People Can't Stand Working At Denny's And We Think We Know Why

One of the best-known diners in America, Denny's has a simple mission. The eatery claims to offer an inviting space for those who want to bond with their friends and family over good food. The restaurant's beginnings were rather humble. As per the brand's website, Denny's began in 1953. Founders Harold Butler and Richard Jezak started off running a donut stand called Danny's Donuts. Butler's vision was "to serve the serve the best cup of coffee, make the best donuts, give the best service, offer the best value and stay open 24 hours a day."

The original vision obviously changed over time, as Danny's grew from a single donut stand into the restaurant we now know as Denny's. The brand has established itself as a major chain with more than 1,700 outlets. The backbone of those locations is undoubtedly the employees, who make or break the quality of the food and service. But what is it like working at one of the famed diners? Turns out, working at Denny's isn't so great if online testimonials are anything to go by. Here's what you should know. 

Denny's doesn't have a stellar reputation as an employer in the hospitality business. Being a restaurant that is open at all hours requires its employees to put in a lot of hours, and the pay isn't good. Denny's was in the middle of an ugly controversy in 2016 when it was accused of not granting its staff members their breaks and denying them overtime pay. Denny's ultimately settled the case for $950,000 (via the Fresno Bee).

Plus, reviews on Indeed point to the fact that things go south really fast without good management. A former server wrote, "It was very dysfunctional and management was horrible. We never had the things we needed as servers to do our jobs, yet we were expected to be perfect. Once the manager left for the day, all hell broke loose." Another server pointed out that the hourly wages simply aren't enough but did have an overall positive assessment, noting that it was important to focus and perform well in order to get good tips. However, they added, "Hope for good management, but don't hold your breath. Management works on salary so they get paid regardless." Yikes.