Rating: 5 stars
Many college students at the University of Maine are on a tight budget, which means going out to eat at restaurants is usually an unfulfilled fantasy. Luckily for students living in the Orono and Bangor area, the diner-style fast food restaurant chain, Denny’s, provides an affordable place to eat out.
Located just off the highway in Bangor, Denny’s is usually packed on weekends with college students and families. The Denny’s chain is known for its affordable food, great customer service and all-day breakfast.
With hundreds of locations across the country, the chain has changed over the years from a seemingly-typical fast food restaurant to a sit-down diner with a retro theme. Every restaurant location is open 24 hours of the day, something college students take advantage of when a 2 a.m. plate of pancakes is needed.
The restaurant is beautiful, clean and has an open and friendly environment that makes for a very welcoming atmosphere. The servers and staff always greet you with a smile, and there is always a dessert to be had with every birthday meal.
Denny’s takes pride in their extensive menu, serving everything from mozzarella sticks and loaded nacho tots to cinnamon roll pancakes and hot cups of coffee. They also have value meals for simple and easy affordable dinners and “Fit Fare” options which guide patrons to their healthier meals.
One of the best reviewed all-day pancake options is the “Choconana” pancake breakfast. This plate comes with loaded pancakes, covered in chocolate chips, bananas and whipped cream, two eggs, hash browns, and two slices of bacon or sausage. They are also well-known for their breakfast “slams”, which include eggs, meat, hash browns, pancakes, toast and more for an affordable price.
The booths and tables are plentiful and openly arranged, which allow for bigger parties to have room to talk and hang out. The 50s-style diner counter at the front of the restaurant allows people to grab food and go, or to sit on the stools and watch a sports game or newscast. Many students and families sit at the counter to order hand-spun milkshakes and side orders of cheap and filling appetizers like nachos and chicken strips.
If snow is in the forecast or driving to the restaurant isn’t your thing, the Denny’s website now allows you to choose a restaurant location and order food to either be picked up or delivered to you, depending on the location. Bangor only allows customers to pick-up in store, but ordering online can save you the time of having to take a seat and wait for service. Although online ordering is now popular for its convenience and efficiency, going to sit down at Denny’s is worth the experience.
The full downloadable menu and the Order Now app are both located on the Denny’s website, dennys.com, and the Bangor location is located at 120 Haskell Road, Bangor, ME.