we would just stand there for ten or fifteen minutes waiting to be seated while hosts/hostesses, and even managers, just ignored us. It looks like they wait until there's a large crowd of people waiting, then seat everybody.

One week, after waiting over ten minutes, another group came in behind us and the hostess, the same woman that ignored us every week, looked right past me and asked them how many. I said, "Two!" She looked at me and said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were waiting to be seated."

Seriously? Why else would anybody stand next to a sign that says, "Please Wait To Be Seated," for ten minutes? Even if I was standing there for some other bizarre reason, you'd think they'd have the courtesy to ask me what I was standing there for.

The following week, I definitely wasn't in the mood for any foolishness. So, after about five minutes I told the woman I we were going to the Waffle House next door since we were invisible. Waffle House...no pancakes, only waffles....

It was a little awkward having to go back, so I became that guy. As soon as I walked in, I looked her in the face and said, "Can you see me this time?" She just followed the script and said, "How many?" I told her two and proceeded to let her know how ridiculous it is to get ignored every week, blah blah blah, etc., ad infinitum.... She apologized and seated us.

After that, I talked my son in to chocolate chip waffles and we went to the Waffle House, where we were always greeted and seated immediately. Everybody was also much friendlier at the Waffle House.

Other than the horrible hosts, hostesses and managers, ignoring people waiting to be seated, the food is adequate to pretty good, depending on what you order. The service is pretty quick and friendly.

My only beef is being ignored for ten of fifteen minutes every time we waited to get seated. But, this was annoying enough to...