<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
financial statements of Advantica Restaurant Group, Inc. as contained in its
Form 10-Q for the nine months ended September 29, 1999, and is qualified in its
entirety to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-29-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-29-1999
<CASH>                                            87,198
<SECURITIES>                                           0
<RECEIVABLES>                                     20,634
<ALLOWANCES>                                       3,683
<INVENTORY>                                       16,489
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                 239,396
<PP&E>                                           825,843
<DEPRECIATION>                                   208,921
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,677,438
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                            452,611
<BONDS>                                          827,030
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  0
<PREFERRED>                                            0
<COMMON>                                             596
<OTHER-SE>                                        87,454
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   1,677,438
<SALES>                                                0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               1,202,120
<CGS>                                                  0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  1,268,008
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     435
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                       0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                80,114
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 (146,437)
<INCOME-TAX>                                      (1,014)
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             (145,423)
<DISCONTINUED>                                    (2,678)
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                        0
<CHANGES>                                              0
<NET-INCOME>                                    (148,101)
<EPS-BASIC>                                      (3.70)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      (3.70)