Denny's Solo Menu with Matt Mira

"Denny's Solo Menu with Matt Mira" is Episode 155 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Denny's Solo Menu with Matt Mira" was released on May 24, 2018.

## Synopsis

Writer/comedian Matt Mira (*The Goldbergs*, *Star Trek: The Next Conversation*) joins Mitch and Wiger for a feature length review of Denny's new promotional menu for *Solo: A Star Wars Story*. The trio talk Boston and Vegas eats, discuss the pluses and minuses of branded slot machines, and tackle a *Wars* v. *Trek* quiz in another edition of Fake Chews.

## Nick's intro

"*You old stardog! Took a war to get you out here!*"

In George Lucas' rough draft of his screenplay for *Star Wars*, this was the first line spoken by the character of Han Solo.

In this initial concept, Solo was an alien of the Ureallian species, a giant creature with green skin and gills covered in slime. As Lucas developed his story, he realized that the space pirate was better conceived as a humanoid character and shifted the alien role to the best friend of a man named Solo, the Wookie Chewbacca.

This human Solo, a smuggler and scoundrel, was the breakout star of the original *Star Wars* film, and remains one of the most beloved characters in the universe. Much of that, of course, stems from the casting of actor Harrison Ford, who'd previously scored a small role in Lucas' film, *American Graffiti*.

Perhaps the character's signature moment comes in *The Empire Strikes Back*, where Han is about to be frozen in carbonite and handed over to the bounty hunter, Boba Fett, and Princess Leia confesses "I love you," to which Han replies, "I know." The response was unscripted and, though not actually improvised during a take, it was pitched by Ford to director Irvin Kershner prior to filming, causing Kershner to later reflect, "I regarded that scene as entirely Ford's."

The role is so thoroughly associated with Ford that casting the character for Disney's prequel was a lengthy process, eventually landing on actor Alden Ehrenreich who, in portraying the interstellar smuggler, has a lift as heavy as Yoda levitating an X-Wing out of a Degobah swamp.

Outside of its box-office success, the *Star Wars* franchise was pioneering in terms of marketing tie-ins. In the early '80s, Burger King's *Star Wars* drinking glasses were the original chain-restaurant collectors' item. Summer movies are now expected to have some sort of promotional link with a chain restaurant, including in recent years, a sit-down diner chain whose first location was in Lakewood, California.

The restaurant offered promotional menus from the first two *Hobbit* movies (though curiously nothing for the third entry, *The Battle of the Five Armies*), as well as for the 2015 reboot of *Fantastic Four*, which included items like the Human Torch Skillet and the Invisible Woman Slam, complete with clear pancake syrup. And now the trend continues with the newest canonical entry of Disney's *Star Wars* franchise.

This week on *Doughboys*, we return to Denny's for their *Solo: A Star Wars Story*-inspired menu.

## Vest rating 🦺

    The Doughboys first reviewed Denny's back in episode 13, when both Nick and Mitch each gave it 3 forks.

For this episode, they focus solely on their promotional *Solo* menu.

They rate it on a scale of 1-5 Han Solo vests.

* Blaster Fire Burger
* Two-Moon Skillet
* Lightspeed Slam
* Crystal Crunch Your Mistake
* Grand Slamwich
	+ Home Fries
* Italian Sampler Platter
	+ Mozzarella Sticks
	+ Meatballs
	+ Garlic Bread
* Fried Cheese Melt Sandwich
 Mike Mitchell
 Matt Mira

The Doughboys ordered the entire Solo Menu, as well as a few things from the regular Denny's menu. The rating is not for Denny's a whole, however, just for this particular menu.

With these scores, the *Solo* Menu at Denny's makes the Golden Plate Club!

## Fake Chews 📰

In Fake Chews, Nick presents food-related trivia and Mitch and the guest guess which are true or not.

This was the *Star Wars*/*Star Trek* edition, so they guess if the food is from *Star Wars* or *Star Trek*.

Matt wins!

## Quotes

**Nick**: The phone thought it was looking at a Jack O'Lantern.

**Nick:** It was this weird, beige cream.
**Matt:** I could not describe the color to you.
**Mitch:** I can tell you what it is - it's Yoda cum.

## The Feedbag

So my question for you is: what eating locations are you willing to wait a long time for? And what locations, when you see a long line, do you change your mind and go eat somewhere else?

## Related Episodes

* 155. **Denny's** (*Solo* menu)
* 273. Denny's 3
* 56. Jollibee (Cereal)
* 70. Dave & Buster's (Portion Bread)
* 82. Steak 'n Shake 3 (Dinner and a Movie)
* RB. Rogueboys
* DD44. The Last Jedi
* DD45. Star Wars Fantasy Auction
* DD46. The Force Awakens Commentary, Part 1
* DD47. The Force Awakens Commentary, Part 2
* DD. Gluten-Free Summer Movie Preview
* 155. **Denny's Solo Menu**
* DD. Saved By The Max (Snack or Wack)
* DD. Solo
* DD. or Nothing
* DD. Star Boys Episode IX: The Rise Of Dough
* DD. The Great Ice Cream Sandwich Competition
* 265. Buffalo Wild Wings 2
* DD. May The Forks Be With You

## Photos (via @doughboyspod)

Co-Reactor Pancake BreakfastLightspeed SlamTwo-Moon SkilletCrystal Crunch Your MilkshakeItalian SamplerGrand SlamwichBlaster Fire Burger