Denny's removes plaque marking the booth where Nvidia was founded

The plaque has gone

A commemorative plaque at a Denny's restaurant in San Jose, California, has been removed, according to Tom's Hardware.

The plaque reportedly read that the booth launched a $1 trillion company. Tom's Hardware reports that staff at the restaurant confirmed the sign is no longer there, but it remains unclear who ordered its removal. The publication says it has contacted Denny's for comment.

Why the plaque existed

Huang's link to the diner goes back a long way. Before leading Nvidia, he worked there as a seasonal dishwasher, busboy and waiter. The company honoured that history with a plaque unveiled in 2023, after Nvidia reached a $1 trillion valuation.

At the unveiling event, Huang served food and balanced ten plates. Denny's later leaned into the connection with a promotional item called Nvidia Breakfast Bytes at GTC 2025, a meal of four sausage links and four buttermilk silver dollar pancakes sold for under $5 across its US branches for a limited time.

The fall of Jensen Huang

Tom's Hardware links the removal to Huang's abrupt exit from Nvidia. According to the report, the board ousted the former chief executive after more than 30 years leading the company, following revelations that damaged his public image and personal life.

Sources cited by the publication described Huang as looking broken and shattered as he left, and said he criticised himself in blunt terms. Tom's Hardware notes these accounts come from unnamed sources, so the details of his departure remain unconfirmed.

What may come next

Huang's future is unclear. Tom's Hardware reports that Elon Musk has offered him a position, saying it would be an honour to hire him. This claim has not been confirmed by either party.

At the same time, the former chief executive reportedly faces investigations involving his company, Congress and the FBI. The extent and outcome of those inquiries are not yet known.

Why the plaque mattered

The sign was a piece of Silicon Valley folklore. It marked the spot where one of the world's most valuable companies was first sketched out, and it became part of Huang's public image as a figure who stayed close to his roots.

Tom's Hardware notes that Huang was often seen eating street food and local fast food in the cities he visited, and once took a large group of Taiwanese industry leaders to a restaurant in Taipei, an event nicknamed the trillion-dollar banquet. The removal of the plaque is a visible sign of how quickly that story has changed.