• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, December 16, 2010

Since launching in late March, a Denny's discount program for AARP members has drawn more than 2 million members, the restaurant chain reports.

AARP members who show their membership cards at Denny's restaurants on any day of the week between 4 and 10 p.m. get 20% off the total check amount. The card also allows members and their guests to purchase a cup of coffee for $1 per person on any day, 24 hours a day.

Marketing of the promotion began in May/June 2010 with a full-page advertisement in the May/June 2010 issue of AARP The Magazine. In early June, Denny's signed a three-year agreement committing to offering exclusive dining benefits to AARP members at all of its 1,600 restaurants nationwide.

Adults 50+ account for 44% of all visits made to family restaurants and steakhouses -- up from 39% in 2000, according to GfK MRI Spring 2010. AARP members visit family restaurants and steakhouses, on average, six times per month -- and are 60% more likely than non-members age 50+ to eat at family restaurants and steakhouses at least once a week, according to the association's data.

Denny's has long had a strong relationship with diners in the rapidly growing 50+ demographic, who were already an important part of its customer base, John Dillon, Denny's VP of marketing and product development, told Marketing Daily in June. "We want to ensure that we are paying attention to and meeting the needs of this valuable customer base," he said. "The AARP partnership provides a clear opportunity to foster loyalty and repeat business."

The promotion's results thus far clearly confirm that AARP's members "are responsive and engaged consumers," notes Jim Fishman, SVP/group publisher for AARP Media Sales. Dillon points out that, in addition to the AARP program, Denny's offers a special menu at "a competitive price" for diners over 55 that features its most popular breakfast, lunch and dinner entrées ("better-for-you" options like egg whites and turkey bacon can be substituted at no extra cost).