Restaurants in a quaint North Carolina coastal town are embroiled in a comical sign war that’s spreading throughout the community.
The hilarious battle began in Morehead City when Sam Turnage, owner of Ioanni’s Grill & Bar, left “Happy Birthday Jeff” up on his sign for nearly 26 days.
The owner of neighboring Dank Burrito restaurant, Clarke Merrell, got tired of looking at the sign this summer and decided to send a message using his own.
“Ioanni stop being lazy, change your sign,” said Merrell changing his sign, beginning the battle of the boards.
“It was a lot of fun. I came across a wild hare and wanted to start a fight,” Merrell said. WCTI12.
Dank Burrito owner Clarke Merrell got tired of seeing the Ioanni’s Grill & Bar sign, so he changed his own to criticize the business for being lazy.
Sam Turnage, the owner of Ioanni’s Grill & Bar, responded by saying that his restaurant isn’t lazy, it’s just busier than Dank’s.
Dank Burrito replied, “Looks like they’re busy because it takes two hours to make a dollar taco.”
Turnage updated its poster to respond to Merrell’s call to action: ‘Dank, we’re not lazy, we’re just busier than you.’
Dank Burrito responded, “Looks like they’re busy because it takes two hours to make a dollar taco.”
Then businesses across Carteret County decided to join in, with some calling a truce between restaurants.
Merrell estimated that more than 70 businesses, from auto shops, furniture stores, fitness studios, the local VFW and even churches, have changed their signs to comment on the dispute.
Merrell estimated that more than 70 businesses across Carteret County have joined the poster war.
Other companies, including Kittrell Auto Parts, weighed in on the dispute.
The sign at VFW Post 8986 in Newport read: “War? Hold my beer!”
Local churches got involved by changing their signs to call for peace between the two restaurants.
“I feel like it’s bringing the community together, especially with the election coming up, there’s tension and it’s a mess, it’s good to just have a laugh,” Turnage said.
The sign at the EJW Outdoors fishing store read, “Guys, do we need to talk about this?”
Dank Burrito’s sign responded: ‘EJW gauck, this is nacho meat.’
Ioanni’s Grill & Bar doubled down on its defense by changing its sign to ‘Dank, can we use your lot because you don’t have one?’ and ‘Dank, Bojangles was a better neighbor.’
Other matters called for peace between the two establishments.
“Oh my gosh! They’re all excited and ready to rip out the radiator,” Kittrell Auto Parts said.
“Guys, do we need to grab a dinner with friends?” they said at the Prime Bistro wine bar.
The Morehead City community of nearly 10,000 people has been so captivated by the cartel wars that they even created a Facebook group where people can document creative sightings.
The restaurant owners said the sign war is a joke and they are glad it is bringing people together.
“War? Hold my beer!” said Newport VFW Post 8986.
“You should ask Ioa-nnis for forgiveness and Dank God,” Parkview Baptist Church said.
“We can’t avoid it anymore, we just work at it,” Beaufort told Barre + Fitness.
The community of nearly 10,000 people has become so fascinated with the signal wars that they even created a Facebook group where people can document creative sightings.
“It’s the best thing about it because in the community that we live in, we’re all very close-knit, and it’s the best thing to see and observe,” Carteret County resident Ashton Blackmon told the local news station.