Denny’s Inc. Announces Strategic Leadership Appointments to Drive Innovation and Operational Excellence

Denny’s Inc. (NASDAQ: DENN) today announced two key leadership appointments aimed at advancing the company’s technological innovation and operational growth. Minh Le has been named senior vice president and chief technology officer, effective September 23, and Christopher Bode will return as president and chief operating officer, effective September 30. These appointments reflect Denny’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its technological infrastructure and operational excellence across the brand.

Minh Le, a respected leader in restaurant technology, will serve as senior vice president and chief technology officer for Denny’s Corporation. In this role, he will oversee the entire technology ecosystem across both Denny’s and Keke’s Breakfast Café, with a focus on modernizing and integrating innovative solutions to enhance guest experiences, improving operational efficiencies, and ensuring data security and compliance. Le brings over 25 years of experience in steering large-scale technology transformations for major restaurant brands, including Checkers & Rally’s Drive-In Restaurants, CBC Restaurants, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, and Darden Restaurants.

“Denny’s is investing in the future by building a comprehensive technology ecosystem that will empower our teams and elevate the guest experience,” said Le. “I’m excited to join this forward-thinking company and drive the technological innovations that will support Denny’s and Keke’s in a rapidly evolving industry.”

Christopher Bode returns to Denny’s as president and chief operating officer, where he will oversee operations, marketing, finance, and HR for both corporate and franchise restaurants. Bode, who served as Denny’s COO from 2014 to 2022, brings extensive operational expertise and deep institutional knowledge of the brand. Most recently, he led Hardee’s USA as president, where he drove significant growth and operational excellence.

“Denny’s is a beloved brand known for its value and warm hospitality,” said Bode. “I’m excited to return as president and work closely with our franchisees and teams to deliver great guest experiences while driving profitable growth.”

Chris will report directly to Kelli Valade, CEO of Denny’s Inc., while Minh will report to Robert Verostek, Denny’s chief financial officer.

“We are thrilled to welcome Chris and Minh into these critical leadership roles as we continue to drive our business forward,” said Valade. “Chris’s deep operational expertise and intimate understanding of our franchise community, coupled with Minh’s visionary approach to elevating our technology infrastructure, will empower us to not only remain competitive but to lead the industry with innovation and excellence.”

For more information, please visit dennys.com.

###

About Denny's Corp  Denny's is a Spartanburg, S.C. - based family dining restaurant brand that has been welcoming guests to our booths for more than 70 years. Our guiding principle is simple: We love to feed people. Denny’s provides craveable meals at a meaningful value across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late night. Whether it's at our brick-and-mortar locations, via Denny's on Demand (the first delivery platform in the family dining segment), or at The Meltdown, Banda Burrito, and The Burger Den, our three virtual restaurant concepts, Denny’s is ready to delight guests whenever and however they want to order. Our longstanding commitment to supporting our local communities in need is brought to life with our Mobile Relief Diner (that delivers hot meals to our neighbors during times of disaster), Denny's Hungry for Education™ scholarship program, and our annual fundraiser with No Kid Hungry.

Denny's is one of the largest franchised full-service restaurant brands in the world, based on the number of restaurants. As of June 26, 2024, the Denny’s brand consisted of 1,541 restaurants, 1,477 of which were franchised and licensed restaurants and 64 of which were company operated. This includes 168 restaurants in Canada, Costa Rica, Curacao, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.  

To learn more about Denny's, please visit our brand website at www.dennys.com or the brand's social channels via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn or YouTube. 

Attachments

• Minh Le
• Chris Bode

Denny's Media Team
Denny's
864-597-8005
[e-mail]