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      <link:roleType id="SupplementalCashFlowInformationTables" roleURI="http://www.dennys.com/role/SupplementalCashFlowInformationTables">
        <link:definition>2313301 - Disclosure - Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Tables)</link:definition>
        <link:usedOn>link:presentationLink</link:usedOn>
        <link:usedOn>link:calculationLink</link:usedOn>
        <link:usedOn>link:definitionLink</link:usedOn>
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    </xsd:appinfo>
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  <xsd:element id="denn_AccordionFeatureThatAllowsIncreaseInSizeOfFacility" name="AccordionFeatureThatAllowsIncreaseInSizeOfFacility" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" xbrli:balance="credit" xbrli:periodType="instant" />
  <xsd:element id="denn_DebtInstrumentPeriodicAmortizationPrincipalYearFive" name="DebtInstrumentPeriodicAmortizationPrincipalYearFive" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="num:percentItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="denn_DebtInstrumentPeriodicAmortizationPrincipalYearsOneAndTwo" name="DebtInstrumentPeriodicAmortizationPrincipalYearsOneAndTwo" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="num:percentItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="denn_DebtInstrumentPeriodicAmortizationPrincipalYearsThreeAndFour" name="DebtInstrumentPeriodicAmortizationPrincipalYearsThreeAndFour" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="num:percentItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_DocumentAndEntityInformationAbstract" name="DocumentAndEntityInformationAbstract" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:stringItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="denn_EmployeePerformanceBasedTargetCashAwards" name="EmployeePerformanceBasedTargetCashAwards" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" xbrli:balance="debit" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsLineItems" name="GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsLineItems" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:stringItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="denn_GuarantorObligationsLoansPayableOfFranchisee" name="GuarantorObligationsLoansPayableOfFranchisee" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" xbrli:balance="credit" xbrli:periodType="instant" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_ImpairedAssetsRelatedToUnderperformingUnitsMember" name="ImpairedAssetsRelatedToUnderperformingUnitsMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_InterestRateCap20132014Member" name="InterestRateCap20132014Member" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_InterestRateCap20142015Member" name="InterestRateCap20142015Member" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_InterestRateSwaps20152017Member" name="InterestRateSwaps20152017Member" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_InterestRateSwaps20172018Member" name="InterestRateSwaps20172018Member" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_OtherReceivablesMember" name="OtherReceivablesMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="denn_Paymentstoacquirebusinessesandrealestate" name="Paymentstoacquirebusinessesandrealestate" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" xbrli:balance="credit" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_PerformanceAwardGrantedApril2014Member" name="PerformanceAwardGrantedApril2014Member" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_PerformanceawardgrantedFebruary2014Member" name="PerformanceawardgrantedFebruary2014Member" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_ScheduleofIntangibleAssetsTable" name="ScheduleofIntangibleAssetsTable" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrldt:hypercubeItem" type="xbrli:stringItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="denn_ScheduleofIntangibleAssetsTableTextBlock" name="ScheduleofIntangibleAssetsTableTextBlock" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:textBlockItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="denn_VendorReceivablesMember" name="VendorReceivablesMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
</xsd:schema>
