Checkers Near Me

Checkers restaurant is one of the most popular drive-in restaurant chains in the United States. With all American food, good prices, and hoards of locations in popular areas, it’s no wonder Checkers shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Are you interested in finding a Checkers restaurant near you? Simply browse Checkers near me on the map below and find a list of Checkers locations in a close proximity to you. Need a bit more information on Checkers? Read on for interesting facts, trivia, and information on Checkers restaurants.

Checkers Near Me – Find it on the Map

Checkers Near Me – Checkers Trivia

When was Checkers first founded?

Like so many great restaurants in the US, Checkers was founded from simple means in a small town. Jim Mattei founded Checkers in 1986 in Mobile, Alabama. His original idea was to start a restaurant that allowed individuals from all walks of life access to great food and great service without blowing their entire paycheck. Checkers was born out of a desire to serve all people. The restaurant went public in 1991 and primarily served the southeast portion of the United States. In 1999, Checkers famously merged with the brand Rally’s. These separate companies initially served very different geographic areas. While Checkers was located in the South, Rally’s served the midwest and was founded in Louisville, Kentucky in 1985. From the beginning, Checkers and Rally’s boasted similar concepts. Both were almost exclusively drive-thru restaurants with very little in the way of actual indoor seating. After their very popular merger, Rally’s began redesigning its restaurants to mimic the look of Checkers. Today, both establishments are nearly identical in appearance, with the only real difference being the name on the front of the building. In fact, many times while searching Checkers near me, you’ll come across a Rally’s, as your geographic location may be served by Rally’s instead of Checkers. Rest assured, you’ll be getting the same food no matter which restaurant you dine in.

Every Checkers and Rallys restaurant bears the same color scheme.

True or false: The Founder of Checkers first worked with Wendy’s.

This is a very true fact! It may seem a little odd to bring Wendy’s into a discussion of Checkers, but the two are invariably connected by Checkers founder Jim Mattei. Consider this as you search Checkers near me. As a native of Alabama, Mattei found little in the way of opportunity in terms of fast food experience other than procuring a position at one of the big name brand chains. In order to gain experience in the industry, Mattei built up several Wendy’s franchises, which lead to a pretty important breakthrough. While running his Wendy’s chains, Mattei noticed that most Wendy’s customer preferred using the drive-thru rather than coming inside, even if meant enjoying their food in the parking lot. He also noticed that most customers were seeking burger combinations rather than chicken or fish. This inspired Mattei to open Checkers, a brand that depends upon its drive-thru customers and is known for its epic burger combinations and traditional drive-in style grub.

Checkers Near Me – Checkers Facts

Apart From the Crowd

Lets face it, the fast food industry is already pretty saturated with big name brands such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, and even Arby’s. This can make it pretty difficult for a smaller chain to set themselves apart from the pack and make a solid name for themselves. As you search Checkers near me, think about how this fast food chain differentiated themselves from the bigger restaurant chains. Mattei and his business partner Herbert G. Brown didn’t want burgers that looked anything like those sold at McDonald’s or Burger King. Those brands famously sell pre-made frozen burgers that are simply heated and sold to consumers at a rapid fire pace. Rather than sell pre-made burgers, Mattei decided that every burger at Checkers was fresh and made to order. This means your Checkers burger will never spend any time under a heat lamp or microwave waiting to be ordered. Sure, your Checkers burger may take a bit longer than those other brands, but a fresh and quality burger more than makes up for any time lost. Though freshness was the ultimate priority at Checkers, the brand also sought to make every meal affordable. The very fist combo meal that was made public in February of 1992 included a Champ burger, small fry and a medium drink for just $2.29.

No Salad Here

It’s a popular trend amongst many fast food chains in the modern age to offer healthier dining options to customers who have dietary restrictions are are simply looking to consume less calories. This is why establishments such as McDonald’s and Wendy’s have taken to offering an expansive number of salad and wrap options to customers seeking something other than a burger or chicken sandwich. While this has been a popular choice for many diners, Checkers simply doesn’t prescribe to the notion that fast food should be healthy. The company’s CEO knows that Checkers doesn’t exactly attract healthy eaters and they’re just fine with that. That’s why you won’t see a salad offered at Checkers any time soon. Though the brand does post their nutritional information on the website in states that legally require them to do so, they’re not concerned with calorie counts or offering the diet friendly fare. Instead the brand is focused on offering fresh food at a good cost. If you’re searching Checkers near me, don’t count on keeping your diet on track!