Denny’s has been a go-to spot for breakfast lovers for decades, whether you’re stopping by after a late night out or just want a casual sit-down meal that won’t break the bank. But here’s something most people don’t realize: not everything on their breakfast menu is worth your money. Some items miss the mark so badly that they can turn your morning meal into a serious disappointment. From overcooked steaks to suspiciously watery omelets, there are several dishes that regular customers and food reviewers consistently warn others to avoid. Knowing which items to skip can save you from wasting your hard-earned cash on a breakfast that leaves you feeling let down before your day even begins.
The Lumberjack Slam has too much going on
If you’ve ever thought bigger is always better when it comes to breakfast, the Lumberjack Slam might make you reconsider. This massive plate comes loaded with pancakes, eggs, hash browns, toast, and then piles on three different kinds of meat: sausage, ham, and bacon. It sounds impressive at first, but the reality is that all those different proteins competing for space on one plate just doesn’t work. After a few bites, the meat starts tasting samey and boring, and you’re left wondering why you ordered so much food that doesn’t even taste that good together.
The real problem with this dish is that it prioritizes quantity over quality. One person on Reddit complained about getting a slice of what they called crusty ham, questioning why anyone would pay extra for that kind of experience. The portions are so excessive that you end up feeling stuffed in an uncomfortable way rather than satisfied. If you’re really hungry, you’d be much better off ordering the All-American Slam or the Original Grand Slam instead. These options give you plenty of food without going overboard, and they’re actually designed to taste good together rather than just throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks.
The Philly cheesesteak omelet doesn’t make sense
Omelets are supposed to be light, fluffy, and filled with ingredients that complement the eggs. The Philly cheesesteak omelet throws that concept out the window by cramming grilled beef into what should be a delicate breakfast dish. Sure, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and Swiss cheese sound like they’d make a decent omelet, but when you add a heap of cheesesteak meat to the mix, everything gets thrown out of balance. The beef completely takes over, and what you’re left with is more like a cheesesteak with some eggs mixed in rather than an actual omelet.
The combination just feels forced, like someone in the test kitchen was trying too hard to create something unique without thinking about whether it would actually taste good. One reviewer on YouTube mentioned that despite all the ingredients packed into this dish, it somehow manages to be lacking in actual taste. The concept might sound interesting if you’re looking for something different, but the execution falls flat every time. If you’re craving eggs, there are plenty of better options on the menu like the Ultimate Omelet or country fried steak and eggs. And if you really want a Philly cheesesteak, you’d be better off making one at home where you can control the quality of the ingredients.
The T-bone steak arrives overcooked every time
Ordering a steak at a diner is always a bit of a gamble, and at Denny’s, it’s a bet you’re likely to lose. The T-bone steak and eggs might sound like a hearty, protein-packed way to start your day, but getting a properly cooked steak requires skill and attention that’s hard to find at a casual breakfast chain. Steaks need to be monitored carefully and cooked by someone who knows what they’re doing, and that’s just not what you’re going to get at most Denny’s locations. The result is usually a disappointing piece of meat that bears little resemblance to what you actually ordered.
People ordering medium-rare steaks have reported receiving T-bones that are cooked all the way through, completely grey inside without a hint of pink. When one frustrated customer posted about their overcooked steak on Reddit, the responses weren’t sympathetic. Instead, other users pointed out that ordering a steak at Denny’s is just asking for trouble. Making matters worse, a poll found that almost a quarter of people think Denny’s has the worst eggs of any chain restaurant, which means both main components of this dish are likely to disappoint. When you’re paying for a steak breakfast, you deserve better than a tough, overcooked piece of meat sitting next to subpar eggs.
The hash browns aren’t even fresh
Hash browns seem like one of the simplest items on any breakfast menu. They’re just shredded potatoes cooked until crispy, right? Well, at Denny’s, it’s not quite that straightforward. According to someone who claims to have worked as a general manager at the chain, the hash browns don’t start out as fresh potatoes at all. Instead, they arrive dehydrated in large cartons and have to be rehydrated for several hours before they can even be cooked. That means the crispy, golden hash browns you’re eating started their life as dried-out potato flakes sitting in a box.
Now, to be fair, the hash browns don’t taste terrible once they’re prepared and served. But when you’re going out to eat at a restaurant, part of what you’re paying for is food that’s better than what you could make at home, and ideally made with fresh ingredients. Learning that something as basic as hash browns comes from a dehydrated mix can make you feel like you’re not getting good value for your money. If freshness matters to you at all when you’re choosing where to eat breakfast, the hash browns at Denny’s are probably something you should skip. There are other side options available that might give you more bang for your buck.
The loaded veggie omelet turns out watery
If you’ve ever tried making a veggie omelet at home, you know that vegetables release a lot of moisture when they’re cooked. This can turn what should be a fluffy, satisfying omelet into a soggy, watery mess if you’re not careful about how you prepare it. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happens with the loaded veggie omelet at Denny’s. Packed with spinach, onions, tomatoes, and roasted bell peppers, along with Swiss cheese, this omelet sounds like it should be a lighter, healthier option compared to the meat-heavy dishes that dominate the rest of the menu.
In practice, though, all those vegetables create so much liquid that the eggs end up swimming in it. Online reviews consistently mention the unappetizing watery texture, and many people also complain that despite being loaded with ingredients, the omelet somehow manages to taste bland. When a restaurant known for rich, indulgent breakfast food tries to offer something on the lighter side, it often doesn’t turn out well because that’s not what they do best. The loaded veggie omelet is a perfect example of this problem. You’re better off sticking with what Denny’s actually does well rather than hoping their healthier options will somehow be worth ordering.
Moons Over My Hammy is overly salty
Breakfast sandwiches can be a great choice when you want something portable and filling, and Denny’s Moons Over My Hammy has been on the menu for years as one of their signature items. Served on grilled sourdough bread, this sandwich is stacked with scrambled eggs, both Swiss and American cheese, and thick slices of ham. It comes with hash browns on the side, making it a complete breakfast in one order. On paper, it sounds like a solid choice, but the reality doesn’t live up to the description.
The biggest problem with this sandwich is that it’s just too heavy and salty without anything to balance out all that richness. You’ve got eggs, two different types of cheese, and a generous amount of ham all piled together with nothing fresh or acidic to cut through the heaviness. Food bloggers who have tried it complain about how incredibly salty the whole thing tastes, and the quality of the ham itself leaves a lot to be desired. Many people say they would have preferred regular bacon or sausage instead of the deli-style ham that comes on the sandwich. Even though it’s been a Denny’s classic for a long time, that doesn’t mean it’s actually good. You’d be better off making your own breakfast sandwich at home where you can use better quality ingredients.
Most slam breakfasts are poorly portioned
The slam section of the Denny’s menu is supposed to be where you go when you want a big, hearty breakfast that includes a little bit of everything. These platters typically come with some combination of eggs, pancakes, toast, hash browns, and various breakfast meats. The idea is that you get a complete meal on one plate without having to order multiple items separately. But the execution on many of these slam breakfasts leaves something to be desired, particularly when it comes to how the portions are balanced.
Some slams give you way too much of ingredients that don’t cost much while skimping on the more expensive items, which makes the whole plate feel unbalanced. Others just pile on so much food that it becomes overwhelming rather than satisfying, like the Lumberjack Slam we mentioned earlier. The quality of individual components can also vary wildly from one location to another, which means you might have a decent experience at one Denny’s and a terrible one somewhere else. If you’re going to order a slam breakfast, your best bet is sticking with the Original Grand Slam or All-American Slam, which tend to be more consistently prepared and better proportioned than some of the more extreme options.
Specialty items prioritize novelty over taste
Every chain restaurant feels pressure to regularly introduce new menu items to keep customers interested and coming back. Denny’s is no exception, and they frequently roll out limited-time specialty items or permanent additions that are supposed to set them apart from other breakfast places. The problem is that many of these specialty dishes seem to be created more for their novelty value or Instagram potential than because they actually taste good. When a restaurant focuses on making something unique or attention-grabbing rather than delicious, the results are usually disappointing.
The Philly cheesesteak omelet is a perfect example of this tendency. It exists because someone thought combining two popular foods would be interesting, not because eggs and cheesesteak meat actually complement each other. Other specialty items fall into the same trap, trying to be creative or trendy without considering whether the combination of ingredients makes sense from a taste perspective. When you’re at Denny’s, you’re usually better off ordering the straightforward, classic breakfast items that have been on the menu forever. Those dishes might not be exciting or unique, but they’re more likely to be prepared well and actually taste good because the kitchen staff makes them hundreds of times every week. Save the experimental ordering for restaurants that specialize in creative breakfast food.
Egg quality varies wildly between locations
Eggs are the foundation of most breakfast meals, so when a restaurant can’t get them right, everything else suffers. Unfortunately, Denny’s has developed a reputation for inconsistent egg preparation that changes dramatically depending on which location you visit and who happens to be working the grill that day. Some customers report perfectly cooked eggs that are fluffy and well-seasoned, while others get rubbery, overcooked eggs that taste like they’ve been sitting under a heat lamp for too long. This inconsistency makes it hard to know what you’re going to get when you order any egg-based dish.
The problem gets even worse when you consider that poll showing nearly a quarter of people think Denny’s serves the worst eggs among major breakfast chains. That’s a pretty damning statistic for a restaurant where eggs appear in most of the menu items. Whether you’re ordering an omelet, a slam breakfast, or eggs alongside a steak, the quality of those eggs is going to make or break your meal. The fact that egg preparation is so hit-or-miss at Denny’s locations means you’re taking a chance every time you order anything with eggs in it. For a basic ingredient that every breakfast restaurant should be able to master, this level of inconsistency is unacceptable.
Walking into Denny’s for breakfast should be a reliable experience where you know you’ll get a decent meal at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, several items on their breakfast menu consistently fail to deliver on that promise. From the excessive Lumberjack Slam to the watery veggie omelet and the perpetually overcooked T-bone steak, there are plenty of dishes worth avoiding. Your best bet is sticking with the simpler, classic breakfast options that Denny’s has been making for decades rather than gambling on specialty items or overly ambitious dishes that sound better than they taste.
