Checkers Drive In Restaurant

I really don’t understand all the hype behind Checkers. This was my first visit to one of their locations and I am underwhelmed to say the least. This rinky-​dink operation is nothing more than a tiny burger stand that sells burgers that are reminiscent of something one could find at Burger King for much cheaper. The only thing that makes this place stand out are the fries, but it’s possible to just buy those in the frozen section at any grocery store so even those aren’t anything special.

I used to come here all time during my lunch break. I had thirty minutes to quickly drive down the street and get back to work in time. If you pull up and there are two cars ahead of you, expect to sit there for at least fifteen minutes. Trust me, I know from experience. About once per week they’ll screw up your order too. Better tasting than McDonald’s, but you have to wait forever and a half for it.

When it comes to checkers (or rally’s as it will be forever known in my heart), you are talking about the crème of the crop of fast foods. The fries alone is a perfect five star product, probably top 5 – 10 fries all time. The burgers (all) are really good, chicken sandwich is great, and even the wings are ok. Checkers is a gem and a great time, everything is spot in, there are great deals, and yeah its just great.

The Big Buford is sloppilicious. For fast food, this chain (formerly Rally’s) is pretty damn swell. The fries are decent, don’t bother to load them up with toppings though, its a waste of your money. The shakes? Meh.
This place is open until 4am. Yep every day of the week (weekends it’s actually open until 5am). That means we of course came here during A/​C failure gate. We came here twice in four days. Yeah I was not making the dietician happy.
If you are not going to dive into a Buford, I recommend the American cheese melt which is like a patty melt on grilled texas toast. It’s yummy. The chicken here is nice enough too, spicy is always better than plain.
They have a value menu, run lots of deals (basket of chicken and fries was happy) and have a lot of 2 for one price (3 – 5 bucks as a general rule) sandwiches. The service at this particular Checkers was speedy and friendly enough, neither time did they mess up our order in any fashion.
It worked. We will be back. I was no first timer but it had been awhile. We will not wait so long for next time.

You have just left the Detroit Hertz parking lot, after a long day and long flight. And you are incredibly hungry. You don’t hear a bell, but you know that Pavlov is nonetheless ringing it somewhere nearby.
Then you spot it. The McDonald’s arches. You think, «NO. Must. Not. Eat. McDonald’s.» Not just because you saw Sicko or Super Size Me. And not just because you can feel your wife’s steely eyes reminding you to ‘eat healthy, my love’. Or because you feel somehow ‘less than’ if you submit to the corporate machine that is McDonald’s, and thereby, support ‘the Man’.
And then, SHE appears.
Checkers Drive-​In. No, she’s not the prettiest girl in the room, nor even the most healthy, but somehow, she has just the right curves and appeal that compels me to come say a friendly ‘hello’.
I slide up to the ordering menu in my rental car, ready to indulge myself in the decadence of a good, old fashioned American burger, when that voice rings out. No, not the ‘good she’ that I envisioned. This is that other one. The one who has probably smoked 3 packs a day, while putting back a few cold Milkwaukee’s Best every night for the last 60 years. In that oh-​so-​NOT-​smooth, gravelly-smoker’s voice, dripping with indifference… «What can I get you, honey.»
Oh well. The burger was good at least.