Rally's Hamburgers

Yes, here I am talking about another chain. The shame, the shame :-) Anyway, here's a link to their website: http://www.checkers.com/rallys_menu.asp

This chain has a fairly small representation here in Cincinnati, all Rally's, none that are Checkers as far as I know. I'll add that I have never been to a Checkers location.

I am not trumpeting this chain as the best burger ever, but will say that the "Big Buford" is one of the better fast food chain burgers I have ever had. Hands down better than the big national chains (McD, BK, Wendy's) imho. The smaller burgers they sell aren't nearly as good for some odd reason, though. I will occasionally go out of my way to stop at one. Near as I can tell, they keep the menu fairly simple, don't precook burgers (ie, the patty goes directly from grill to bun), and use somewhat better ingredients (like thick-cut red onions rather than thin slices of other cheaper onions) than the other chains.

Few more oddities\distinctions:
--People I know locally who like this place talk about the coated fries rather than the burgers. They're different, I'll grant you, but imho not all that good.
--They advertise fairly heavily in Cincinnati, and are clearly targeting hip-hop fans, as their jingle "Gotta eat" is very much in the hip hop style. The whole Nascar thing is played down to the point that I doubt the typical patron notices that the locations have any association with car racing whatsoever.
--The locations in Cincinnati (Not sure if this is true universally) are very, very small, with drive through windows on both sides of the building. No indoor sit down dining, but generally there are some outdoor tables.

Anyone else like Rally's?

Yeah, I always thought they were good, also. The one down the street near my office just folded, though... about the time the new Whataburger opened up. Speaking of that, Whataburger is building now a new location in my hometown. Seems our local McDee's recently burnt down (arson;).
Fate, or coinsidence...........

"--The locations in Cincinnati (Not sure if this is true universally) are very, very small, with drive through windows on both sides of the building. No indoor sit down dining, but generally there are some outdoor tables." --- YEP, same everywhere.

We have Rally's near us (some have folded) and Checkers (which I've never tried) about 40 minutes away. I've not found any burger on their menu that I can't live without, but I do love their fries because they are seasoned. I also love their ultra cheap and good breakfast of a big breakfast burrito filled with eggs cheese and meat, hash browns and orange juice for 3 dollars.

The Double Bacon Cheeseburger is 'on sale' here often (99 cents) Thats a pretty good sandwich at a dirt cheap price. We do a quick loop-thru now and then.[|)]

quote:

Originally posted by Jennifer_4

We have Rally's near us (some have folded) and Checkers (which I've never tried) about 40 minutes away. I've not found any burger on their menu that I can't live without, but I do love their fries because they are seasoned. I also love their ultra cheap and good breakfast of a big breakfast burrito filled with eggs cheese and meat, hash browns and orange juice for 3 dollars.

Rally's/Checker's. 'Tis about the same... All "kiosk" cookin', etc. virtually same menu, layout, taste, etc.

Here in North Florida, Checkers did take over most of the Rally's locations. [|)]

I lived in Toledo, Ohio for awhile in the mid-90's and encountered Rally's there for the first time. I liked the Big Buford too, and I always thought that they made a decent burger at a decent price. And I always thought the "Double Drive-Thru" was a neat idea.

First Rally's I saw in SoCal in the late 80's was on Century between the Strip Club and the entrance to L A X . Good location !!
2nd one was/is in Bakersfield, near the arch. Often wondered about the mental state of the chain's location selector with those two being the only one's I could recall from those years !!

Rally's merged with Columbus-based Snap's back in the '90s. I don't know when it was acquired by Checkers. My grandson loves Rally's hamburgers and fries. I've tried the fries and I like them. They actually have flavor, unlike the ones from other chains such as McDonald's. I did try a Rally's chili dog once. Never again.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

Rally's merged with Columbus-based Snap's back in the '90s. I don't know when it was acquired by Checkers. My grandson loves Rally's hamburgers and fries. I've tried the fries and I like them. They actually have flavor, unlike the ones from other chains such as McDonald's. I did try a Rally's chili dog once. Never again.

Michael:

Rally's actually offered at one time a decent smoked sausage "dog". They were excellent. The "hot dogs" there/that were there, etc., sucks/sucked.
Gimmie a good brat, any day.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

I did try a Rally's chili dog once. Never again.

I did you one better. I tried the chili. When they asked if I wanted it with cheese and onions, I figured they meant grated cheese and chopped onion. Nope, they meant a slice of processed cheese and several rings of raw onion. Wildly nasty.

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

Yes, here I am talking about another chain. The shame, the shame :-) Anyway, here's a link to their website: http://www.checkers.com/rallys_menu.asp

This chain has a fairly small representation here in Cincinnati, all Rally's, none that are Checkers as far as I know. I'll add that I have never been to a Checkers location.

I am not trumpeting this chain as the best burger ever, but will say that the "Big Buford" is one of the better fast food chain burgers I have ever had. Hands down better than the big national chains (McD, BK, Wendy's) imho. The smaller burgers they sell aren't nearly as good for some odd reason, though. I will occasionally go out of my way to stop at one. Near as I can tell, they keep the menu fairly simple, don't precook burgers (ie, the patty goes directly from grill to bun), and use somewhat better ingredients (like thick-cut red onions rather than thin slices of other cheaper onions) than the other chains.

Few more oddities\distinctions:
--People I know locally who like this place talk about the coated fries rather than the burgers. They're different, I'll grant you, but imho not all that good.
--They advertise fairly heavily in Cincinnati, and are clearly targeting hip-hop fans, as their jingle "Gotta eat" is very much in the hip hop style. The whole Nascar thing is played down to the point that I doubt the typical patron notices that the locations have any association with car racing whatsoever.
--The locations in Cincinnati (Not sure if this is true universally) are very, very small, with drive through windows on both sides of the building. No indoor sit down dining, but generally there are some outdoor tables.

Anyone else like Rally's?

Occasionally, but nowhere near as much as I did when they first arrived on the scene. Back then it was something to look forward to, but they've closed most of the nearby locations and the quality hasn't been there the last few times I've partaken. I last ate in a Checker's near the navy base in Pensacola, and it was great. I had a burger, a bathtub full of iced tea (sweet) and a side of apple chips. The apple chips were fantastic. I even went back for seconds so that my wife, kids and father in law could try some. (I was trying to wean the kids off of McDonald's. It worked.)