Massachusetts: With Locations Closing, There Are Only 4 Denny’s Left Here

One of America's favorite breakfast chains had plans to close 10 to 20 restaurants this year, according to Eat This, Not That. Unfortunately, that means there are only four Denny's in Massachusetts left.

In fact, this consolidation comes on the heels of 57 Denny's restaurants closing last year in 2023. "CFO Robert Verostek revealed during a Feb. 13 earnings call that Denny's continued to struggle with inflation in 2023 and ultimately ended up shuttering dozens of its restaurants as a result," Eat This, Not That explained.

In late March of this year, a popular Worcester location at 494 Lincoln St. closed its doors for good.

Although the Boston metro area does not get any Denny's love, they are spread fairly across the rest of the state (minus the South Shore). The addresses are:

The good news is, in true Denny's fashion, each of these four restaurants is still open 24 hours per day, and serves your breakfast favorites during all hours.

According to data company ScrapeHero, California still has the most Denny's locations in the country with a whopping 388 restaurants. That's 25% of their total locations.

Regardless of which Denny's you will now choose to go to, here is the perfect order.

Keep in mind that breakfast is acceptable and highly encouraged at any time. The breakfast signature meals and specialty pancakes and crepes section of the menu certainly do jump out at you, but the "classic slams" contain a value that is hard to pass up.

Currently, the berry waffle slam and the berry stuffed French toast slam are being showcased on the menu. The Lumberjack, where you get pancakes, eggs, hash browns, grilled ham, bacon, sausage links, and a choice of bread is also a fan-favorite. It all sounds great, but that might be too much food.

I'm all in on the "super slam." Here for under $10, you get a hot plate that contains two of everything. That's two buttermilk pancakes, two sausage links, two bacon strips, two eggs, and hash browns. Add a cup of fresh coffee and even share a bowl of fresh seasonal fruit and you have yourself a great deal, where you walk away comfortably full.

The traditional shakes remain on the menu at Denny's as well. That's a sweet serving of either their vanilla, chocolate, Oreo, or strawberry-flavored milkshake.

Okay, let me get right to the point. I'm from New Jersey and grew up about twenty miles from Manhattan. So, I've been on the hunt for the perfect bagel ever since I moved to New England 12 years ago, and have been pleasantly surprised to find a few Massachusetts chain restaurants that actually have great bagels.

I'm also always on the run driving to various events or tournaments across the state. Regardless of what county I am in, a good bagel and coffee breakfast is something I am always looking for. Time is usually of the essence so my preference is typically a quick grab-and-go.

I've compiled a short list of bagel chains that really deliver. To clarify, this list excludes any local bakery or privately owned single bagel shop. Many of those remain among my favorite places to grab an everything, extra-toasted, and lightly buttered. In fact, this past weekend I even tripped across one that cooks a "New Jersey Pork Roll" bagel sandwich. The proper term is Taylor Ham, but back to the point.

The bagel restaurants selected here don't have to be specific to Massachusetts only. They do, however have multiple locations throughout the state. So, If I'm en route to an early morning lacrosse tournament in Devens and stop in to grab breakfast at a Newton franchise, I can expect their other location in Milton will have a similar offering, when I'm there for a sunrise hockey game in the winter.

In full transparency, Dunkin' Donuts is not on this list. With all due respect,  it's called Dunkin "Donuts" for a reason. Throw a sausage, egg, and cheese on one of their bagels and I'm OK, but I'm still not going out of my way specifically for their bagels. However, if this were a coffee chain feature, Dunkin' would be standing strong towards the top.

Without further ado, let's hop in the car, roll down Route 3, 24, or take a sharp exit off 93, and pull into a few Massachusetts small chain restaurants that are cooking up some great bagels.

There are five Gunther Tooties locations from Foxborough down to the South Shore. The owner of this chain worked in a New York bagel shop before taking over the first location in Pembroke. Moreover, a few of their spots offer drive-through. The "French Toast" bagel listed under the New York Style portion of the menu is always hard to resist.

Sometimes known as "The Bagel Shop" (like their Chatham location), this is a family operated chain business that has a significant presence in eastern Massachusetts and in Florida. Everything is baked fresh onsite. If you've ever wondered what Chocolate Chip Cookie flavored Iced Coffee takes like, they have 22 different variations here. And it tastes as good as it sounds.

There are five Cafe Fresh Bagel restaurants all within about 30 minutes of each other. This is my bagel breakfast sandwich spot. I  keep it simple when I go there, with a classic: bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel.

There are 14 Bruegger's in Massachusetts. Each one is a combination of its own character and consistent taste. The menu is the same everywhere, which is a good thing because their bagels contiguously deliver an essential bagel flavor whether you are in a Bruegger's on School St. in Boston or stopping in on your way to their Route 3a South Shore location on your way to the highway. Plus, their bagels are relatively small, so you can eat two.