Denny's Promotion Hits Grand Slam

Casual and fast food chains have a compelling weapon in their fight for your wallet during trying economic times: free chow.

Some will use Super Bowl advertising to get people in the door.

Competition among casual restaurant operators heated up Tuesday as Denny's Corp. launched free Grand Slam breakfasts to reacquaint customers with its brand and showcase its meals as value-friendly options for cash-conscious consumers.

Free food and other promotions on a national scale have become a marketing gimmick to jump-start sales in a down economy. In downtown Tampa recently, a newly opened Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries attracted hundreds of people for free hamburgers and hot dogs. On Election Day, several restaurants offered free food.

From 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Denny's also gave away 2 million Grand Slam breakfasts: pancakes, eggs, bacon strips and sausage links.

The Spartanburg, S.C.-based restaurant chain heavily promoted the freebie, with a 30-second ad that aired during the third quarter of the Super Bowl on Sunday, a 15-second ad during the post-game show and a full page ad in USA Today on Monday. It reported 14 million hits on its Web site Sunday night through Monday morning - the site read "service unavailable" at midday Tuesday. By late afternoon Tuesday, when the site was back up, it had recorded 40 million hits since Sunday night.

Such offerings and other discounting are becoming more prevalent on a national scale. With consumers continuing to pull back on spending amid the recession, the breakfast market has become increasingly focused on value meals to grab people still willing to spend but looking to get the most bang for their buck.

Starbucks Corp. will offer several breakfast pairings at low prices, Chief Executive Howard Schultz said last week. Others fighting for a piece of the pie include McDonald's Corp., which is offering new lower-priced specialty coffee drinks, and Dunkin' Donuts, which has value-minded deals.

On Election Day, Starbucks offered a free cup of brewed coffee, and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts gave away star-shaped doughnuts. Ice cream maker Ben and Jerry offered a free scoop as part of a celebration of the election.