Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue I, 2016 | Page 42

RECONNECT
BY KERRY PIPES

One-Brand Woman
Dawn Lafreeda builds her own Denny’s empire

W

hen we last visited with Dawn
Lafreeda in mid-2012 she was
operating 70 Denny’s restaurants in six states and had
been adding restaurants, even through
the Great Recession. That’s not really
surprising for Denny’s largest individually owned franchisee and one of the
largest female restaurant franchisees in
the country.
Since then, Lafreeda’s San Antoniobased Den-Tex Central company has
entered another new market and bought
five more Denny’s in Arkansas. She’s also
converted an old Shoney’s restaurant into
a Denny’s location in Neosho, Mo., and
closed one underperforming location,
bringing her total to 75 locations.
Lafreeda takes growth, challenges,
and success in stride. “We like to do
whatever makes sense for us,” she says.
But her Denny’s operation isn’t the
only thing keeping her busy lately. “I
recently filmed a pilot-presentation for
The Food Network where I advise young
restaurant owners how to take their business to the next level or expand,” she says.
In the past few years, she says, there
has been a great deal of uncertainty for
NAME: Dawn Lafreeda
TITLE: President/CEO
COMPANY: Den-Tex Central
NO. OF UNITS: 75 Denny’s
AGE: 54
FAMILY: Partner of 21 years. We

have 11-year-old twin sons
YEARS IN FRANCHISING: Since

1986
YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION: 29

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