The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Hamburger Madness Comes to Empire

This coming March, look for both college hoops' March Madness AND another running of the Fast Food Wars. Checkers, a chain originally out of Mobile, Alabama, will open a new branch near the McDonalds and Wendy's across from the Popeye's and Dunkin' Donuts and Western Beef and a block from the Burger King. The Checkers is nearly done:




Having determined that this corner, near the Park and Botanic Garden, is the perfect spot for needless calories and delicious fries, R&D departments at other major chains are now considering opening as well, perhaps even a drive-thru built under the Phat Alberts.

Given the head-to-head matches that confront hungry residents, it's once again time to place your bets on this year's match-ups for Hamburger Madness. Checkers is not currently rated in the Sweet Relish 16, but maybe next year after red-shirting dynamo sophomore Johnny Ketchup?

"Do Fries Go With That Shake?" - George Clinton.




16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are you sure it's Sonic? I read that it was going to be a Checkers.

Clarkson FlatBed said...

Ha! You're so right and I knew that. I've been making that same mistake since I noticed its construction! There are...checkers in the design theme. Consider it updated.

And they're SO different. How embarrassing?

Thanks Anon.

Ceelledee said...

Ok. But now you have to update the head-to-head match up diagram as well. lol

Anonymous said...

This is just so great. To get a "diner" kind of dinner? Get yourself to Park Slope or Cortelyou Road.

Reccos for any reasonably priced restaurants on Cortelyou? I just have rumors. Like to take myself out to dinner like 1/x week.

Anonymous said...

Actually for classic, non-fancy diner food there is Toomeys on Empire and Rogers. We go there pretty frequently. Some dishes are good, some better than others, tragically their burgers are disgusting, but it's totally on par with that diner in Park Slope on 7th ave near Berkeley Pl. So no need to go to the slope for a diner.

James said...

Man, I have been lamenting the inabillity to find a decent burger in this hood since I moved here. Please tell me that I'm missing something.

Anonymous said...

I will believe it's done when I see it.

The remaining building permits expire at the end of March.

Anonymous said...

We appreciate and eat at Toomeys but actually yes, a Wendys burger tastes better than a Toomeys burger. Lincoln Park Tavern makes the best burger in the neighborhood.

Anonymous said...

Ox Cart Tavern on Newkirk makes some pretty lovely burgers...and for the veggie set they do homemade veggie burgers. None of that corporate chain crap food.

The Snob said...

I have to second the vote for LPT. I'm as surprised as anyone, but they really seem to be able to make a burger right. Even cooked rare.

Peter said...

Something has gone very wrong with the Checkers development. They should be able to put up a store like that in 6 months tops. It's been more than a year and most of that time it's been stalled in the current state, which, judging from the way it looks on the outside, seems to be 90% complete.

Anonymous said...

They brought in a prefabricated building onto that site; I think that was significant factor in that site being 90% complete.

I don't believe I have seen anyone actively working on that site since last June or so. Months go by between any construction on that site. Sometimes the walls that surround the site are not properly maintained. (I've reported breaches in the wall online to the city) A large chunk of that fence was blown over by last night's storm.

Someone on the Brooklynian forums wondered how is that Checkers realistically going to handle drive-through traffic? That site doesn't have the kind of space that the Wendy's, McDonald's, or Burger King has.

babs said...

You are so right, Snob - LPT is just about the only reasonably-priced place I've been in NYC that actually brings you a burger cooked rare when that's what you ask for - such a treat! And I like their grilled cheese sandwich (with bacon, please) a lot too.

Sin City said...

OP, was that a guesstimate of when it should be completed, or was you told this in confidence? I've kept my eye on this movement, and it's actually going on 3 years since the first "Coming Soon" sign.

That's crazy that the mini-mall on Empire and Bedford will beat this development.

Sin City said...

Looks like The Q might be right on the money with the March opening. The Checkers signs were put up this week, and they started on the roadwork. Don't know if that roadwork is for the Drive-thru, but actual progress is being done.

Anonymous said...

Re: Looks like The Q might be right on the money with the March opening.
Alas, we're in mid-April and Checkers still isn't open. (I'm not surprised though.) Does anyone know what's the hold-up now?