Denny’s Makes Grand Slam Business Move

CBS Evening News: Companies That Give Back Are Earning Tons Of Customer Appreciation

(CBS)  From Cleveland to Denver, to Miami and back, in 1,500 restaurants all across the country, 2 million people waited patiently for a free Grand Slam breakfast.

“I’ve never seen anything like it before,” said Denny’s CEO Nelson Marchioli. “It changed our brand - it changed our company.”

CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella reports 35,000 people sent e-mails filled with gratitude, nearly crashing Denny’s Web site. People were blown away by such generosity at a time like this.

“I lost my job,” one e-mail read. “You’ve restored a razor-thin slice of my belief that this country can be saved. Kudos, Denny’s.”

“It is two eggs, two pancakes, two pieces of bacon and two pieces of sausage,” Marchioli said. “Who would have thought it would have moved American this way?”

Americans, it seems, are hungry for a little humanity, and companies large and small are finding that feeding that need can be good business.

The Jon Charles hair salon in Minneapolis has brought in 127 new customers in the past two weeks, taking advantage of the "Jon Charles Stimulus Package." New customers get a discount equal to their percentage of 401(k) or market losses. No proof needed.

“The next era in America is being honest and karma,” said owner Jon Charles. “Tell us you lost 38.4 percent and we’ll give you 38.4 percent off.”

Karma at a South Florida yoga studio means giving away two classes a week to the unemployed. Maya Parada just lost her marketing job.

"It's amazing,” Parada said. “I can't believe that people are actually opening their hearts and extending their hands to people in need at this time - we all need that extra hand you know."

Denny’s, which gambled $5 million on its Grand Slam Giveaway, has already made it all back. They’ll do it again next month - this time with a new twist. Those who ate free before are encouraged to pay the good deed forward: bring a friend in need and Denny’s will pick up their tab.

“America needs a hug,” Marchioli said. “America needs this far more than I would have ever anticipated. I encourage all CEOs to do this. It's an opportunity for us to give back.”

At a time when corporate greed still makes headlines, a little appreciate can go a long way.

"If we're going go out for a bite to eat anyway, why not give the business to somebody who really appreciated us?" asked teacher Judith Offrett.

Apparently, doing the right thing pays - in more ways than one.

[taylorsucram]

To the first comment re: Ronald Reagan. Not only did he initiate the "Selling of America" in which we changed from a manufacturing economy into a consumer economy, he also gave us the law (which he signed) that allowed ex-convicts to purchase Savings & Loans. They then ran "Their Real Estate Scam", you know buying property at inflated prices, passing the property back and forth between each other at ever higher market value. Hey! ... the more things change, the more they remain the same. History once again repeats itself, all they had to do was wait for another Republican to get into office

Don't worry in another 15 years we'll fall for the same "con" again.

[geraldled-2009]

Not to take away the glory, but....

Corporate social responsibility means if a corporation has the opportunity to be generous do it before legislature makes them do it.

Not to take away the glory, but during the Great Depression the years of Herbert Hoover, there were bread and coffee lines in the thousands from people that were jobless, homeless, and had lost money in uninsured savings, and the stock market. The Stock Market crash that happened on October 24, 1929, happened because stocks were bought on credit and when the creditors wanted to be repaid most sold their stock to repay and since America was the biggest lender to foreign markets they crashed too because most businesses relied on credit to function.

If that were to happen today, masses of people with abject hunger and joblessness, what would congress do?

I'm an aspiring journalist.

[vranger]

"It will give you some insight into where Reagan got his "trickle down" theory "

Yeah, all Reagan gave us was 3.8% unemployment (a low), virtually no inflation (a low), the lowest interest rates since the early 60s, and a fourfold reduction in the prime rate. Couple that with the dismantling of Soviet Communism and there is absolutely nothing to thank him for, is there?

(That was sarcasm, moron).

[afmcalax]

Just think how much good will the American credit card companies would garner if they lowered their interest rates to a resonable level. With the current interbank rates they could easily cut their interest rates to 4 to 5 percent and still make a profit servicing the accounts while allowing strapped Americans a chance to erase their debt and start spending again.

Unfortunately, don't hold your breath ... even with tax-payer bailout, these companies favor greed over goodwill.

[omnibus66]

There is no Denny's where I live, but I congratulate them. There was a time past where a business was satisfied with a reasonable profit. But now it has changed to an attitude of stick it to the customer to make as much as possible. The re-selling of Chinese made garbage has become a national pastime.

Wouldn't it change the world if somehow thousands of new manufacturing plants, producing quality products to be sold at a reasonable price, were to spring up in this country?

Now that would be a stimulus we could live with.

[45ford]

From a virtual unending menu, quality of food, friendly 'n respectable service and their affordability, Denny's has always been a favorite. It makes standing in line worth the wait.

Thank you to all the employee's at Denny's for a job that is often nicely done a smile and courtesy despite some periodic customers who can be cranky.

[spaceatoms]

Denny's has marched to the beat of their own drum and there is nothing better than to get on the road and stop at a Denny's for some pancakes and coffee, until this globalization hiatus with India and China and investments being sucked out of every one of us, this country was on a roll, now unless your a guest at the Wall Street Hotel, you get nothing!

[olydem58]

THANK YOU DENNY'S I guess I will be eating at Denny's when I go out for breakfast from now on .

[Zakle-com]

If you are unemployed, you can only spend so many hours per day on your job search. That leaves you with a lot a free time and the frustration of not being able to put your skills to good use. At the same time, you have to give up of lot of the services you could afford before, like daycare, frequent haircuts, getting your car fixed, eating a meal fixed by someone else, etc.

Now thanks to Zakle, you can once again get the services you want while also helping others by using your valuable skills.

Here's how: Zakle is a worldwide community of people who help each other according to each person's skills. You help someone in need of your skills, you earn Points. You need another member's skills and services, you use your Points to get them.

Zakle has committed to distributing $100 million worth of Points in order to help those who are out of work and to stimulate the exchange of good deeds.

If you are unemployed, you will receive a grant of 500 Points (worth approx. $500) that you can use right away to get the services you want from other Zakle members. At the same time, you will offer your skills to help other members.

To learn more, go to http://www.zakle.com/stimulus_plan.php

[Non-Sequitur]

This is being an American... they fed right and left wingers... nobody cared, and neither should we. We've been ****************** into this divisive left-right, turn in your neighbor, kill your country paranoia mindset instigated by the media owning rich mofo's who stole and are continuing to steal our money. Get a grip... we're on our own so it's up to us to keep America free... or let it slide into the corporate slavery we've tried so hard to entrap the rest of the world into these past 30 some years. Yup... we're the bad boys on the block, aren't we? Now we're caught in our own fuggin trap because of poor planning and trusting the wrong people. A non-living entity, given life, known as a corporation, by the corporate owned government (a Frankenstein) whose sole existence is for profit, is not a good citizen, let alone a good neighbor. They don't care about your property value, they care about the bottom line... we have competing values... and that's what's wrong with America. They are considered our equals when in reality, they are artificial constructs intended to create profit at all costs... predators let loose among us. Constrain this cancer, and we will go a long way in restoring democracy to our country.

[jjzinken]

Way to be Jon Charles! Proud of ya! Love ya, Your sista Jennifer

[dakotaclark]

Hmmm...

I have an idea. Food banks across the U.S. are almost swamped with extra folks needing help with food.

If one can afford to donate $5 or $10, why not send it to your local food bank and say it's from you and Denny's?

The next time Denny's does such a promotional offer, I will be making a like value donation to my local food bank, on behalf of myself and Denny?s.

[jetranger7]

Yip, and it sure beats the Golden Archs Breakfast, and this is way better too !!

[barbaraf4]

Maybe this economic downturn is the way we will find our moral compass' again.

[credibility2]

I waited for the Denny's special for at least twenty minutes. Denny's also gave each person a coupon booklet for free items or discounts. I shared the generosity by giving my booklet of coupons to a senior couple, since they mentioned they regularly ate at the Denny's I received my free breakfast from. They were appreciative. I understand that for those who were in line at the time of cut-off, 2:00pm, a staff member gave waiting folks a coupon for a free breakfast on another day. Thanks Denny's. Great way to market your business.