The new Denny's restaurant at 5501 Leesburg Pike in Bailey's Crossroads is expected to open in July, workers renovating the interior of the new eatery said Wednesday.
The franchise-owned restaurant is undergoing a top-to-bottom renovation. The location previously served for years as a Chili's restaurant; that eatery closed in 2017.
The new diner is the second in the works for the Leesburg Pike corridor. The other is Silver Diner, to be located at King and Beauregard streets.
There are currently two other Denny's in the region — one on Richmond Highway and another in Fairfax.
Denny's bills itself as "a casual diner chain, dishing up classic American comfort fare," including its famous "Grand Slam Breakfast," which consists of two buttermilk pancakes, two sunny side up eggs, two bacon strips and two sausage links. It's also served with hash browns or choice of bread, plus coffee and juice. The breakfast, served all day, debuted in 1977 in Atlanta, where it got its name from baseball great Hank Aaron, who played for the Braves earlier in the 1970s.
Some other fun facts about Denny's:
- Drew Carey, who now hosts "The Price Is Right," was once a Denny's waiter.
- A Denny's in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. is decorated with holiday decorations year round.
- You can get married at the Denny's in Las Vegas.
Denny's was founded by Harold Butler and Richard Jezak, who opened Danny's Donuts in Lakewood, Calif. in 1953. In 1956, a year after Jezak's departure from the then-six-store chain, Butler changed the concept, shifting it from a donut shop to a coffee shop with store No. 8. The headquarters office is located in Spartanburg, S.C.
