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.

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