Denny’s store closures: See a list of shuttered locations after a struggling franchisee ceased operations

A Denny’s franchise owner abruptly closed all of its Minnesota and Wisconsin restaurants last week, Fast Company has confirmed. The franchisee, M15 Inc., reportedly said it can no longer meet payroll or purchase supplies after accumulating unsustainable debt and plans to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. A Denny’s spokesperson confirmed the closures when contacted by Fast Company. In an emailed statement, Denny’s Inc. said it was “saddened to learn of the closure” and that it is “working with urgency alongside our franchise network to explore every viable path to reopen as many of these restaurants as we can.” The diner-style restaurant chain said it expects to share an update in the coming weeks. The closures were reported earlier by Bring Me the News. According to the Minnesota news site, M15 Inc. notified employees that it would close all of its restaurants in Minnesota and Wisconsin the next day, effective at 7:00 a.m. on September 3. The franchisee reportedly apologized for the difficult outcome and thanked its employees for their hard work. In a notice hung on the door of one of its locations, the company also reportedly warned that it could not guarantee it would have sufficie…