Denny's shutters its only Oakland location, citing safety concerns due to high crime

After 54 years, Denny's has decided to permanently shutter its only Oakland, California, location, citing safety concerns due to the area's high crime rate, Fox Business reported Wednesday.

The restaurant closed on Wednesday afternoon and left a sign on the door explaining it would no longer be in operation because of a lack of safety.

"Denny's has been honored to serve the Oakland community over the last 54 years," it read. "Closing a restaurant location is never an easy decision or one taken lightly. However, the safety and well-being of Denny's team members and valued guests is our top priority. Weighing those factors, the decision has been made to close this location."

The note stated that some of the restaurant's employees would be relocated to other Denny's locations.

A Denny's regular, Aloy Ekane, told KTVU, "I feel so bad for Oakland because it's like everybody's leaving."

Jeff Lee, another resident stated, "Terrible that Oakland's like this."

"This is probably the oldest business on the block, and it's closing down," Lee added. "I'm proud of the Bay, born and raised. It's sad because when I was out of state, I was proud [of] where I'm from … now, I just shake my head because of all the crime going on."

KTVU noted that several other restaurants in the Democratic-led city, including Black Bear Diner, Subway, and Starbucks, have also recently closed down.

Last week, In-N-Out Burger announced that it plans to shutter its Oakland location in March, Blaze News previously reported.

The restaurant chain's operating officer, Denny Warnick, said, "Despite taking repeated steps to create safer conditions, our customers and associates are regularly victimized by car break-ins, property damage, theft, and armed robberies."

"This location remains a busy and profitable one for the company, but our top priority must be the safety and well-being of our customers and associates — we cannot ask them to visit or work in an unsafe environment," Warnick explained.

Many large companies in the area, including Clorox, Kaiser Permanente, and Blue Shield, have taken additional steps to protect their employees from the increase in crime.

Clorox recently hired additional security guards to escort workers from its building to parking lots, restaurants, and coffee shops, according to KTVU. Kaiser Permanente employees were being advised to stay on location during lunch breaks, and Blue Shield is providing its staff with rideshare services.

KGO-TV reported early last month that robberies, burglaries, and motor vehicle thefts are up in Oakland.

Retired Alameda County Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte stated that it is unacceptable that the city has not had a police chief for a year, pointing the blame at Democratic Mayor Sheng Thao.

"It's just chaos ... and the city just cannot afford the chaos," Harbin-Forte said. "So you know I have to say that this mayor has blood on our hands, and we just can't afford to have her in office any longer."

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