Astronaut cooks have made numerous attempts to wrangle hamburgers into space-ready meals, from dehydrated-pickle disks to vacuum-sealed burger bottles. Enjoy what our starry-eyed brethren never can with today’s Groupon: for $6, you get two quarter-pound hamburger steak jr. burgers with your choice of toppings and two orders of french fries at Char-Grill (up to a $12.86 value). Choose from the following locations: Hillsborough Street, Edwards Mill Road, Atlantic Avenue, or Strickland Road in Raleigh; Durham; Cary; or Garner.
With more than 50 years of hunger-abolishing business under its belt, Char-Grill fires up palates with its old-fashioned char-grilled flavors. The hearty quarter-pound hamburger steak jr. sandwich entrances mouths with its smoky tongue tap dance, topped with a choice of mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, cheese, bacon, and slaw. Forged in the charring flames of the grill top by a hardworking master burgersmith, the bold, juicy taste of the hamburger steak jr. is complemented by the jovial, salty humor of its crispy french-fried sidekick. Char-Grill's commitment to quality, retro art-deco décor, and a Spartan yet robust menu reflect the simpler times of the 1950s, when Eisenhower was president, rock 'n' roll was king, and hamburgers were used as currency.
Char-Grill
It's been more than a half-century since the first Char-Grill opened its doors on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, but not much has changed at this beloved local chain. Whether in the original cinderblock building or one of the 10 locations that have been added since, people still approach the counter to jot down orders, pass them through the window, and then look on as cooks grill half- and quarter-pound steak patties over charcoal flames.
In addition to the signature smoky-flavored burgers, Char-Grill also fires up grilled chicken, chili dogs, and pulled-pork sandwiches. Milkshakes and fries add to the eatery's classic feel, helping land it on USA Today's list of 51 Great Burgers and reminding guests of simpler times when hamburgers were used as currency.