LA CROSSE, Wis. & SPARTANBURG, S.C. --Kwik Trip Inc. has forged a deal with Denny’s to open full-service restaurants at four of the convenience-store and travel center retailer’s locations, Denny’s CEO John Miller said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call.
“Our new Kwik Trip partnership speaks to the strength of the brand and the success we have had at travel center locations across the country,” he said. “They currently have four travel center stores with existing restaurants. They are excited to open new Denny's at these stores and hope to have the opportunity to add new restaurants as they look to expand their footprint with new travel center locations.”
He added, “We believe the Upper Midwest is an underpenetrated region for Denny's as we currently have 36 franchise restaurants in those three states. We believe that this partnership will help us accelerate restaurant development in that region.”
Four existing Kwik Trip Hearty Platter Restaurants in Wisconsin are scheduled to become Denny’s restaurants this year, Bill Ruby, Denny’s vice president of company operations, told CSP Daily News. They will be located in Wilson, Tomah and Mauston, with a fourth location scheduled to open in Brooklyn, Iowa. The restaurants are scheduled to open Nov. 15, Nov. 29, Dec. 13 and Dec. 27, respectively.
“Denny’s culture, ethos and atmosphere is very similar to that of the Kwik Trip family, offering the same great food, value and variety to our guests,” he said. “Denny’s is thrilled to partner with Kwik Trip and serve the Wisconsin and Iowa communities the same bright smiles and welcoming staff they were accustomed to at the Hearty Platter Restaurants.”
“All locations are full-service restaurants and offer Denny’s signature menu service, including many great offers and promotions for professional drivers,” he said. “Denny’s Kwik Trip locations will operate in the same ‘always-open’ vein as other Denny’s locations, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
The new diners will all undergo extensive interior and exterior renovations, from signage and interior décor, to employee uniforms and kitchen equipment, said Ruby.
“While these are the only current Kwik Trip locations set to become Denny’s restaurants, we’re excited about the potential for future growth and developments with Kwik Trip, he said.
Denny’s also has restaurants in Pilot Flying J travel center locations.
Spartanburg, S.C.-based Denny’s is one of America’s largest full-service family restaurant chains, currently operating 1,700 franchised, licensed and company-owned restaurants across the United States, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guam, Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico and New Zealand.
Founded in 1965, Kwik Trip is one of the largest independently held convenience-store chains in the United States. The La Crosse, Wis.-based company owns and operates more than 475 Kwik Trip, Kwik Star, Hearty Platter Restaurants and Tobacco Outlet Plus stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.
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