Denny's Removes Plaque Marking the Booth Where Nvidia Was Born

The commemorative plaque at the Denny's booth where Nvidia was founded has been removed, and employees at the diner confirm the sign reading "The booth that launched a $1 trillion company" is no longer on display.

NBC News reported the removal, which follows a dramatic reversal of fortune for Jensen Huang. The former Nvidia chief executive resigned after the board ousted him, ending a run of more than 30 years at the company he co-founded.

What did the booth represent?

The plaque honored a specific piece of Silicon Valley history. Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem met at that Denny's booth after their working hours to plan the creation of Nvidia.

Huang's connection to the diner ran deeper than the founding story. Before Nvidia, he worked at the restaurant as a seasonal dishwasher, busboy, and waiter. His rise from those jobs to the head of one of the world's most valuable companies became an American success story in Silicon Valley, and the diner chose to celebrate it.

It remains unclear who ordered the plaque's removal. Tom's Hardware reached out to Denny's for comment and will update its story if the company answers.

How close was the Huang-Denny's partnership?

The relationship between the executive and the restaurant chain had grown into an active marketing tie-in. At the plaque unveiling in 2023, held after Nvidia crossed a $1 trillion valuation, Huang balanced 10 plates and served food during the event.

The partnership extended to Nvidia's developer conference. At GTC 2025, Denny's operated a food truck serving "Nvidia Breakfast Bytes": four sausage links, four buttermilk silver dollar pancakes, and syrup. The item sold for under $5 for a limited time at Denny's locations across the United States.

Huang cultivated a deliberately modest public image despite his billionaire status. He was spotted several times eating street food and local fast food in cities he visited. On one occasion he took 35 Taiwanese industry chiefs to a restaurant in Taipei, an event that earned the nickname "trillion-dollar banquet." This persona fueled what became known as "Jensanity," especially in his home country of Taiwan.

How far has Huang fallen?

The removal of the plaque mirrors the speed of Huang's collapse. A couple of weeks before his exit, he still led one of the world's most valuable companies and promoted artificial intelligence at every opportunity.

Sources cited by the report describe him looking "broken and shattered." He reportedly called himself "a piece of sh--" as he left the company he built over three decades.

His next steps remain uncertain. Elon Musk has reportedly offered him a position, saying it "would be an honor" to hire the man many consider one of the biggest driving forces behind today's AI industry. At the same time, Huang faces numerous investigations from his company, Congress, and the FBI, along with the personal fallout from the revelations that ended his tenure.

For now, the booth where Nvidia was conceived carries no marker at all, and the diner that once sold breakfast in the company's honor has quietly closed that chapter.