Along Route 30 in North Versailles sits the greatest restaurant I have ever been to— Denny’s.

Now, that sentence might seem a little preposterous to some. Anyone who knows me knows I love food, and specifically, good food. I’m always willing to open my wallet for a great meal at a fancy restaurant, I even have something of a rule where I rarely eat at chain restaurants. However, as Paramore once said, Denny’s is my only exception.

But why Denny’s?

For one, the food is incredibly underrated. Whether I stop for breakfast or order a “Triple Juicy Burger” (the most gluttonous meal I’ve ever eaten), Denny’s is always a mouthwatering experience. I walk in with a 20-dollar bill, and leave with a full, happy stomach.

Obviously, the main draw to Denny’s is the “Grand Slam”, a breakfast platter with any combination of meat, hash browns, pancakes, eggs, and other breakfast foods. There are several different Slams at Denny’s, my favorite being the “Lumberjack Slam.”

Just last week, I stepped out of my comfort zone and ordered Denny’s brand-new “Fried Fish Platter,” and it was incredible. Whether or not you judge me for ordering Denny’s fish is none of my concern— don’t knock it until you try it.

But the truth is, my love for Denny’s has nothing to do with the food. Okay, it might have a little to do with the food. But to me, it’s much deeper than that.

Ever since the summer of 2023, Denny’s has been the number one hangout spot for me and my best friends, Nick, Ben, and Henry. I mean, it’s only 5-10 minutes from all of our houses. Since then, I’ve brought countless other people to Denny’s. But, no matter who else I bring, the North Versailles Denny’s will always be our spot.

No matter what goes on in my life, I can always text our “Family GC” the simple words “Denny’s and chill?”, and be there that night. Truthfully, we’ve probably been to Denny’s 30+ times.

Going to Denny’s that much is absolutely unproductive, especially when my friends and I are typically unemployed. Also, we’ve probably spent hundreds there. Some may say it’s a waste of time, but this is where I fully disagree.

Chilling with my friends at Denny’s has been one of the few constants of my life lately. No matter how many jokes my parents, girlfriend, and other friends crack, I will never stop going to Denny’s. Although it’s a “waste of time” in a traditional sense, that being that we don’t really accomplish anything at Denny’s, our trips are incredibly special to me.

In my opinion, Denny’s is the most chill place on earth. The atmosphere is incredibly peaceful, and the service is always great. A perfect way to calm down and relax on the weekend. But, for me, it’s neither the restaurant nor the food that makes it so chill— it’s the people across the table.

Those 3 kids have been there for me through every up and down I’ve ever experienced since middle school. I’ve spent many an afternoon on an hours-long FaceTime call playing Roblox and talking about absolutely anything (usually absolutely nothing).

As I get older and my senior year approaches, every pilgrimage to Denny’s becomes increasingly closer to our last. This worries me sometimes. A lot of the time, actually. Henry graduated last year, and he still comes to Denny’s occasionally, but his busy schedule and living in Oakland make him a rare visitor.

Now, every Denny’s trip, no matter how “useless” or how much it disrupts my schedule, is increasingly meaningful to me.

I know this article has been incredibly personal. You may ask, what does this do for me? Why do I care about your friends going to Denny’s?

You shouldn’t care.

Well, you shouldn’t care about my experience. But you should care about yours.

I’m very guilty of this myself, but I think modern high-schoolers have an obsession with productivity. Obviously, it’s important to actually do things, hobbies, jobs, and the sort. But many forget the importance of a good chat over some good food, and lose out on some of the pinnacles of childhood because of it.

I think that this limits human connection. Until you can bond and have fun with someone doing absolutely nothing, are you truly friends? Doing nothing but chilling is the best way to get to know someone, and with your limited time as a teenager, it’s incredibly important to cherish these moments. Some of the highlights of my entire youth so far are sitting in a Denny’s booth and spitting out random inside jokes to the point we develop our own language, and I have absolutely no shame in that. In fact, I’m proud.

We continually prioritize activities over people, forgetting that the people are what make the activity fun. Appreciate the little things.

I want to stay as close as I am now with my friends for the rest of my life. But after high school, nothing is certain for our futures. No matter what happens, though, I will never forget the quality time we spent at Denny’s. Countless memories have been made in that booth.

Ultimately, I want to encourage everyone reading this, no matter your age, to do just one thing, a piece of advice I often hear from my friend Ben.

Just chill bro.