Denny's stock exits Nasdaq after a USD 620 million buyout

Denny's stock exited Nasdaq on January 16, 2026, when Denny's Corporation completed its USD 620 million take private transaction. The company now operates as a privately held restaurant business, according to Denny's.

Public trading ended in January

The transaction with TriArtisan Capital Advisors, Treville Capital Group and Yadav Enterprises ended public trading in Denny's common stock. That changes the investor story fundamentally: the former DENN ticker is now a historical market reference, while operating performance is being managed inside private ownership.

The transaction value was USD 620 million, and the company became privately held on January 16, 2026. The date matters because later reports about Denny's restaurants describe the private business rather than a listed equity.

Restaurant count fell by 131

Denny's had 1,321 restaurants as of September 2026, including 78 international locations and 85 independently owned locations in Canada, according to USA TODAY. That total was 131 locations below the September 2025 count, a concrete measure of the footprint reduction behind the turnaround effort.

The same September 2026 report says Denny's plans to remodel or update as many as 350 restaurants and open as many as 20 new locations within the next year. The contrast is important: the chain is shrinking its network against the prior year while directing capital and operating attention toward selected locations.

Private ownership funds a reset

Denny's is also changing its menu and restaurant format under Project Grand Slam. The company introduced Triple Play Combo meals starting at USD 9.99 in August 2026, while a new menu was scheduled to reach about 40 restaurants between late October and mid-November, according to USA TODAY.

For former shareholders, the key figure is the January 16 transaction date rather than a daily quote. For the operating business, the sharper indicators are the 131-location year over year reduction, the 350-restaurant remodeling target and the planned 20 openings.