When the Tooele Denny’s reopens on Friday night, customers will find the bright green and yellow motif is gone and replaced by earth tones like tan and gray.
The Tooele Denny’s closed Sunday night to undergo its first major remodel in almost nine years. The makeover will go beyond colors and include staff development in the art of hospitality, according to franchise owner Chad Fullmer.
“It’s going to look totally new when you first step in the front door,” Fullmer said. “The place was just worn out from years of service and needed to be updated.”
As customers walk in they will see a new cash register counter directly in front of them with a rock-covered wall behind it. Beyond the wall will be a dining area with booths and tables.
The area to the right of the entry will also have new booths and tables. The bars and the counter will also have a new look.
“We will have more booths and they will be arranged so we can accommodate more large groups,” Fullmer said.
Wednesday morning a faux wood ceramic tile had already replaced the old carpet on the floor and all the old booths and stools were gone. A new neon sign glowed over the eating counter area and workers scurried around painting. The green awnings on the outside were gone and new awnings to match the new color palette will be in place Friday.
New light fixtures will brighten up the dining area, Fullmer said.
The new look for the Tooele Denny’s is a design created by Denny’s corporate headquarters. The Tooele Denny’s is one of the first Denny’s in Utah to get the new look, according to Fullmer.
Denny’s requires all of its franchisees to pay for a remodel every seven years. Fullmer did some remodeling in 2005, the year after he bought the Tooele franchise.
“We are little over due,” he said. “We serve about 100,000 people a year so the place has seen about a million people. Things like the carpet and the booths just get worn out after that many people.”
The restaurant makeover was a “significant investment,” Fullmer said, declining to put a specific dollar amount on the work.
Fullmer started to work in the Denny’s franchise nearly 15 years ago at the age of 19. He worked in Midvale and Phoenix, Arizona before he bought the Tooele franchise.
While the restaurant is closed for the remodel, Fullmer is conducting training for his staff.
“We want to go beyond just great customer service and learn hospitality,” he said. “Things like remembering our customers and how they like their eggs.”
Weekend breakfast remains the standard busy hour for the Tooele Denny’s, according to Fullmer.
Some of Tooele Denny’s regular crowd are very devoted to their favorite restaurant. A few customers purchased light fixtures, booths and other hardware from Fullmer when he announced the remodel.
“Some of them wanted to recreate a little bit of Denny’s at home,” he said.
After the holidays are over, Fullmer is planning a ribbon cutting and a “Grand Slam Celebration sale” to show off the new place on Jan. 8.
In the meantime, Tooele Denny’s will reopen Friday night. Watch their Facebook page “Denny’s” at 925 N. Main Street in Tooele for details on the reopening.