The last standing Denny's in San Francisco has shuttered its doors, succumbing to the city's escalating costs and rampant crime.
The 24-hour diner, a staple on Mission St. near Union Square for a quarter of a century, could no longer withstand the financial strain. Chris Haque, the restaurant's owner, cited the city's soaring cost of doing business, unchecked vandalism, and frequent dine-and-dash incidents as the primary reasons for the closure. "The cost of doing business is tremendous. Theres vandalism, and people come and eat and walk away, and theres no one to stop them, Haque lamented.
According to The Post Millennial, Haque expressed his disappointment over the city's deteriorating business climate, especially after the tech industry's shift to hybrid work during the pandemic led to a significant drop in business conventions in the area. "Were the only store left, and we operated until the last day that we could," he said, adding that city officials "should make it more business friendly."
The financial burden of operating in San Francisco was so severe that Haque's franchise was dubbed the most expensive in California in 2022. The Fit Slam, the cheapest Grand Slam plate on the menu, was priced at $17.99, a staggering $5 more than the same meal at a Dennys in San Diego or Los Angeles.
The closure of Denny's in San Francisco follows a similar fate of a Dennys franchise in nearby Oakland, which closed after 54 years due to a surge in crime. The In-N-Out burger chain also closed its Oakland location this year in response to escalating violence.
The exodus from San Francisco is not limited to the food industry. Since 2020, corporate giants such as Tesla, Chevron, American Airlines, Oracle, Palantir, and Charles Schwab have relocated their headquarters from the San Francisco Bay Area, citing rising crime, declining quality of life, and increasing costs. Retailers including J. Crew, Old Navy, Whole Foods, T-Mobile, Walgreens, Saks OFF 5th, and Nordstrom Rack have also abandoned the citys downtown core.
The city's crime problem is so pervasive that even a CNN crew reporting on the issue fell victim to it, with their vehicle broken into and equipment stolen. Not even politicians are spared. Democratic Congressman Adam Schiffs (D-CA) luggage was stolen from his parked car in a downtown San Francisco parking garage, forcing him to attend a speaking event and dinner in a shirt and hiking vest.
The closure of the last Denny's in San Francisco serves as a stark reminder of the city's deteriorating business climate and escalating crime problem.
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