Tanzie saw this in Chicago. I'm not sure if they DO or DON'T carry coke there, actually. I'm going to go with this explanation: they were tired of people from the south referring to pepsi as a kind of coke, so decided to make fun of it on this sign.
The Billy Goat Tavern is a Chicago old school staple that was 'featured' in that SNL skit. The whole schpiel is still done by the grill dudes there. Pretty funny *(:=
Brian had it right. Belushi got it from the Billy Goat (whose sign is pictured). All the same, it is a weird use of quotation marks. After all, the whole line is a quote.
And I have no idea what the SNL skit is, but if it goes anything like that then it's based on the real thing (it's this little old guy who's been making fast food since two months before his due date).
I believe they were explaining that while they don't have pepsi, they have "coke", where coke is quoted because the "coke" to which they are referring is Coca Cola, which is a relatively recent slang term. More conventional definitions of coke like cocaine and a solid fuel made from coal.
I must admit, when I snapped this shot, I didn't even notice the "mis-spelling" of cheez borger...I was totally focusing on the drug reference...nonetheless, the SNL tribute is cool!
"Coke" is a relatively recent slang term? Compared to the slang for clothes being "togs" popular in the Victorian era, sure -- but not compared to the actual facts: 1945 "Coke®," is registered as a trademark by the USPTO
OMG! How many times do people need to hear it! This is not a tribute to SNL or SNL reference. SNL referenced this place! The Billy Goat is the real deal. SNL based their skit off of the burger joint. It used to be a real dive back in the day, but Belushi loved the place and thought that the guy was funny. Also, yes, the pub was named after the goat that cursed the cubs.
I live in Chicago, and while it's true that the skit from the 70s was an homage to this restaurant (before chaindom), the sign is fairly recent and is the exact same sign they use on all their locations (there are gajillions), save for the original near Lower Wacker.
Billy Goat has made a fortune from this long-ago skit, and they totally play up the SNL thing. They yell the orders, EVERYONE orders "fries" just to hear "NO FRIES - CHEEPS!", etc. No matter that in every location except the original, you CAN get fries.
And, Nerdy, the original BG is still very much a dump. A gnarly dump. A dump with very delicious egg sammiches, but a dump nonetheless.
Also note, the original skit was "No Coke, Pepsi!" but a few years back, BG signed a deal with Coke and so today the sign reflects that: "No Pepsi. Coke!"
Point? They misspell Cheeborger intentionally. The quotes? That's an actual error. I think I could count on one hand the number of signs in Chicago that correctly use quotation marks.
I think the "No Pepsi 'Coke'" thing might be a backwards reference to this old SNL skit: http://snltranscripts.jt.org/77/77nolympia.phtml
ReplyDeleteCheez borger... resistance is futile...
ReplyDeleteI was going to say "How old are you?"
ReplyDeleteUs oldsters rememember the "No Cheezburger" skit with John Belushi on SNL.
Not backwards - the other way 'round.
ReplyDeleteThe Billy Goat Tavern is a Chicago old school staple that was 'featured' in that SNL skit. The whole schpiel is still done by the grill dudes there. Pretty funny *(:=
Uh, you might want to crawl out from under your rock every now and again. They are obviously playing off of the old Belushi/SNl skit.
ReplyDeleteuh, sorry. John Belushi died before I was born. Thanks for the education.
ReplyDeleteBrian had it right. Belushi got it from the Billy Goat (whose sign is pictured). All the same, it is a weird use of quotation marks. After all, the whole line is a quote.
ReplyDeletewhy hasn't anyone made a drug reference yet?
ReplyDeleteit's the giant elephant in the room, if you will.
or "nose candy"
ReplyDeleteGod, no, that place is a Chicago legend!
ReplyDeleteCHEEZBORGER CHEEZBORGER CHEEZBORGER
NO FRIES, CHEEPS!
NO PEPSI, COKE!
And I have no idea what the SNL skit is, but if it goes anything like that then it's based on the real thing (it's this little old guy who's been making fast food since two months before his due date).
I believe they were explaining that while they don't have pepsi, they have "coke", where coke is quoted because the "coke" to which they are referring is Coca Cola, which is a relatively recent slang term. More conventional definitions of coke like cocaine and a solid fuel made from coal.
ReplyDeleteI must admit, when I snapped this shot, I didn't even notice the "mis-spelling" of cheez borger...I was totally focusing on the drug reference...nonetheless, the SNL tribute is cool!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
ReplyDeleteThe good old days of SNL!
"Coke" is a relatively recent slang term? Compared to the slang for clothes being "togs" popular in the Victorian era, sure -- but not compared to the actual facts: 1945 "Coke®," is registered as a trademark by the USPTO
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not even I wasn't born then.
Pepsi Co?
ReplyDeleteJohn Belushi died before I was born as well, however, I instantly know what it was when I saw it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if it were a hit on the south, it would be No coke "Pepsi"
put down fail.
OMG! How many times do people need to hear it! This is not a tribute to SNL or SNL reference. SNL referenced this place! The Billy Goat is the real deal. SNL based their skit off of the burger joint. It used to be a real dive back in the day, but Belushi loved the place and thought that the guy was funny. Also, yes, the pub was named after the goat that cursed the cubs.
ReplyDeleteI live in Chicago, and while it's true that the skit from the 70s was an homage to this restaurant (before chaindom), the sign is fairly recent and is the exact same sign they use on all their locations (there are gajillions), save for the original near Lower Wacker.
ReplyDeleteBilly Goat has made a fortune from this long-ago skit, and they totally play up the SNL thing. They yell the orders, EVERYONE orders "fries" just to hear "NO FRIES - CHEEPS!", etc. No matter that in every location except the original, you CAN get fries.
And, Nerdy, the original BG is still very much a dump. A gnarly dump. A dump with very delicious egg sammiches, but a dump nonetheless.
Also note, the original skit was "No Coke, Pepsi!" but a few years back, BG signed a deal with Coke and so today the sign reflects that: "No Pepsi. Coke!"
Point? They misspell Cheeborger intentionally. The quotes? That's an actual error. I think I could count on one hand the number of signs in Chicago that correctly use quotation marks.
And I love this site!
:)