Denny’s tagline may be “America’s Diner” — and indeed, its iconic red leather booths and drop-tile ceilings embody the quintessential, Platonic ideal of a “diner” by any name. But, in the U.S., one lone state remains without a Denny’s location: Delaware. From family breakfasts, to late nights during college, to the pivotal scene in David Lynch’s “Mulhollhand Drive,” diners serve more than just hearty portions of affordable eats. They serve as the backdrop to life. Although, for Delawareans, that backdrop is going to have to look a tad different from the Denny’s digs U.S. foodies know and love.
According to data analytics firm ScrapeHero, as of October 2025, there are 1,319 Denny’s locations in the U.S., the bulk of which reside in California with a whopping 353 restaurants (27% of all U.S. Denny’s). Nationwide, Denny’s presence is particularly concentrated along the Northeast and Midwest, with strong presences in Florida and Texas. As for The First State (the first of the 13 Colonies to ratify the Constitution), we’re still waiting patiently for Delaware to get its Denny’s. However, Denny’s recently announced that it’s headed toward private ownership, which holds the potential for changes like expansion (we hope). As to why there isn’t a Denny’s location in Delaware, the jury’s still out. There seems to have been a Delaware Denny’s location in the past, but that restaurant has been shuttered for several years.
Read more: 15 Failed Restaurant Chains We Actually Miss
Delaware remains Denny’s-less
Four plates of diner food; eggs, bacon, pancakes, strawberries, biscuit, toast – Alexander Farnsworth/Getty Images
A 2021 post in the Facebook group “What’s Going There in Delaware” elaborates, “Just a quick update on the old Denny’s on Route 273 near the roller skating rink. There is now an ‘Available’ sign on the front of the property with contact information.” According to the poster, there was talk of the diner being transformed into a Popeye’s location: “The county parcel link shows a number of project updates up to the end of July but nothing finished. It appears this may not become a Popeye’s after all.” Another commenter notes, “That ‘Available’ sign has been up since right after Denny’s closed. It stayed up after all the announcements about Popeye’s coming there.” So, at least for now, it looks like Delawareans shouldn’t hold their breath for this (or any other) Denny’s location to open its doors in the state.
Luckily for foodies, in Denny’s absence, there are plenty of knockout diners in Delaware for a killer breakfast surrounded by classic retro digs. One premier diner to check out is Lucky’s Coffee Shop in Talleyville, DE — which serves up homestyle fare like pancakes and scrapple. Other honorable, old-school mentions include Crossroads on Kirkwood Highway and Limestone Road, Sunrise Restaurant off of Dewey Beach, and Angelo’s Luncheonette in Wilmington’s Forty Acres. For foodies whose chief appeal to Denny’s is its late-night hours, Wilmington Diner and Smiley’s in Newark are both open 24/7.
Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we’re helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
