A year ago or more, Pilot announced an agreement with Denny's to put Denny's in most or all of the new Pilots, as well as to convert as many existing Pilots to Denny's as practical (some locations simply aren't big enough for a sit-down restaurant). The J in Pasco, FL already has had their remodel into a Denny's, others are to follow.
From what I understand, Flying J will eventaully be out of the sit-down restaurant business altogether, and national chains like Denny's franchises will be replacing all of the Country Markets. Denny's is the likely choice for most, but I've seen at least one Pilot location where there is a Steak n Shake instead of a Denny's.
Look for a lot of changes at the J, like the acceptance of Comdata at all locations. I've noticed that the fuel prices of the J are no longer cheaper than the Pilot nearby, and are usually spot-on with them. Flying J's headquarters will be moving from Ogden to Knoxville.
Since the Pilot is so into driver conveniences like driver's lounges and TV lounges <snort> look for those at the J to go bye bye in favor of using that non-revenue producing space to be filled with revenue producing Pilot-owned restaurant franchises (Pilot is the 10th largest restaurant franchisee in the country, owning more than 275 restaurants and counting, including Arby's, Chester's Chicken, Dairy Queen, Denny's, KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, T.J. Cinnamons, Taco Bell, and Wendy's, and is the largest Subway franchisee with 120 restaurants). The Haw River J will have its restaurant replaced by a Denny's, and, surprise surprise, the driver's lounge will be remodeled into a Wendy's.
The big fleets want their drivers to fuel up, grab something fast to eat while rolling, and keep on rolling, and Pilot caters to that in not wanting drivers to lounge around the place. In exchange for catering to the wishes of large truck fleets, those fleets often mandate that their drivers get fuel at the Pilot. Scratch mine, scratch yours.
Flying J's will soon be massaged, molded and converted into fuel stops with showers, with convenience stores and food courts. Like a Pilot, only bigger.
I have no idea what will become of the Frequent Fueler Program, but I won't be surprised if it isn't eventually converted to the same thing as the Pilot Payback Program so that the one card can be used interchangeably at all Pilot and Flying J locations. Yay.