I’ll have the Silver Dollar pancakes and a probe to go, please

I gotta admit, this is funny. It used to be a Denny’s in Roswell, New Mexico, but someone bought it and changed the name.

The signs under the eaves are even better.

The left one says "Do not attempt to approach a downed balloon yourself" and the other says "Only you can prevent mass hysteria."

Of course, this could be from a sarcastic UFO believer, but it might also be from someone cashing in on the UFO craze, too. Without evidence, who can say? At least the photo isn’t blurry.

Sigh– I hate to explain a joke, but just in case, I’ll make an exception just this once.

Anyway, I’ve never been to Roswell, but if I ever am, I will certainly sit and have breakfast at this establishment. I’ll also leave a big tip. But I might steal a saucer.

Tip o’ the tin foil hat to Jack Dunn of the Mueller Planetarium.

March 16th, 2007 10:20 AM by Phil Plait in Antiscience, Cool stuff, Debunking, Humor, Science, Skepticism, Time Sink | 22 comments | RSS feed | Trackback >

22 Responses to “I’ll have the Silver Dollar pancakes and a probe to go, please”

  1. Quiet_Desperation Says:

    All the MIBs eat there. If you have a SuperMegaUltraSecret “Q” clearance, you can get the silver plate special on Tuesdays.

    You think they have a sandwich named after Billy Meier?

    I think I like the burger joint the sexy nurse servers better, though. What was it… Heart Attack Grill or something?

  2. kingnor Says:

    all the text in those images looks really photoshoped to me. got any that are at an angle and/or in different lighting?

    i’m skeptical!

  3. MKR Says:

    http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=%22cover+up+cafe%22&btnG=Search

    Looks like a real establishment.

  4. kingnor Says:

    maybe the pics are mockups of how the store “will” look, or the images just look fake dispite being real.

  5. Tim G Says:

    It’ll be an eggstraterrestrial experience.

  6. Ray Gray Says:

    When you order eggs sunny-side-up they glow. ET works in the kitchen in his alien status without a Visa. Worse thing, is, the bacon looks like it came from that shriveled creature that starred in the Alien Autopsy movie….

  7. John Paradox Says:

    I think I like the burger joint the sexy nurse servers better, though. What was it… Heart Attack Grill or something?
    Yep, and they’ve got a pretty funny website

    J/P=?

  8. Godless Geek Says:

    I laughed out lout at the “Do not attempt to approach a downed balloon yourself” sign. The “Weather balloon tracking center” sign is a gem too.

    I didn’t need explanation for any of it. Does that make me the biggest geek in the world?

  9. DennyMo Says:

    “At least the photo isn’t blurry.” Umm, actually, the signs under the eaves *do* look pretty blurry to me. ;) Yeah, if I ever get to Roswell, I’ll check this place out.

  10. Joshua Zucker Says:

    Now, try going to find this place on Google Maps.
    It’s at the corner of Main Street and First Ave, in Roswell, NM.

    Got it? No problem,
    http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=S+Main+St+%26+W+1st+St,+Roswell,+NM+88203&layer=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=31.371289,59.765625&ie=UTF8&z=16&ll=33.393846,-104.522767&spn=0.008062,0.021629&om=0&iwloc=addr

    Now try looking at the satellite view.

    Evidence of a coverup at the cover-up cafe? You be the judge.

  11. alkkemist Says:

    The Trinity site is nearby and open to the public twice a year. Roswell and Alamogordo might not make for too bad of an itinerary.

    http://www.wsmr.army.mil/pao/TrinitySite/trinst.htm

  12. Mark Martin Says:

    Anyone who watches Matt Groening cartoons knows what really happened at Roswell, not mention that Fry is his own grandfather!!!!!

  13. Jack Dunn Says:

    It might be slightly blurry for either of two reasons.
    The version here on the web is not at the resolution
    of the original to save space.(ok, I’m sorry I had to
    say it).

    Also I took this really fast as I didn’t want people to notice
    me on the street and think I was a “believer.” It’s about
    half a block from the big “UFO Research Center and Museum.”
    I also understand from the locals that the Museum
    is outgrowing the old theater it’s in and is going
    to be moving soon to another bigger site.
    So maybe one of you might buy the theater and
    make an even bigger eatery.

    And no, no Photoshop other than a little cropping.
    (not crop circles).

    In defense of Roswell, the Museum I was visiting
    to consult has Goddard’s original machine shop
    and a great display of his tools and rocket hardware.

  14. Zeke Silva Says:

    yes its a real establishment ive been there… the food is ok

  15. Troy Says:

    Instead of a cigar shop Indian they need a stuffed E.T. (stuffed with fibers not Reeses pieces!)

  16. Philip From Australia Says:

    I’ve been to Roswell… I liked the place. Friendly people. Funny street lights. Bucketed down like you wouldn’t believe the afternoon I went for a walk.

    But I was almost 2 years early for this place… wahhhh.

    Roswell… Bigger than it looks on the tv show.

    Philip

  17. davidlpf Says:

    Iguess there is a phone to “phone home” on.

  18. darius Says:

    There’s also a “Little AleInn” at Area 51 (aka Groom Lake), Nevada. All sorts of stuff for the tin-hat-wearing crowd there.

  19. Angelo Says:

    I bet the place has more than it’s fair share of kooks running around. I read somewhere that the U.F.O brigade have made the place their mecca.

  20. Philip From Australia Says:

    Well, I had to visit in 2005… I was driving through New Mexico. And I found the VLA. And on my way through to Texas… well it’s kind of on the way.

    They were having their fair at the time. I planned to go. But on the day I got a flat, and by the time it was fixed (hire care, could not work out how to get TO the spare. Called the roadside assistance… THAT took hours. HE couldn’t work out how to get to the spare).

    So I was fed up and didn’t go.

    But my (hire car) tire was probed in Roswell New Mexico.

    PfA.

  21. pianomanzero Says:

    “At least the photo isn’t blurry.” Umm, actually, the signs under the eaves *do* look pretty blurry to me.
    Hey, at least it’s not a streetlight! lol

  22. Maria Says:

    A weather balloon experiment launched by NASA landed in the desert about 6 miles from my house. We saw it come down and found it with our Jeep. It looked like the Lunar Lander. Really. They needed a K-Max helicopter to retrieve it from its landing site. The balloon landed about 5 miles away — the lander glided to earth with parachutes. The NASA folks (who paid $15K per hour for the helicopter) gave us a patch. Weird stuff. Can’t remember what the experiment was, but it was launched in New Mexico, ran overnight, and landed in central Arizona.

Leave a Reply