Skip to main content

So sue me, I like Denny's

My husband, when I suggested Denny's, acted like I had suggested we take the children to a cult for some Kool-Aid.

"Denny's?" he managed to choke out through his sneer and horror

"Sure," I said, "It's a very kid-friendly place. The kids love the food there."

He looked at me as if I had confessed I fed the kids arsenic and old lace, regularly, for dinner.

"I. Cannot. Eat. THERE," he said, shuddering.

Honestly, what's the big deal?

It's got big booths, a kid's menu designed with actual kids in mind---mine are agog at the choices: mac-n-cheez, chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, bowls of grapes, etc.---and the staff actually not only seem happy to see me walk in with a couple of small children, but seem to tolerate us, and our ahem enthusiastic eating quite well.

It's true, finding a South Beach or Weight Watchers approved entree is simply impossible, but I say moderation in all things. Eat a little and you don't blow your points for a month.

My husband is unable to articulate why Denny's is such a horrible place. He's sure he's been in one and it was horrid.

My assurances that this one is clean, and nice, and a good option (read: cheap and kid-friendly) fall on deaf ears.

I think the truth is he's afraid he'll be seen there and actually eating there and being okay with it would complete his fall into Working Class Suburban Dadhood.

Me? I gave up any pretense of cool and worldly a while back. Around the same time I gave up the notion that kids were well-behaved as a rule and misbehaved as an exception. I don't think my husband has accepted that one yet either.

I don't fully understand why men, well, mine anyway, cling so mightily to the last vestiges of Cool Dudeness. It's much easier once you let it go, honestly.

Instead, he compromises on IHOP, which to my mind is six versus half a dozen. However, clearly there is a mindset out there that supports my husband's: while the Denny's lot was practicaly empty, we waited 20 minutes to eat breakfast at IHOP.

That? I found amazingly annoying.

So I guess even I have my own prejudices and lines in the sand. I won't wait for mediocre food.

Well, seriously, would you? Keep a couple of very hungry, whiny, antsy small kids happy for twenty minutes while awaiting a small booth at IHOP. Come on. Might as well go get donuts.

Donuts, I like

And guess what? Right now? I like Denny's too.

So sue me. ;)

By Julie Pippert
Artful Media Group
Museum Quality Digital Art and Photography
Limited Edition Prints
Artful by Nature Fine Art and Photography Galleries
The Golden Orchid: Original and Unique Wearable Art

© 2006. All images and text exclusive property of Julie Pippert. Not to be used or reproduced.

Comments

Free to Be said…
Denny's has the best Eggs Benedict with a cheesey sauce, yum yum. Tell your husband to wear a disguise and get over it already! Loved the Best Post too. I may even try that myself. Nuttin like puttin that damn skinny Barbie where she rightfully belongs!
jouettelove said…
Sue me, I like it too ;) And my man, yep, one of those hanging on to his Cool Dudenss as well.
Congrats on your best post award, that entry made me chuckle out loud.
For us it's Golden Corral. Only place I've ever been leered at while hugely pregnant. Classy.

My husband is uncool, but very dignified. Couldn't care less if he were seen in a Denny's, but will not attempt anything he might be bad at.

This is my first time reading your blog. Love it. I found it through Jozet's award.
Julie Pippert said…
I'm so happy to meet fellow fans of the---shall we say---less austerely effluently pretentious dining establishments. ;)

Thanks for reading!
Julie Pippert said…
I've made a lot of compromises in my day, but you have to draw the line somewhere...I won't eat at Denny's....I won't shop at Walmart....and I won't drink horse piss ahem Budweiser

So sue me:)

DH

Popular posts from this blog

Cancer's Calling Card

Foreword: I'm not a medical person, or any kind of expert. This post shouldn't be taken as God's word carved in stone by Moses. In other words, don't consider it to be any kind of authority or use it to treat, diagnose, or select medications. Do your own research and talk to your doctor, an actual expert, who, you know, went to medical school and stuff. This post is merely my best understanding of cancer and cancer treatment and prevention, as related to our situation, based on what I've learned from reading and talking to doctors. Author's Note: If you aren't interested in the cancer discussion and the things I learned, and only want to know the outcome of our appointment with the oncologist yesterday, skip to the end. I've divvied this up by sections, so go to the last section. What would you do if one day a postcard arrived in the mail to warn you that sometime in the next three years you would be diagnosed with cancer? Would you believe it? Change an

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum

After being confronted with written evidence, Julie admits that she is a total attention whore. In some things, in some ways, sometimes I look outward for validation of my worth and existence. I admit it. It's my weak spot, my vanity spot . If you say I am clever, comment on a post, offer me an award, mention me on your blog, reply to a comment I left on your blog, or in any way flatter me as a writer...I am hopelessly, slavishly devoted to you. I will probably even add you to my blogroll just so everyone can see the list of all the cool kids who actually like me . The girl, she knows she is vain in this regard , but after much vanity discussion and navel-gazing , she has decided to love herself anyway, as she is (ironically) and will keep searching for (1) internal validation and (2) her first person . Until I reach a better point of self-actualization, though, may I just say that this week you people have been better than prozac and chocolate (together, with a side of white choc

In defense of vanity...I think

Do you have one of those issues where you argue with yourself? Where you just aren't sure what you actually think because there are so many messages and opinions on the topic around you? I have more than one like this. However, there is one topic that has been struggling to the top of my mind recently: vanity and perceived vanity. Can vanity be a good thing? Vanity has historically been truly reviled. Vanity is number seven of the Seven Deadly Sins. It's the doppleganger of number seven on the Seven Holy Virtues list: humility. There are many moralistic tales of how vanity makes you evil and brings about a spectacular downfall. Consider the lady who bathed in the blood of virgins to maintain her youth. Google Borgia+vanity and find plenty. The Brothers Grimm and Disney got in on the act too. The Disney message seems to be: the truly beautiful don't need to be vain. They are just naturally eye-catchingly gorgeous. And they are all gorgeous. Show me the Reubenesque Princess.