Idolator

We've reported earlier on Denny's attempt to reach out to the kids by inviting bands to design menu items, throwing Warped Tour afterparties, and playing alt-rock over the loudspeakers during the late-night hours. But since there's no outpost of the 24-hour chain diner nearby, we couldn't experience the marketing magic for ourselves—until last night, when the Idolator braintrust got invited to an event spotlighting the items on what Denny's is calling its Rock Star Menu. Unfortunately the Metropolitan Pavilion didn't have red plastic booths installed for the festivities (Denny's-branded placemats would have to suffice), it was early evening and not the wee hours of the morning, and I was drinking rum-spiked Diet Dr Pepper instead of the virginal version that I'd normally be served. But otherwise former Denny's beat reporter Anthony Miccio and I felt like we'd been transported back to the suburbs, complete with "Toxic" playing at top volume over the PA and me nearly choking on an onion ring. After the jump, our overall impressions of the menu's musician-designed foodstuffs. More »

Soon, your visit to Denny's will allow you to enjoy heart-shaped pancakes from the Eagles of Death Metal and milkshakes conceived by the Plain White T's thanks to the eatery's ever-evolving All Nighter campaign, which hopes to bring a "rock edge" to the restaurant during the wee hours. Restaurants will play nothing but alt-rock and the waitstaff will trade its regular uniforms for T-shirts and jeans! Suck on that, Waffle House! More »

Ah, Denny's. Whenever I'm back in my hometown, I love being able to hit you up 24-7 for a spicy buffalo chicken melt. (Except Christmas. Why do you close on Christmas? You think me and my townie friends aren't out drinking that night?) Due to my high tolerance for your cuisine, I'd probably gain 100 pounds if I was in one of the several rock bands you've "adopted" as part of your Denny's All Nighter campaign. You let a band on tour eat for free, and all they have to do is smile for the cameras and throw wild afterparties at select locations! Bands like Taking Back Sunday, Eagles Of Death Metal, and the All-American Rejects are even creating their own dishes! Somebody, bring back the Breakfast Dagwood!!! It rocked!!! More »

As we mentioned earlier today, Axl Rose recently kicked Eages Of Death Metal off the Guns N' Roses tour, providing the band with a new handle in the process. But how would you have handled it? More »