Denny’s is one of America’s oldest breakfast chains which has gone through some rough patches over the last several years. The brand has always carried an old school feel and it can be a challenge to stay relevant when everyone is seeking the latest and greatest. Kelli Valade, who took over as CEO in 2022, has overcome that obstacle and many others. Hiring Valade was the result of an extensive search and she was chosen for her long tenure in the restaurant industry and experience in leadership roles.

Kelli Valade has over 30 years of experience in restaurants and nearly a decade of time as a CEO. At just 16 years old, she started her career in foodservice as a hostess at TJ’s Big Boy. Her story spotlights the amazing growth potential that the industry offers, showing how someone can climb the ranks from the ground up. As both an entry level employee and a CEO, Valade has seen every facet of a restaurant and is able to use that experience to connect with employees at all levels. She spent 22 years at Brinker International where she held multiple leadership positions including COO. During her tenure there she spent time as the Brand President for Chili’s and was responsible for leading over 1,600 restaurants. She later served as the CEO of Red Lobster and CEO of Black Box Intelligence. It was at Black Box Intelligence that she got to see the power of data in action and is now able to bring that data centric experience to her new post.

For Denny’s, Valade has plans to revitalize the brand without losing the identity it has spent the last 70 years creating. Like many restaurants, Denny’s was forced to close some locations in 2021 and 2020, yet Valade is ready to turn that around and pursue aggressive expansion. She sees Denny’s as a mature brand and recognizes that the name is worth being invested in. The chain recently invested $25 million to renovate their kitchens with new equipment and improved workspaces designed to increase efficiency. In an era where inflation has priced out many customers, Denny’s is returning to its roots to offer more value deals that can get customers back in the door. Valade has also pushed for 72% of the company’s restaurants to return to 24hr operation. Part of that return to 24hr operations is to target younger customers, whom Valade believes prefer the later hours as well as engaging with virtual brands.

Kelli Valade has put Denny’s on the fast-track to re-engaging long-time customers and drawing in a new crowd. Her rise from hostess to CEO means that anyone can move up in an industry and make their passion a career. With multiple CEO positions on her resume there seems to be no slowing down for Valade and she plans to take Denny’s to the top.