If a workday at one of 23 New York Denny’s restaurants run by Top Line Restaurants or Reveille Management stretched past 10 hours from start to finish — breaks and split-shift gaps included — and you were not paid an extra hour at minimum wage, part of a $440,000 fund recovered by the New York Attorney General may be yours. The money is not sent automatically. Workers have to file a claim by October 31, 2026, and the administrator says valid claims are paid within 15 to 30 days.
Status: Claims open | Claim deadline October 31, 2026 | Payments issued on a rolling basis | Amount varies by worker | Claimant ID needed to file online
An Attorney General Settlement, Not a Class Action
This money comes from a government enforcement agreement, not a private lawsuit. The Office of the New York Attorney General (OAG), through its Labor Bureau, investigated the two Denny’s franchise operators, Top Line Restaurants, Inc. and Reveille Management LLC, and reached an agreement, Assurance No. 26-041, that took effect on July 29, 2026. The Attorney General announced it on July 30.
That difference matters to workers in a practical way: there is no fairness hearing to wait for. Payments are issued on a rolling basis as valid claims come in. OAG found that at least 1,900 workers had missed required payments on more than 20,000 qualifying workdays, and the companies admitted the findings set out in paragraphs 1 through 12 of the signed agreement.
What “Spread of Hours” Means for a Restaurant Shift
The settlement is about one specific New York wage rule. When a worker’s day lasts more than 10 hours from beginning to end, the employer owes one additional hour of pay at the minimum wage. The 10 hours are measured from the start of the day to the end of it, counting meal breaks and the unpaid time between split shifts — not just the hours on the clock.
That is why restaurant workers on split shifts can qualify even if they never worked anything close to 10 paid hours. A breakfast shift followed by a dinner shift, with a long unpaid gap in the afternoon, can stretch the workday beyond the line. Each such day without the extra hour is a qualifying workday under the settlement.
Who Qualifies
To be eligible, a worker must meet both of these conditions:
- worked, currently or in the past, at one of the 23 Denny’s franchise restaurants in New York operated by Top Line and/or Reveille; and
- had at least one workday between January 1, 2019 and April 30, 2026 lasting more than 10 hours from beginning to end without receiving the required extra hour of minimum-wage pay.
OAG decides eligibility from the companies’ own payroll and time records. Working at a different Denny’s franchise, or simply having worked at Denny’s during those years, does not by itself make someone eligible. This is not a customer refund. The administrator’s FAQ says eligible workers can claim regardless of immigration status.
How Much Each Worker Gets
There is no single payment amount. The $440,000 is restitution for unpaid spread-of-hours wages, and OAG reviewed time and payroll records to identify each worker’s qualifying days, what had already been paid and what was still owed. OAG has final authority over each award, and each award is built from that worker’s own records.
According to OAG’s announcement, the companies separately cover up to $40,000 in administration costs, so those costs do not come out of the workers’ fund. A payment can be reduced, however, if a worker owes certain New York child-support obligations or judgments. If that offset applies, a separate notice comes from the agency involved, and that agency should be contacted about its response deadline.
Filing With Your Claimant ID
The settlement notice was sent by mail, email or text, and it carries a Claimant ID. That ID and your last name are what open the online claim form.
- Go to the official Reveille claim-form login on the settlement website run by Atticus Administration LLC.
- Enter your Claimant ID and last name, accept Atticus’s privacy policy and complete the CAPTCHA.
- Fill in the form, choose how you want to be paid, and submit by October 31, 2026.
The listed payment options are ACH transfer, Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, a virtual Mastercard or a physical check. A paper claim form is also available through Atticus, with its own instructions. The notice does not state a time of day, time zone or postmark rule for the October 31 deadline, so filing well before that date avoids any ambiguity. Being identified as eligible does not replace filing; a valid claim is still required.
No Notice? There Is Still a Route
Workers who believe they qualify but did not receive a notice should use the administrator’s contact page to check their contact details and eligibility. If Atticus cannot confirm eligibility from the records, its FAQ allows workers to send documentation showing covered employment and earned but unpaid spread-of-hours pay, which is then reviewed with OAG.
A representative of a worker who has died or is incapacitated should contact Atticus through the website by October 31, 2026. Documents establishing authority to act are required, and the administrator may give extra time to supply them. No one has to hire or pay anyone to file a claim, qualify or receive a payment.
Payment Timing and Workplace Changes
Atticus’s FAQ says valid claims are paid on a continuous basis, within 15 to 30 days of receipt. The clock starts when the administrator receives a valid claim — not when the notice arrived or when you first opened the login page.
Beyond restitution, the agreement requires the operators to revise wage policies, update the employee handbook, issue clearer earnings statements, train employees and set up procedures for reviewing complaints. It also includes commitments against retaliation for cooperating with OAG or exercising workplace rights. Updates are tracked on the Denny’s New York wage settlement page at OpenClassActions.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Denny’s New York wage settlement?
Current and former workers at the 23 New York Denny’s franchise restaurants operated by Top Line Restaurants and/or Reveille Management who had a workday between January 1, 2019 and April 30, 2026 lasting more than 10 hours from start to finish, including breaks and split-shift gaps, without the required extra hour of minimum-wage pay.
Is the payment automatic?
No. Eligible workers must submit a valid claim by October 31, 2026, online with the Claimant ID and last name or by using the paper form available from Atticus Administration.
How fast will I be paid?
The administrator says valid claims are paid on a rolling basis within 15 to 30 days of receipt of a valid claim. Payment options include ACH, Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, a virtual Mastercard or a physical check.
What if I did not get a notice?
Use the contact page on the official settlement website to check your eligibility and contact information. If eligibility cannot be confirmed, the administrator’s FAQ allows workers to submit documentation of covered employment and unpaid spread-of-hours pay for review with the Attorney General’s office.
Can undocumented workers claim?
Yes. The official settlement FAQ says eligible workers may claim regardless of immigration status.
Can my payment be reduced?
Certain New York child-support obligations or judgments may reduce a payment. If that applies, the agency involved sends a separate notice, and you should contact that agency about its response deadline.
Sources
- Official settlement website — NYDennysSettlement.com, its FAQ and claim-form login, administered by Atticus Administration LLC.
- New York Attorney General — Denny’s settlement overview and July 30, 2026 announcement.
- Signed agreement — Assurance of Discontinuance No. 26-041 (PDF), Top Line Restaurants, Inc. and Reveille Management LLC.
- OpenClassActions.com — Denny’s New York $440,000 Wage Settlement.
Source and credit: the settlement terms, deadlines and benefit details described above are drawn from our sister site’s reporting — OpenClassActions.com: Denny’s New York $440,000 Wage Settlement — File by October 31, 2026 — which tracks this case against the court-approved notice and the official settlement website and is updated as the court rules.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. OpenClassActions.org is a consumer news site, not a law firm and not the settlement administrator, and is not affiliated with any party to the case described. The allegations are allegations; unless a court has ruled, the defendants deny wrongdoing and no court has decided the merits. Deadlines, benefit amounts and payment timing can change as the court and the administrator act, so confirm current status on the official settlement website. You never need to pay anyone to file a claim or to receive a settlement payment.