Yesterday, my friends and I were watching the Super Bowl when an ad came on for Denny's free Grand Slam event, which is happening tomorrow from
6 a.m. to 2 p.m. During those hours, the popular diner is serving up its free trademark breakfast plate, which includes two eggs, two pancakes, two strips of bacon, and two sausage links. Mmm.
So we saw the Denny's ad, and our gut reaction—so to speak—was happiness. "We have to do that!" someone said. "I'll wake up early for a Grand Slam!" another person added. And then we remembered,
Oh, we're in New York City. The nearest Denny's is in Jersey, and pretty much impossible to get to without paying more than a Grand Slam is worth in highway tolls or train tickets.
That's when I bowed out. The prospect of hopping states just to indulge in food I can get at any diner (or potentially make for myself) did not seem worthwhile, not even in the name of frugality.
The thing is, this free event isn't only arduous for New Yorkers. Pretty much every article on the Grand Slam-a-thon I found online warns customers of long lines wrapping around the building, which means either a bunch of reporters are hoping to deter Grand Slammers, or this thing is starting to sound like way more trouble than its worth, even if you live near a Denny's.
Then again, I didn't even want to leave the house on Black Friday. I guess I'm just not into crowds.
What do you think about Denny's free Grand Slam event? How far have you gone for free food?
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Comments (32)
I think it's more the spirit of it all.
Seeing as I'm not a big bacon, sausage or egg fan, it wouldn't be worth it for me.
It's worth it if there's a Denny's reasonably near you, and you have a morning to waste. Last year, they did this sale, and Denny's happened to be on my way to work. However, once I got there, I realized the line wrapped out all around the entire building, and it would end up making me more money to just go to work, work for that extra hour I would have spent waiting, and then buy myself something nice after my workday.
Otherwise, free food is almost always worth the effort.
To be honest I wouldn't get out of bed early for Denny's. Nor would I travel more than across town.
The only one that I know of nearby me is in a college town, and is 45 mins away. I wouldn't get up early enough to get there for breakfast just to have to wait in line forever behind a bunch of drunken college students.
There's one a couple of miles away from me. I doubt that I'll take the trip, just because I don't like waiting. I'd rather cook my own eggs and bacon than wait for an hour or more for someone else to cook it for me.
There are two Denny's within a 15 minute drive of my house, but I probably won't go because I'm in the middle of a snow storm and am not leaving the house unless I absolutely have to go to class tomorrow, if my school is ridiculous and doesn't shut down. I normally would skip, but I have an exam :( I do know a lot of people who will probably go though (and being a college town, that Denny's will be packed.)
they offer that shit free on your damn birthday! why fuckin' bother to wait in a long ass line for hours for something that you can make at home!
last year, there was a 3-4 hour wait at the Denny's near me. they started handing out coupons redeemable for a free breakfast and telling people to come back another day.
I did this last year, but had to leave before I got seated because of school. They gave me a coupon for a free grand slam that wouldn't expire for two weeks! Sweet deal!
awww it's free? too bad I have class. I haven't done anything extreme for free food yet. But I was considering dressing up as a burrito on Halloween to get a free burrito from chipotle
One of my friends went to this last year and he said that while it was great for him and his friends and there was a definate, "We're at an event," spirit in the air, he also saw people there who had obviously not eaten and nice, hot meal in a long time. I think this is a really grand gesture by Denny's. They must lose quite a bit of revenue on this day. (Yes, I know, it probably brings in enough customers who order other things along with the Grand Slam or people who would rather eat there after them doing this, but still.) I just think that possibly, the people who really benefit from this aren't really concerned with the frugality of waiting in line for a couple hours.
We have one here, but I never go to it, so I don't see why I'd go to it today.
Actually Ihop does something similar (I think next week) and my friends and I have been to that a few years in a row. We just do it because we can, and we have a plan for it all. We don't go during the typical "high peak hours" (breakfast & dinner) and we try to have one person go ahead to put our names in and we all meet there before being seated.
I think with these things it's all about patience really. You have to go in there prepared to wait to be seated, wait to get food and of course wait to pay, but it's really not so bad. I think some people just find a thrill in it all.
I'll pay to avoid a hassle. If having a Costco card ensured that my day at the grocery store would be chill and without a hassle, I would buy one. Buying 5 gallons of ketchup and a 30 pack of deodorant just isn't worth the hassle of dealing with the frenzy of people.
Neither is the food at Denny's.
It's nice to get excited about things though.
I'm just waiting to get the free one for my birthday...I figure it will be a bit quieter then...
My husband & I went. We didn't wake up early or anything ridiculous. We live in Lafayette, IN. In a college town, free food is always a hit. We expected to wait at least an hour but our Denny's seemed to handle the rush well & we were seated within 20 minutes if not less. We immediately ordered our food, got our drinks, & our free Grand Slams were in front of us within 15 minutes. It was cooked just like we had asked & definitely worth the wait.
i wish i knew that happened. and i've stolen to obtain "free" food.
It isn't worth it unless you are homeless or really hungry...or live within a reasonable distance, or something along those lines. I really thought this was going to be about how restaurant chains offer "buy one get one free" meals or something.
I left my house at 5:45 this morning to the closest Denny's (about five minutes away). It wasn't crowded at all until 6:30ish. Afterwards, I made it in time for the start of school. It was a great way to start my day! Hahaha I think it was totallyyyy worth waking up a little bit earlier! I <3 free food!!
I think the gesture is awesome gesture and completely worth it---if for no other reason than the message it sends. If I had a Denny's near me I would definitely go.
yes, it's worth it. i went to it and for some reason the food that they made today was like..better than denny's ever had..maybe it was because it was free
I went at 6 and there was a line coming out the door but it wasn't too much of a wait. There was time and there's one right by me, so why not? It was an interesting breakfast date with my husband, I enjoyed it.
I went at six this morning and didn't have to wait at all! It was wonderful.
I didn't go, my friend did though, he said the wait was horrible and by the time he got his food it was cold. Not worth it.
Does anyone else wonder how Dennys can afford all this free food?
i have dressed up for chipotle a few times and also ihop free pancake day is ttly worth it. i pretty much hop on the idea of free anything! it's also kind of fun. i agree with @lewk@xanga it is the spirit of it all. however, in your case it doesn't seem that worth it since it's denny's AND it's far away. i'd do it for almost any other place than dennys bleh