Another Bay Area Denny’s closes amid sale of national chain

Denny’s has quietly closed its Coddingtown Mall location on West Steele Lane in Santa Rosa amid the sale of the 71-year-old chain to private investors.

With the future of its remaining North Bay locations uncertain, the Coddingtown location closure leaves Santa Rosa with one operating Denny’s on Baker Avenue, while Petaluma’s Denny’s on Petaluma Boulevard also remains open.

The Denny’s restaurant at 105 Pomeroy St. in Ukiah closed in 2023 and is slated to become a Habit Burger & Grill.

A location in Napa on Imola Avenue closed in 2022, according to the Napa Valley Register. Denny’s restaurants in Vallejo, Fairfield and Cordelia in Solano County were still open as of late November.

Signs posted on the Coddingtown Mall location announcing the closure directed customers to the chain’s Baker Avenue diner but listed no other information.

The company announced Nov. 3 it was going private following a $620 million deal with investment firms TriArtisan Capital Advisors, Treville Capital and Yadav Enterprises.

Last year, investors said in a news release that they planned to close 150 of the chain’s lowest-performing stores by the end of 2025 but did not give an official list of stores expected to close. The company also said it would open other locations across the country but did not indicate where.

After a yearslong decline, Denny’s stock jumped 47% immediately after the sale.

“We look forward to working with Kelli and the rest of the Denny’s team and franchisees to provide resources and support the company’s long-term strategic growth plans,” said TriArtisan co-founder and managing director Rohit Manocha in a statement earlier this month.

Known for its 24/7 operating hours and classic diner breakfasts, the chain has more than1,500 diners nationwide, including 348 in California, according to its website.