Rally's

There was a time when we would get Rally's burgers all the time. One sat on a corner about a half mile from our house and it was easy for us to stop in on the way home, drive through one of the convenient double drive-thrus and have our food home nice and hot.

The problem was that they quite often got the order wrong. We would get home and discover something that was screwed up and would have to drive back. Eventually, after this happened a couple of times, we would get our food at the window and root through the bag, checking to make sure everything was right. This would piss off the people working there but what the heck, we were the customers.

One day we drove past and that Rally's was closed. It became the offices of a small used car lot and was eventually torn down and a bank was built on the site.

Rally's was founded in Louisville, KY in 1985 but had its first official location across the Ohio River in Jeffersonville, IN. By 1996 Rally's was purchased by the parent company of western burger chain Charl's, Jr. and eastern chain, Hardy's. In 1999 Rally's merged with Checkers, a company that basically did the exact same thing, offering burgers and other fast food through a drive-thru only format in different parts of the country.

Today the merged company operates over 800 restaurants in 28 states. Our best count was 13 tri-state locations. You can find the one nearest to you on line at http://www.rallyburger.com/index.html.

Burgers

It had been years since we had eaten at a Rally's so when we came across one we decided to stop in. We each ordered up a Double Decker with cheese and our favorite condiments. When the bag of food was handed to us we, out of old habit, opened it up and checked to make sure the order was correct. It was.

We used to remember the burgers being pretty good for fast food fare, even when they got the order wrong. And compared to the big three of McWendy King they are. The beef is obviously shipped in frozen already formed patties. But there is a bit of juiciness that doesn't happen with the burgers at those three Goliaths. 

Being winter, some of the garden left a little to be desired. The tomato had to be pulled off and the lettuce was fairly limp. The pickles had a nice little tang that added nicely to the melted American cheese.  The buns were fresh like the ones you would get from your local grocery store.

We had forgotten that they put a special seasoned coating on their fries. We both liked that flavoring OK but decided that it probably wasn't very good for us and that after a while it became a touch too much. Still, it was a nice surprise  that once in a while would be a good change of pace.

For us Rally's was more of a nostalgia trip than a great burger. It falls in about the middle of the fast food joints: better than your big three but not quite up there 5 Guys, Back Yard Burger or even Smashburger (which we have given a reprieve). If you haven't eaten at a Rally's in a while you might want to drive thru and give it a try. Just make sure they have your order right before you drive away from the window.