DENNY’S BOOSTS SAVINGS AND FOOD QUALITY WITH AUTOMATED OIL

Grease-coated floors, workers comp claims, and wildly inconsistent fryer practices were costly, dangerous and unsustainable for the Denny’s franchises owned by Sunrise Restaurants. The solution? Total Oil Management. What happened next not only streamlined operations but brought lasting benefits across 79 locations. Here’s how they turned a messy problem into a strategic win.

When Dan Boose stepped into the role of President of Sunrise Restaurants (Denny’s) at WKS Restaurant Group in 2022, he didn’t waste any time hitting the road. As he visited many of the Denny’s 116 franchises across 17 states, it quickly became clear that he had a major issue on his hands. In many locations, containers of used oil sat exposed on the floor, fryers were running for weeks without a proper oil change, and the back-of-house areas were covered in slick grease, creating pest issues and safety hazards.

“When I first joined WKS, one of my top priorities was to connect with General Managers and understand what was really happening on the ground,” Boose says. “I wanted to get a sense of where we needed to focus and how to align more closely with the brand. What I noticed almost immediately was a serious lack of consistency in how fryer oil was handled. In some locations, oil hadn’t been filtered for weeks. In others, it was being dumped daily. Our oil usage was far above where it should have been.”

The effects were also showing up on the plate. Instead of golden, crisp fish, fries, and donut holes, the food was coming out dark and off-tasting. Cross-contamination and taste transfer were problems—fish, donuts, and everything in between were fried in the same unfiltered oil, causing flavors to mix in unpleasant ways. Customer complaints were on the rise.

Even more alarming was the practice of carrying hot oil in open containers across kitchens—an issue that had already led to costly slip-and-fall incidents, including one workers’ compensation claim that cost the company $800,000. After implementing RTI, WKS has seen a major reduction in injury claims’ expenses. “It was clear we had no system in place; it was like the Wild West,” Boose says. “Each district was doing it differently. Oil management was one of the first operational issues I knew we needed to fix.” Boose first discovered Restaurant Technologies at a conference and saw firsthand how Total Oil Management could resolve the numerous oil issues across locations. The system would provide a closed-loop solution that automates oil handling—from delivery to disposal—along with filtration, storage, and monitoring. More importantly, he saw how quick and simple it could be to implement and train staff on the system.

“I wanted to get a sense of where we needed to focus and how to align more closely with the brand. What I noticed almost immediately was a serious lack of consistency in how fryer oil was handled. In some locations, oil hadn’t been filtered for weeks. In others, it was being dumped daily. Our oil usage was far above where it should have been.”

“With the number of fryers we have, oil is a major expense,” he says. “I knew we could save money, but I didn’t know we’d save $190,000 in just the first quarter.”

Armed with this new knowledge and a plan for improvement, Boose pitched it to his leadership team. After years of excess oil being used and inconsistent food quality from store to store, it was a no-brainer to move forward. Boose says, “After installing, I visited a restaurant and even made the comment that the French fries were fantastic! I mean, just the right color. When I walked into the kitchen and saw the color of the oil, I asked how old the oil was because I thought it had just been replaced. But they said the oil was almost four days old, so they’re absolutely filtering two times daily and showing off how they do it. And when I walked around the restaurant, everybody’s plate looked great. It was during Lent, so we had a lot of fish and chips going out—and this time, they looked exactly the way they should. Before, they would’ve come out darker and picked up flavors from other foods. It just wasn’t what a guest should be paying for. This change has clearly made a big difference.”

But it wasn’t just the improvement in food quality—there were significant cost savings, too. By following RTI’s oil management SOPs and using the Total Oil Management (TOM) system, WKS Denny’s locations have reduced oil usage by 35%. Instead of dumping on a fixed schedule, these locations extend oil life through proper filtration and top-offs. On average, that’s more than $3,280 in annual savings per location.

“With the number of fryers we have, oil is a major expense,” he says. “I knew we could save money, but I didn’t know we’d save $190,000 in just the first quarter.” Those impressive savings were at the first 46 locations with RT. Now Boose has Total Oil Management at 79 locations and is reaping the rewards.

Today, the transformation is obvious. Boose still makes his rounds visiting Denny’s locations, but now the story is very different. At one recent visit, he saw oil in a fryer that looked so clear he assumed it had just been changed. “Turns out it was four days old,” he said. “Filtering it two times a day kept it looking brand new.” His restaurants are maximizing oil life, saving valuable time and money.

The difference isn’t just behind the scenes—it’s right on the plate. Across his locations, fish and chips come out golden, not soggy or brown. Donut holes are crispy and delicious, without lingering fishy flavors. Customers are no longer complaining about off-tastes or greasy textures. They’re getting what they expect from Denny’s: fresh, consistent, high-quality meals.

The benefits extend to employees, too. “Since implementing the new system, slip-and-fall incidents related to oil handling have basically disappeared,” Boose says. “It’s been a huge reduction in workers’ comp claims.”

Boose notes that the overall cleanliness of the kitchen has improved as well. “When I’m in the restaurant, I don’t see the oil buckets anymore. We’ve been able to get rid of a lot of the grease holding in the back of the house, which to me is a huge win. There was nothing more off-putting than seeing that in the back so that’s helped significantly.”

The cloud-based T.O.M. Portal has also made a difference. “When managers got access to the online portals, they became more engaged,” Boose says. “They can see invoices, track cost savings, and understand the bigger picture. That transparency motivates them to improve.”

What started as a glaring operational challenge has turned into one of the most effective changes WKS’s Denny’s locations have made in recent years—driving savings, protecting team members, and giving customers better meals every day.