It's the first food truck vs. restaurant rivalry in downtown Detroit

[antongast]

I think the issue is not whether the girls at Checker are fighting a new restaurant, it is because the Dago Joes isn't paying property taxes to rent the parking space. Hence the Checker is behind the 8-ball price wise because they have to factor in a ton of city taxes that aren't paid by the Dago Joe's guy from Clinton Township.

But they also have the advantage of having a building with walls and a roof [[so they can stay open year-round in all weather), a liquor license, and presumably a more sophisticated kitchen. Nobody is stopping them from starting their own food truck if they think food trucks are inherently a better business model.

[EastsideAl]

presumably a more sophisticated kitchen.

You haven't been to the Checker Bar, have you? It's an old-style Detroit bar & grill without much more "kitchen" than a grill and deep fryer behind the bar. Really among the last of a once commonplace species.