Idolator

In its continuing effort to welcome the huddled masses yearning to get out of their houses between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., Denny's has brought a few new items to its Rockstar Menu, in which touring bands decide to out-gross each other with the help of the restaurant chain's short-order cooks around the country. Last time out, America's suburban insomniacs were treated to really sweet milkshakes, heart-shaped pancakes, chipped beef on toast, and french fries that had been subjected to a bacon cheeseburger circle pit. What mouth-watering offerings await you tonight? The four answers—courtesy of Taking Back Sunday, Boys Like Girls, Katy Perry, and Hoobastank—after the jump. (And no, I'm not making any of them up to "trick" you.) More »

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 »

Following on from Krystal's "free downloads with every-fowl-based purchase" promotion, folks who eat at Denny's (I'm assuming there's some customer-base crossover there) will be get a free code with every delicious, sugary Coke beverage purchased starting in October, whereby they can go to Denny's Web site and enjoy cruddy, sugary country-pop from the likes of Taylor Swift and Bucky Covington. More »