Denny's — Restaurant in Pleasanton

Full disclosure: I don't have the highest opinion of any Denny's. It's a cheap(ish) diner from yesteryear that holds mostly a nostalgic place in my heart. The food is mediocre at best, and the service can be hit or miss depending on how the employees feel that particular day. Despite it all, I still like to come every once in a while.

Recently my wife wanted pancakes and she had never been to a Denny's before so I thought what better time than a cool Sunday morning. We arrived at this location at about 10:30 am before the church/lunch rush. We were seated relatively quickly with one party ahead of us. The restaurant wasn't empty but not nearly as busy for how slow the service was. We sat for a few minutes before being greeted and asking if we were ready for our order. Both my wife and I got a sweet cream cold brew coffee, I got the BLT breakfast sandwich and she got the 9 grain pancakes breakfast.

The food took about 20-25 minutes to make it to our table. By this time the restaurant had quickly filled up with 4 servers running back and forth. My order was wrong. Apparently me pointing to the picture and saying exactly what item I wanted wasn't enough for the server to understand. Instead she gave me a brisket breakfast sandwich. My wife specifically asked for no butter on her pancakes and of course it came with a healthy scoop of butter. I told the server my order was wrong and she seemed like she was a deer in headlights. She put the correct order in but it took another 15 minutes for my food to come.

She told me she couldn't change the order on my check and that I would have to tell the cashier to change it for me when I paid. I didn't even bother; it was only a $3 difference but the entire experience was pretty much on par for Denny's.

Overall this location is clean and despite everything the staff was really nice and friendly. Additionally this location is much more modern than all the other locations in the bay area. Would I come back? Probably. But not...

I’ve been to Denny’s many times over the years, but I have never experienced service like I did tonight—and it’s all thanks to Francis, one of the most dedicated and genuinely kind workers I’ve ever encountered at any restaurant, let alone a Denny’s.

From the moment I walked in, I could tell this guy truly cared about every guest. He wasn’t just taking orders and moving on—he was handling the entire floor by himself, managing 6 to 7 tables all at once, and yet still somehow found the time to personally check in with every single table. Not just a quick “how’s everything,” but real, sincere interactions: “How’s the food?” “How’s the flavor?” “Do you need anything else?” That level of service is something you’d expect at a fine dining restaurant—not a late-night Denny’s.

Francis has a naturally warm personality, and it truly made the entire experience feel elevated. His attitude, attention to detail, and genuine care created a vibe that honestly made me feel like I was at a 5-star restaurant.

I’ve been to Denny’s multiple times, in multiple locations, but never have I come across someone like Francis. If every Denny’s had a team of workers like him, this place would be on another level.

Denny’s—you’ve got a star employee right here. Don’t let this kind of talent go unnoticed. Francis deserves recognition, appreciation, and all the credit for turning a regular late-night meal into a truly memorable experience....

I have always had a great meal at this Denny’s. I’ve tried many things on the menu and I can’t recall anytime that the food has come out bad. I do remember though one time my french fries came out less than hot. When I pointed this out to my server, I got a new order that was piping hot.

The service from the weight staff is pretty good and they usually pay good attention to details, Like making sure I have napkins and utensils and if my drink is running low. They are always friendly and and they come by frequently to check if I need anything else.

Restrooms are clean and they don’t smell bad. I’ve been in some area restaurants where that is not always the case. Stinky restroom leave a bad taste in my mouth, which ruins a good meal.

Want to give a shout out to Yesenia, who works the graveyard shift. She is an example of great service which I described above. When she is not serving, she is cooking in the kitchen. When I see her cooking I go near the kitchen say hi and give wave. I don’t know a lot of folks who both serve and cook. Come to think of it she is the only one I’ve have ever known in a restaurant that does this. When she is cooking my food...