Giant System

After nearly 3 years, Giant is FINALLY opening their doors again. They will be opening on Dec 27 or 28 2013. Can’t wait!!!

I had to stop for a Coney dog, my 14 year old thought I was nuts. It’s this tiny little shiny white old school corner tiny diner that has been open forever. It’s as greasy as it gets. Can you believe he didn’t want anything?
Extremely cheap and I believe it’s open ²⁴⁄₇ for anything you want on the menu. They have a carry out counter which is where they do the majority of their business. Everything although old was clean, orderly for such a tiny space and mostly hand written signs. Which look like they were meant to be temporary but they forgot to ever take them down.
Anyways, I had to have the Coney dog. They are delicious. Lots of meat chili, a great pile of messy onions and then a slippery sloppy run of mustard just beside the bun. Then I threw in an order for onion rings.
Now although there was only one spunky well dressed 70’s ish lady sitting and singing at the counter this wasn’t enough entertain for the long process to get my single Coney dog and rings from the lady behind the counter that looked old enough to have been long retired and was moving at snail pace. Food finally received and out the door I went.
The Coney was delicious as always but the rings were literally 5 in a VERY greasy little wax paper sleeve. So skip the rings and get a second Coney!

On my way home from a day of clothes shopping (not my favorite thing to do) I decided I needed some burger refreshment and I wanted to try something new or hadn’t eaten in a while. Low and behold, what’s that on the horizon? The Giant System! A spectre from my childhood living in Dearborn Heights. Really, in hindsight, I should have known better than to actually eat here because just as I pulled into the lot the skies opened up and rain was coming down in buckets. A sign? Perhaps.
Ignoring this, I sauntered inside to find a heavily tattooed lady behind the counter and a few fairly distraught looking customers unenthusiastically chowing down on some shriveled up looking burgers. I gulped. Too late to turn back now. I looked at the menu and the hand written specials plastered haphazardly along the wall. I panicked and order 5 with a fry and a soda.
Let me tell you, if you eat here, don’t watch them make your burgers, because you probably won’t eat them, unless you’re like me and continually tempt fate. The onion covered griddle is at the front and you can watch as your burgers are assembled. I watched the heavily tattooed lady scrap some of the saddest little patties from the grill and place them upon their sad little buns. I watched her the mustard and ketchup mixture on the other side of the bun and place a large pickle slice upon each and wrap them in tissue paper.
Boy was I in for it.
I shamefully paid and left with the greasy bag full of burger bombs. Oh, the humanity.
This place is kind of gross and frankly, the burgers were overcooked and everything was on the cheap. What do you expect for $ 5.30 though? I ate the meal because I was hungry but the burger basically tasted like undefined crispy meat and pickle. The previously frozen fries were slightly undercooked and they gave me the soda in a coffee container, weird, but whatever.
I’m just not impressed. I get it though, it’s cheap and it’s greasy and that’s kind of the whole idea. I guess I just don’t like the idea.

Giant System is an old school slider establishment. The burgers are handmade patties prepared on a onion covered griddle, with the buns steamed by the cooking burgers. Typically they are served with the grilled onions, a pickle slice, and a orange ketchup/​mustard mix. Don’t confuse these burgers with White Castles… These are larger and made with higher quality ingredients.
Giant is a paticularly good example of the style. They also are exceedingly cheap. 5 burgers, fries and a coke are $ 5. Carters is slightly more expensive, but Giant is better.
They offer breakfast as well, but I have yet to try it. The ladies behind the counter are very friendly. Be sure to tip them well on carry-​outs.