Sentinel staff report–
Opening day on Tuesday for the new Rally’s burger drive-thru on Auburn Boulevard saw long lines of vehicles extending into the adjacent bowling alley parking lot, with additional customers lining up at a walk-up window.
Franchise owner Ben Aibuedefe said Wednesday night that a total of 450 transactions had been recorded on the first day, which amounts to an average of 30 orders per hour or an order every two minutes, during the restaurant’s operating hours of 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Customers reported waiting 30 minutes to an hour in line.
Reviews for the restaurant have already appeared on Yelp and mention the long lines, but give the restaurant an average rating of 4.5-out-of-5 stars. One reviewer commented about an order mix-up, while others spoke positively about burger taste and flavorful fries.
Prices include a “2 for $4” burger deal, with meals starting at $5.99 for a chicken sandwich combo or about $9.50 for a “Big Buford” burger combo meal with triple meat. The menu also features milk shakes, funnel cake fries, and “monsterella stix.”
Aibuedefe described the first two days as “crazy busy” and said the restaurant is short staff.
A sign posted in the drive-thru window on Tuesday said the restaurant is still hiring, with “on the spot” job offers mentioned. The Sentinel reported in August that the restaurant was struggling open due to a lack of employees, but an opening date of October 19 was eventually set.
The new 827-square-foot burger joint is located next to Rusch Park at 7911 Auburn Blvd. and features a drive-thru only model, with no indoor seating by design. A small outdoor patio area has tables for diners to use.
Rally’s is a franchise location of the Florida-based Checkers Drive-In Restaurant Inc., which has over 800 locations nationwide and about 40 in California. The fast-food chain offers items like seasoned fries, big burgers, chicken wings and milkshakes, and markets itself in different parts of the country under the brand names Rally’s and Checker’s.
