Thank god for PR companies, because I really would have been bummed to have missed the news about Denny's new late-night menu, served only between the witching hours from 10 to 5 in the a.m. At first, I thought I'd post the photo above in our weekly WTF Is It ?!? contest, but it's just too big a challenge. Who'd have the chops to get that the "Sweet Ride Nachos" ($6.99, a bargain, and your postprandial cramps are totally free) are composed of "Freshly fried flour tortilla chips tossed in cinnamon sugar, then topped with strawberry topping, raspberry sauce, seasonal fruit, hot fudge, caramel, white chocolate chips and whipped cream." Ooooh yummy, yummy, yummy. The photo just doesn't do it justice.
And that's not all. "Denny’s servers will swap their traditional uniforms for jeans and black “Get Your Crave On” t-shirts. Restaurants will play alternative rock music from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m." I don't know about you, but I smell a whiff of desperation along with the deep-fryer fumes.
Here's my favorite part of the press release:
"Denny’s based the development of its new late-night menu on feedback from focus group and taste test studies with consumers ages 18 to 24."
Short order contacted one member of the focus group for comment:
and our anonymous source confirmed that the "Sweet Ride" had edged out both the "Potachos" ($7.29, potato chips, sausage, bacon... uh, shall we continue?) and the "Smokin Four Pack" ($7.99) as the testers' runaway favorite.
Only one member of the focus group demurred. When asked about Denny's new midnight snack, "Strips and Sticks" ($3.99), Barack O. (not his real name), a morning person sporting an American flag lapel pin, said: Shouldn't that be 'Stripes and Stars?' I stand by Denny's traditional menu."
