Denny’s Plant‑Based Pancake Slam Review: Fluffy Wins, Hash Browns Lose 🍽️🌱

We happened upon a retro-style Denny’s in Miami, and had an unplanned taste of their brand-new Plant-Based Pancake Slam. This one’s got hearty 9-grain pancakes, hash browns, and fresh fruit all marked as plant-based on their menu with a leaf icon. Here’s how it went down.

🥞 The Pancakes: a Flax-Fueled Surprise!

We thought the pancakes themselves were actually great. Made with flax (we couldn’t really taste it), cinnamon, oats and brown sugar, these multigrain stacks were fluffy, well-browned, and had a slight crunch and that homey vibe you want at a diner 🌾. Denny’s confirmed they’re free from milk and egg, and even PETA gave them the thumbs-up for flavor and intention.

For me, they nailed it on texture and taste although I’ve never tried their original pancakes. The fruit side (seasonal and ours included strawberries, banana, grapes and melon) was tasty and fresh, adding a nice contrast and for me, was a solid win.

📖 How they’re listed on the menu.

On the menu, they’re listed as a “hearty 9-grain pancake slam” and pictured with sausages and eggs but underneath, but it says you can make it “plant-based” when paired with hash browns and seasonal fruit as the side choices. The 9-grain had been a pancake option previously and initially caused confusion as they contained milk and eggs and their allergen statements were not updated initially online after the announce of the new plant-based recipe for them so some thought the new ones weren’t vegan friendly. They could have avoided this by naming them something completely different rather than revising an existing menu item in my opinion. Below is Denny’s updated allergen guide that now lists the 9-grain pancakes as only containing wheat and soy and “may contain” for egg and dairy due to possible cross contamination.

🥔 Hash Browns: The Letdown

Now, about those hash browns. I was less impressed. They came out dry and oddly bland. One review called them “a bit oily for me,” which is dead-on in my opinion. They lacked seasoning and contrast and tasted more like cardboard than a crispy delight.

⚠️ The Plant-Based Debate

Here’s the twist: while Denny’s markets this as plant-based, there’s talk that some locations may accidentally use things like buttermilk, eggs, or even shared griddles seasoned with bacon grease. One Reddit user wrote:

“The manager confirmed they still add eggs to the mix… maybe this will improve later”.

Also, franchises can differ wildly in some of their operations. Denny’s spokesperson told VegNews the pancakes are cooked alongside non-vegan items but no animal ingredients are in the mix. For some, that’s a deal breaker but for me, possible cross contamination is a fact of life and insisting things be cooked separately makes places less inclined to offer options.

I was told emphatically by a Dennys spokesperson that they do NOT use bacon grease to season griddles but a dairy free oil blend instead but others were told something different from various posts I saw online. I did not taste even a hint of bacon in the pancakes or hash browns I tried and it’s a strong flavor I feel I would instantly recognize. Dennys states online that they try to be as kosher-friendly as possible so some have mentioned this is why they don’t use bacon grease when cooking on their griddles any more plus those that work or have worked there commented that their dairy-free oil blend has a higher smoke point and is less expensive than using bacon grease. They do still say they “season” their grills on their website with bacon grease but that no longer seems like a best practice there according to their customer service and current and former workers, but always best to ask at the specific restaurant where you’re dining. It doesn’t seem like a blanket nationwide practice but could be left up to the restaurants themselves so always ask and don’t assume.

From what I see, the recipe and ingredients are plant-based, but make sure to ask about preparation and for it not to be served with butter as some places automatically place some on top before serving.

🔎 Quick Tips

• Ask if the pancakes and hash browns are fully plant-based at your location.
• Skip hockey-puck hash browns and go for more fruit, or another side if you can.
• Feeling fancy? Bring your own vegan butter as some locations might default to serving them with dairy butter.

🥞 How they stacked up.

• Pancakes: A hearty, golden delicious stack.
• Hash Browns: Needed seasoning + soggy and I’d skip ’em next time.
• Fruit: Fresh and balanced!

If you catch the Plant-Based Pancake Slam near you, hit it for the pancakes and fruit. Just ask about prep methods if you’re really concerned. It’s not perfect and no diner move ever is but it’s a step in the right plant-based direction in my opinion, especially for late-night or comfort food lovers.