I've been going to Fat Daddy's since they opened the North Raleigh location near Millbrook High in the 80s, which had the insanely cheap $2.99 1/3 lb. burger (with the classic Fat Daddy's fresh bun and unlimited condiment/toppings bar), fries and a free-refills drink student lunch special. Those items are a bit more expensive than $2.99 at Fat Daddy's nowadays, but they remain an excellent value for the fair price they currently charge.\r
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Walking into this place always makes me smile: the giant pictures of vegetables on the walls with the huge text captions, the ""Death Star Bathrooms"" that actually won Best in the Triangle awards by themselves back in the day (I still want one of these in my house), the signature wall and floor tiling, the great beer selection, the management that's worked there so capably for so many years, the generous and fresh toppings and condiments bar, the bar in the basement (with 3 pinball machines, some arcade videos and loads of pool tables!), and most importantly, consistently satisfying meals.\r
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If you want a casual burger or some grill fare that you can customize yourself, and you're short of time, you can't do much better than Fat Daddy's, a Raleigh institution that I hope remains open for many decades to come.
Pros: Excellent burger buns, unlimited/customizable toppings and condiments, unique ambience
Cons: Frequent trips to the drink counter for refills if you're thirsty, interior could use a refurb (but don't change anything at all!)
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