Key West Florida Weekly

Jennifer Hughes is here to help




Jennifer Hughes is happy to be in a position where she can help other people — and I don’t just mean with her customer service. Judging by her friendly voice, she’s very good at what she does.

“Hi, sweetie, how are you?” she calls out to a gentleman who was just seated at a nearby table. “Will you be having your usual today?”

Jennifer has been a bartender at America’s beloved diner, Denny’s, in the Overseas Market in New Town since it opened in May 2017. Unlike the previous Old Town location, this Denny’s has a liquor license for a full bar and an entire menu of adult beverages so that you can have a Bloody Mary to go along with your moons over my hammy or an ice-cold beer to wash down a spicy sriracha burger. It is almost twice the size as the original Southernmost Denny’s and is busy when I arrive. Waiters run back and forth fetching orders while Jennifer single-handedly works the platform bar perched a few stairs up in the center of the sunlit dining room.

“I just love the sense of family here. I love everything about it, from creating a cocktail to making someone’s day and making them smile,” Jennifer says. “I’m kind, funny, caring and sassy for sure. I’m constantly moving when I’m at work. I’m relaxed, entertaining and I do a lot of singing and dancing. Come see me. I’m an open book.”

Although her resume says she has been working in the hospitality industry since 1988 (her first job was at a pizza place), and she might even tell you herself that she makes a pretty mean martini, her job is not what makes her who she is. Jennifer wants to do as much good as she possibly can — even if it means hosting a 50/50 raffle between pouring refills of coffee.

Jennifer is a candidate for the title of Fantasy Fest Queen, a fundraising competition to see who can raise the most money for AIDSHelp by throwing parties, events and fun activities. Her upcoming events include Perfectly Paired Paint and Sip at Denny’s on Wednesday, Oct. 10; Jenn for Queen Vibrator Races at Mary Ellen’s on Thursday, Oct. 11; and Pirates and Wenches Rum Adventures at the Roost on Wednesday, Oct. 17.

A full schedule and further information on her charitable campaign can be found by visiting her Facebook page: “Jenn for Queen 2018.”

Or if you prefer, you can visit Jennifer and donate to the cause during one of her daytime shifts at Denny’s from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. If you go, don’t forget to order her official campaign cocktail, the Royal Rubia, a sponsored blend of Papa’s Pilar blonde rum, Chambord, pineapple juice and a splash of lime. It’s like drinking for a good cause.

“I decided I wanted to run when everyone was leaving for SMART ride last year,” Jenn says. “I was part of Tommy Ryan’s team and I realized that I wanted to do something to give back as well. I’m also doing this to honor my grandfather who had HIV and passed away and for my son who just came out two years ago.

“I want to be an ambassador for stopping HIV.”

Jennifer is also a survivor of suicide.

“I wear my semi-colon very proudly. I’m thankful that someone saved me so I can continue my life. Now I have three beautiful kids (all sons, ages 25-23 and 21).”

Although she’ll no doubt go back to bartending fulltime once the Fantasy Fest royalty is announced, at the end of the day Jennifer is most proud of being mom to her boys. She married her sweetheart of 28 years just this past year on Marvin Key.

Born and raised in Chicago, Jennifer lived all over the country, from Wisconsin to Nebraska, before landing in Key West.

Here, she says, “Everyone is just people.

“When you move somewhere new it’s sometimes hard to make friends, but not here. Here we are embraced with a sense of community.”

When she’s not bartending, spending time with her family or trying to save the world, Jennifer paints. Other than that, she insists that the number one thing she wants to do is to help.

“It’s not about me. It’s about everyone else.”

And with that, she continues to make certain that every customer enjoys their Denny’s experience. ¦

Denny’s Open 24 Hours 2710 N. Roosevelt Blvd. 305-741-7990

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