Winning relative to what and by what standard? They have a working system, not a winning one. Unless you count any business that functions as winning. Calling that winning is no different from giving out participation trophies.
My dad loved White Castle growing up, after his funeral we got a crave crate (or a bunch of crave cases I dont remember) and the whole family ate them.
That's cool! People often try to be so stuffy about memorializing people, But the BEST way is to recognize them for what they loved. I endorse this! I pray your dad is having a "slider" watching this with you!
My grandfather loved them as well and during his wake I went and got a whole bunch of them for everyone because I had the munchies XD. No one said a word and they even delayed his eulogy speech to wait for me to come back with them. Everyone agreed it's what he would have wanted:')
Thats beautiful.. My uncle just past this yr and his brother surprise his kids and grandkids with whoppers too. It was so touching.. My father's a whopper guy too.. Im Asian btw n our pops dont eat much western foods.
I love white castle. The fact that they aren't everywhere definitely helps their popularity. I remember in high-school taking trips with my friends across the state looking for a white castle.
@@mykallee6926 because having less white castles makes the trip there an adventure and getting to one feels like you accomplished a goal. If they were everywhere they would just be another McDonald's or Burger King. I have never once thought let me travel to a McDonald's. If I end up at one it's normally just because there is one close by.
A group of friends and I bought the crave crate in Brooklyn, NY (New Utrecht area). There were about 8 of us and we were planning to have an all nighter of gaming, drinking and just generally hanging out. When we ordered the crate the staff were stunned and needed a few minutes to plan out exactly how they were going to handle the order, but they were actually able to deliver and were pretty cool about it overall. They even had the physical box shown on the menu (they mentioned having maybe 3 of these in the entire store). It lasted us well over six hours and many of us wound up taking makeshift ten sacks home in the morning.
I mean, yeah? That is a shit load of food. But damn near every White Castle can handle it and that's the beauty of it. Anything more (I remember a party from like, 15 years ago, where we had 2 crave crates) and you should probably call ahead.
@@o3941 I work at the most recent one in Orlando (only one in the South, technically, aside from Arizona out west) and we have a limit of 60 sliders because of the high volume of customers we get. We don't offer the 100 box but we have the 20, the 30, & then the Crave Pallet (1,000 sliders) that you have to call ahead for; in the 1 1/2 years we been open, I've only heard of two catering events ordering that many
I once arrived to a party in the late stages, around 2am, with a crave crate. I've never seen such debaucherous gratitude in my life. An entire house full of drunk people in their twenties demolished the entire thing in under 45 minutes. The restaurant appreciates it if you call ahead.
It's a good company to remind others that exponential growth doesn't always have to be the end game. Most people that go into business for the "good reasons" are there to sell a product they believe in and carve out a steady living for themselves. You don't have to have a huge company to be able to do that but people often lose sight of that along the way. This is a good example to argue that often times smaller but steady can be a much better choice than bigger but shaky.
I get your point, but over 400 locations isn't exactly a small business. Compared to the rest of the industry they are tiny but overall it's a pretty big company.
@@schwuzi they are in a very good place right now; exceptional name recognition, privately owned, and big enough to have the resources to weather market fluctuations. They are not a takeover target, so can continue doing what they are doing. In-N-Out is following the same business model as White Castle and doing very well too. Growth for its own sake is fundamentally unsustainable. The model of get leveraged as far as you can for explosive growth has ruined many companies with good products or services. So I applaud WC for showing the benefits of running a good company for the long term. It's better for the employees, customers and suppliers.
The Small Business Association considers a small business to be one with less than $7.5 Million for annual receipts. White Castle is estimated to be worth $850 Million so they are FAR from a small business.
Their corporate folks were extremely nice. In college I reached out at the possibility of opening one in town in PA. Instead of shutting me down, they wrote a very nice email explaining that it was too far from their distribution centers, but that they appreciated that I reached out.
Well it does seem, they took you request to heart and found another way. We might not have White Castle restaurants all over the US, but we can buy frozen sliders made by them at the local super markets.
@@msuspartans5139 why doesn’t McDonald’s sell Mac and cheese or spaghetti and meatballs it’s not their thing I was born and raised in nyc the New York restaurant they showed was in the Bronx spent many nights making the trip there
White Castle is a perfect example of being comfortable with what it is. They aren't McDonald's where they're trying to win over literally everyone. But they make what they make, consistently and well. And what they make is a perfect late night meal.
I miss White Castle so much. Their most profitable location (or so we were told) was located literally across the street from my university. You can imagine how many nights ended up there.
I’m 81, and grew up in the 50’s cutting the White Castle add out of the paper and feasting on thoes delicious sliders, and I especially loved their chocolate malts, but for some reason they have went away from that texture and flavor. Today Wendy’s texture and flavor of their frosties are as close as I can get to the White Castle drink. I’m sooooo lucky to be close to the White Castle just north of Phoenix. Before that I had to make due with frozen ones or when I flew back to Ohio visiting family the White Castle was the first stop from the airport. I fondly remember the white porcelain steel buildings so brute and clean. I’m so glad they are still around.
I have a little problem with your comment... First, you say that nowadays, Wendy's is better and more like the good old choco malts that WC used to serve. Then you say you are lucky to live Close to a WC in Pheonix, so you can have their NEW drink, which you clearly prefer at Wendy's. Do you get my problem with your logic? I mean you aren't talking about frozen sliders are you? And you probably have a Wendy's nearby. Lucky you. I REALLY liked Wendys. Especially the salad bar.
@@TheJimprez the White Castle frosty back in the 60’s when I lived in Columbus Ohio had a thick grainy texture that you had to eat with a spoon and had a delicious chocolate flavor. Their chocolate drinks now are just like a classic milkshake that you use a straw. And currently the Wendy’s frosty is a thick grainy machine dispensed that is eaten with a spoon. The difference if taste does not prevent my from enjoying those delicious sliders. And now there are TWO White Castles in the Phoenix Arizona area that I take advantage of as often as I can.
As someone born and raised in Ireland, my only exposure to White Castle was Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle. At first I figured it was just another one of those brands created for a movie to be a brand replica for something the creators had no rights to. I was happy to say that I discovered it was real. A few years later, I met my American girlfriend and my first trip to the US started and ended with White Castle as there is one relatively nearby her. It didn't take much convincing and I'm glad we went. It was great food and has become a fond memory for me.
Is your girlfriend also an Irish-American, by any chance? Would be so lovely if you've found each other generations and centuries apart 😅 Irish charms and beauty must be preserved 🤗💚🧡
@@Li_Tobler Hi. She wasn't; I'm Irish, she's American. And we've since split up. But I agree, it would have been wonderful to have found each other like that!
@@gamehours5751 I meant where her ancestors came from to America, of course :) So sad to hear! I hope it was on good terms, at least. You will find someone perfect for you, I'm sure you're worth it!! Cheers from Ukraine 🤗🤗
The movie does do it justice. The sliders are so good with a flavor that can't be matched. I have had the Crave Crate in two occasions once for my birthday and the other to celebrate my family running a marathon.
Love me some white castle. My grandma used to tell me stories of going there during the depression. After she had her stroke and was in assisted living, she always appreciated when I'd bring her a white castle kids meal when I visited. I'm forever thankful for white castle and the memories it brings
If white castle is happy with their earnings, then there's nothing wrong with their business plan. The owners have a very good handle on their finances and accounting to be around for 100 years.
Yeah, avoiding debt is smart if you're looking long-term. Companies that over-leverage are playing a very dangerous game. That said, I do wish they'd franchise more. :-/
Being private helps. If they had shareholders, you know the life would be sucked out of the company as they squeeze every bit of profit to please shareholders who only see the company as a share price and not a restaurant.
Basically, when a company becomes hellbent on earnings and expansion, the soul of the company dies out pretty quickly and it joins the legions of other megacorporations. They have somehow avoided that, which is probably where all the charm comes from. Sure, it has certainly prevented them from becoming one of the major fast food chains but at that point, what would even be the point of it?
I live in Terre Haute, Indiana. Back in the 1930s and early 40s (way before my time) there was at least one White Castle here. It closed in the late 50s. Ever since that time, folks had been contacting White Castle to get them to bring one back to Terre Haute. Even the mayor got involved. So finally, about ten years ago, White Castle came here, did a study, then announced that we WOULD be getting a White Castle back here! The day it opened, according to a regional manager with whom I spoke, they set (at that time) an ALL-TIME record for sliders sold in a 24 hour period at just over 30,000!
As someone who currently works at a White Castle, we are the only place that serves food that is open 24/7 - in my area, at least. The line is consistently long in the drive thru until about 4 in the morning. And we take cleaning the shop very seriously! Overall I have positive things to say lol
My dads friend used to be a regional manager (he’s retired). He’s been working for them since he was in high school flipping burgers and absolutely loved it. White Castle has come in clutch for night outs
I am originally from Queens, NY and grew up four blocks from a White Castle. When I started working at adult (edit: adult as in jobs that grown ups have. not the adult industry lol) jobs in NYC, people would randomly bring up White Castle and I always conveyed my love for it. One day, people were talking about a White Castle burger eating challenge. I volunteered to go pick up the food if I didn't have to pay. They agreed. I bought a crave crate from the White Castle on 8th Ave in midtown. They told me that people ordered them way more often than you would think. I won the contest by the way. I finished 27 sliders (w/cheese), one sack of fries, one sack of mozzarella sticks, and one sack of chicken rings :)
I feel like White Castle and In-N-Out are those 2 secluded kids who barely talk in school but get nothing but support from most classmates and good grades
I'm still confused as to why I can't even find a White Castle. I've only seen like 2 in my life a rest stops on toll roads, and I've lived in the same state as their headquarters my entire life... More like that one kid who never shows up to school yet continues to get good grades.
My uncle was celebrating his 50th birthday in 2003. His favorite food was White Castle burgers. So, my mother had the grand idea of making a faux cake by ordering the crave crate and stacking up the burgers like a 3 tier cake. The whole family came and we ate all of those burgers. It was a magical time!
I grew up in Columbus Ohio, which was the home of White Castle. As a teen, our school, for some unknown reason, sent us on a tour of their headquarters, including the Porcelain Steel Buildings factory. They also sold steel houses, of which Columbus is still home to many. Another item the factory made was lawn spreaders for Scott's, which is headquartered in nearby Marysville.
The way White Castle is operating should be the definitive standard. Too many fast food restaurants are way greedy, which is why they expand at rapid rates.
I actually prefer companies that don’t try and over expand into every area and franchise hundreds or thousands of stores. They just seem more focused on delivering a good product or service.
@@ducc764 think about it. The smaller amount of locations means its easier to maintain and also supervise to make sure everythings running smoothly as it should look at mcdonalds for example so many of they're locations are awful compared to other locations in the same chain as well as most big names alot of big name food chains have locations that are in worse condition or less healthy to they're other locations due to how many locations they have it can be harder for the supervisor ceo or whatever to keep after them and maintain them equally. (Hope thay makes sense.)
@@glitchyame6366 to be fair to McDonald's. Practically anyone you got to they're going to taste the same. Sane as five guys. They could definitely make more money with a few more locations and quality control
I've visited a lot of States in the United States, but never had a chance to be in one of them where there was a White Castle located. But in May 2018, me and my brother managed to purchase 2 concert tickets for the U2 group in St. Louis, MO. We bought plane tickets, flew over there to attend the concert. And at the end, we headed to a White Castle to eat it for the first time at a location. It was awesome! For us, it became a "tourist attraction". Now, thankfully our supermarkets carry the White Castle frozen box too.
I love White Castle. One small thing that isn't mentioned in the video, they do special Valentine's Day events. They close the store to the general public, only accepting reservations in advance. They put up pink and red wallpaper and balloons and theme the restaurant for the night. One employee is the hostess and you're actually served your meal. They even do special combos meant for two people to share. My ex and I did every Valentine's Day we were together. And just a pro tip for anyone going for the first time: Get the chicken rings. People sleep on them and they're actually very good. Onion chips (petals) are amazing with Zesty sauce. Mozzarella sticks are the best fast food ones. Waaaay better than Arby's sticks.
During COVID, White Castle and Waffle House were the ONLY fast food restaurant to maintain 24-hour operations in my region. Their drive-thru lines were insane.
They pretty much still are. Other fast food joints claim to be open 24 hours now but only drive through. White Castle keeps it's doors open for all customers.
I have a fun story related to White Castle. My grandparents, children and grandchildren of European immigrants were living in New York in the early 50’s. Not rich by any means, but content. My grandma told me about her first date with my grandpa. She told me that my grandpa asked her out and she agreed, after some hesitation, because he was Polish and she came from a strict Italian family. He told her where they were going to go. He said to dress up very nice because he was going to take her out to “a place where kings eat.” He took her to White Castle. They were married, and stayed married till my grandpa passed away. Such a cute story that I love to pass on.
I used to manage a white castle location, crave crates weren't super common, but on superbowl sunday and thanksgiving every year we had to make sure we have one ready to go at all times.
@@dalethelander3781 nah u just gotta up the meat game turkey is pretty terrible meat wise u should have an elk Christians it’s great 👍 thanksgiving since I’m salvadorian my family makes some great sandwiches with a great tomato salsa with the turkey but for Christmas we go elk hunting to switch the meat up
@@edwinvillalobos7159 It boils down to tradition. It's always been claimed that when the Puritans and Native Americans broke bread, they ate turkey. How accurate that is, I don't know. That bit of historical lore may be apocryphal.
Worked at White Castle for 4 years through high school and junior college. Even at that young age I understood and appreciated the System that the Ingram family had. No franchises. Owned the bakery that supplied the buns. Owned the company that supplied fixtures. Family owned for 80 years (100 years now). It’s like IKEA wanting to control as much of the supply chain as possible. It’s smart. Size isn’t always the best. Longevity, stability, and control are much more important. They don’t have to make decisions based on shareholders interest.
I’m glad White Castle sells their burgers in grocery stores so people like me who don’t live near a restaurant can still enjoy their delicious food. Still, I wish they would expand to more of the country, even if it was very slow.
I am fortunate enough to live by a location and the frozen ones are nothing compared to what you get at the restaurant. I wish they would open more locations so more people could actually go
If you put the frozen sliders in the oven and steam them on a boiler pan with water underneath, covered in foil, instead of microwaving, it comes out extremely similar to the actual restaurant.
As a white castle employee I can say that to this day we are still one of the cleanest fast food places to eat, if we aren't cooking we're are cleaning something.
White castle is great, I tried the real deal once when I was in Kentucky, i loved it....the whole castle bit is really cool it sucks they aren't bigger but I think being a privately owned regional company in these times is better than being as big as you can be, you have more of a dedicated customerbase and when travelers pass through they'll try as well seeing as the place is unique, why hit the arches when you can go to the castle that you don't even get in your area? uniqueness is valuable
I was displaced by a fire and when I realized there was a white castle nearby, I went and got the crate. I'm on like, burger 48 and it's taken me a couple days but it's pretty great.
I can literally see White Castle's HQ building from where I live so I know them well. My dad loved them so as a kid we had them a lot. I never liked them, and it has been almost 30 years since I have eaten one, but I do admire their business model. They have diversified their holdings and sell products to their competition, and have a huge reach in their distribution of frozen sliders so they don't need to have more stores to be successful. And that HQ building I mentioned is actually part of a newly built complex that includes a mix of office and apartment buildings. Knowing their business model there was little to no debt taken on so the rents they are getting will add immensely to their bottom line.
@@adrianayala122 I doubt it. The odds of getting cancer from a certain food source that's heavily moderated is very very slim. I'm pretty sure it's just a per-cautionary warning incase some random case actually gives you cancer which is highly unlikely. It's like how people believe eating microwaved food could give you cancer which is false.
I'm canadian so I have only had the freezer burgers and thought they did a pretty good job. I wish the family all the success in the world, no board trying to wring every penny out of business.
I remember the one time I went to White Castle was when I was visiting New York City with my cousins because we had watched the Harold and Kumar movie. The sliders at the actual location are so much better than the grocery store sliders.
Also they take very good care of their workers when you reach certain years of working there (worked at one recently for a couple months) my manager told us that for her 15 years of working at White Castle they invited her to the og White Castle and she went first class got picked up by a limo and got a Rolex with her name on it
Cherry Hill resident here. Yes the hell they did. White Castle actually only exists in the top half of NJ. The closest one is around South Brunswick. Everyone below is out of luck. Although the entire state can be covered tip to tip in under 3 hours so eh.
There used to be one near the Franklin Mills Mall in NE Philly-- I have vivid memories of going through their drive-thru and seeing a fat greasy guy manning the grill.
When I was in college, the student lounge had a vending machine that sold the burgers in a 2 package wrapper, which you could microwave. If set at the right time, they came out to perfection.
My highschool had a vending machine in the basement that had microwaveable burritos and Mac and cheese and the white castle burgers, the burgers were always sold out
I'm a Film/Video Grad from Columbia College Chicago. First: I must congratulate you on the quality/research on all of your videos. Being from Chicago - I grew up on White Castle. We did not have much $ back when I grew up and, they were delicious and inexpensive. As far as a business model - I think they did it right. A, "Steady Hand at The Helm". Keeping it private and, limiting debt, even though that meant slow growth, is genius. The fast-food industry is littered with casualties who did not head this common sense approach. (Think - Subway?!) And, in finality: I believe 50% of their success was the following: 1) The five hole frozen burger patty, which did not need to be flipped. (Equal, speed of cooking, saving time& labor. 2) The concept of "Steam Grilling" the burgers over slow, moisture laden heat, not "frying" them on a fairly large,hot flat-top griddle. And finally, what I feel is most important. . . 3) Doing this all of this on a bed of reconstituted, dried onions. They don't ASK if you like onions - it's part of the flavor/process. You can ask for "no-onion", but your missing the point. P.S. The last thing I'll add, for thoes who are interested and, obsessed with cooking as I have been for decades: The bun: Before Brioche or, potato flour or, Polynesian sweet bread (Think King's Hawaiian bread), came into current interest/trend, White Castle had perfected and, baked "in-house", a very soft and moist hamburger bun, which was complemented perfectly by their slow, steam frying technique. Always a moist steamed bun with, burger meat steamed over onions to infuse the flavor. This, besides a mandatory dash of salt by the cooks, which make a difference, more than people know - are their main 'secrets'. . . . .
I just moved back to Jersey from being in Texas for 2 years and I missed White Castle SOOOOOO much it was literally the first thing I ate when I got back
Funny, I would miss Whataburger if I moved away from Texas (and I lived in Jersey for 4 years as a kid). IDK if the restaurant is different, but those frozen White Castle sliders give me diarrhea every damn time.
I remember playing Batman on NES with my brother and then having our Dad take us to White Castle on many occasions. Now when I play Batman on NES, I always have to get some White Castle with it. The two simply go hand in hand.
My one complaint about White Castles is they expand way too slowly. They're one of the oldest burger franchises in the US and one of the most well known, yet until recently they operate solely in the mid-west and north-east. That has changed fairly recently with them opening two restaurants in Las Vegas, NV and Scottsdale, AZ in 2015 and 2019 respectively, but I'm still hoping they'll expand into the Pacific Northwest while I'm still alive.
Grew up in VA and then moved to Jersey for about 5 years and actually had White Castle around and I absolutely loved it! Burgers are awesome, fries were great, and the chicken rings are tasty as well!
@@TamperedSource Left NJ for VA. The White Castle I used to go to was really dumpy but damn if they didn’t hit the spot on my late night drives home from work! I miss them from time to time.
There's a white castle in my town, and honestly I think the thing that attributes the most to it's success is it's appeal to people coming home drunk from parties and stuff like that. The drive thru is always light in the day but super crowded late at night. I imagine a bunch of small greasy hamburgers for super cheap is the perfect way to get some food in your stomach to sober up or satisfy some muchies.
I'm from the UK and I have been to White Castle once and shared a cave case with an American friend. It was incredible and everything I imagined it would be (aside from feeling extremely sick afterwards!)
I worked at White Castle at one point in my life, though it wasn’t my ideal job I will say White Castle definitely cares for their employees who’ve been there for a long time. Several employees there were happy to be employed by the company. Also they DEFINITELY have a cult following I was in shock 😭.
IT'S NOT A CULT! I mean, it's not a cult - you've been misinformed by the media hacks....here, have a Double Cheeseburger, fries & Coke....(mysterious laughter ensues) :)
Have never worked at a White Castle but know that even before the pandemic they were at the top of the payscale for employee's working fast food restaurants in my area. As the pandemic has continued they also seem to one of the few to not have staffing issues and have consistently remained opened.
I’m glad they stay small, soon as a company franchises or grows too large, they quickly lose what made them special in the first place. I’m sure McDonalds was amazing at the beginning but not nearly good today (my opinion)
The inability to control what is happening by selling your name to someone to loan is why that happens. if you can't control all the processes you lose quality since store owners will always cut corners to make more profit.
It ain’t that controversial to say Mickey Dees isn’t all that good these days. Sure they’re better than Burger King but that’s a bar so low it’s on the ground.
My dad used to call them "Fart Burgers" but he taught us the secret of ordering them without pickles. Probably, the greatest tidbit of information he's ever bestowed. I've since developed the intestinal fortitude to withstand a slider as God intended. I'm several hours from a location today but the frozen food version is sufficient and will not fail to warm my mid-western soul.
I always found it was the onion juice drippings that would make the worst waves of gas, but I will definitely order a few with no pickles next time to see if that helps because it can be very uncomfortable while trying to sleep
As imitation is a sincere form of flattery: I recall Denny's restaurants offering a version of the Sliders in their menu, it was found in the Appetizer section of the menu. They were pricey, but tasted good when White Castle couldn't be found in the region.
I haven’t had White Castle in years, but I finally saw one when I went to Indiana and I kid you not, White Castle has the best fast food breakfast out there. I’m impressed
Its getting to be that time again where im seeing Spirit Halloween stores pop up. You should make a video on how they’re successful, because every single year, they come back.
They just closed down the White Castle on 88-08 Northern Blvd. Jackson Heights, Queens NY. It’s been a staple in my neighborhood for 86 years, 5 months and 25 days. That was my go to spot for after work munchies, ever since Covid-19 brought its ass to NYC, it has messed up EVERYTHING!! RIP White Castle in Jackson Heights, you will be missed
The ones near me shut down so it's mostly frozen sliders or barely warm delivery unless I decide to travel about 45 minutes or so to get some fresh. And I live in New York.
There are still a lot of old White Tower buildings in Detroit. They were everywhere. White Castle, whom they imitated, has a strong following to this day. No matter. When you crave White Castle, you crave it. It’s dangerous that there’s one a 1/2 mile from my house. As a University of Michigan MBA, I applaud the families risk adverse / long haul strategy. It’s the classic tortoise and the hare story, or to quote the Beastie Boys, “Slow and Low, that is the tempo.”
I had White Castle for the first time ever a couple months ago, October 2021, in Las Vegas, NV. I loved it. Definitely much better than the frozen ones in the supermarket. Ordered myself 6 sliders total, 3 with cheese and 3 without. I regretted not getting all with cheese.
My friend told me about this time when he was a kid and his family got White Castle. They were gonna have to make a big order cause they had a lot of people, and when they were next up to order there was one guy behind them so he said "hey dad maybe we should let this guy go first" and his dad just says no and then goes "I'll have 120 burgers". The guy behind them in line just left lol. And the lady was pissed and said "call ahead next time!". Probably didn't have the 'crave crate' at that time but they did order over 100 burgers. But I think it was just cause of their large group.
I’ve never been to an actual location but I’ve known and loved them my whole life. My pops, rest his soul, used to make sliders at the house all the time and spent years trying to replicate them. By the time he said he got them down, they were some of the best burgers I ever had in my life. I buy the frozen boxes from time to time for nostalgia purposes with pops but they just don’t match. I also had access to the southern equivalent Krystals but they don’t match either. Still, one goal of mine is to visit and eat a fresh White Castle one day.
Your father probably made delicious burgers. White Castle, however, is not very good. I don't know how they manage to be the worst, being the longest in business but they are the *worst.* The only ones who can compete with how bad they are are Checkers in 2021.
Don't listen to those others, you'll enjoy them if you like the frozen ones. They're definitely not the same, fresh ones are so much better! Also, don't forget about the chicken rings!
Growing up in the Chicago area, I’ve had sliders all my life. Dad used to get them occasionally for dinner when we were younger. They’re good when you have a taste for them…I wouldn’t eat them every night but they’re good on occasion. They got the best cheese sticks ever IMO.
I've love white castle since I was little. It was perfectly sized for me as a kid and as an adult I can knock back a dozen or so. I may be bias since I now live in a state that doesn't have white castle locations but I would go though a lot for them. Every time I go to a state that has one I try to make a trip to it even if it's out of the way. I'm not sure how I'd like the sliders if I didn't grow up with them. They'd probably be just another fast food place but I love it.
another reason for their success is that they never deviated from what made them successful. they never chased the new customers (after they became established) with divergent product lines, they just focused on what they do, kept it simple, and cemented their customers' loyalty. i didn't go there often, but when i did they did not disappoint...the frozen supermarket ones are ok, but cant really compare to the fresh ones.
Interesting side note while White Castle didn't like people purposely stealing their motif, they weren't against showing others how to operate a successful burger restaurant. The most successful being Krystal, which is allot like White Castle, but bigger. As it happens Rody Davenport Jr. and partner J. Glenn Sherrill, creators of Krystal loved White Castle but didn't have one close. The owner of White Castle showed them the restaurant & essentially "trained them", after the opened their first Krystal in Chattanooga Tennessee in October 1932. They since moved headquarters to Dunwoody Georgia.
Krystal didn't have the same no-debt business model and many have closed as a result of the pandemic. I am faithful to White Castle but Krystal is the closest I can get where I currently live. It does the job, but it's not the same. They had seasoned fries for awhile (similar to what Arby's does with their curly fries) and that gave them an edge in my book but they did away with that and also never really offered the quantities that White Castle had.
Every single living and several deceased members of my family, aside from me, have worked at White Castle lol. Funny enough I'm the only professional cook in the whole family. I do love White Castle though, plus they pay well for a fast food chain which I'll always support.
I started loving White Castle in the early 2010s after trying it for the first time at a new location that opened near me. All my friends thought it was disgusting but I knew they just lacked the sophisticated pallet to truly appreciate the allure of the slider. I went vegan 2 years ago but even now I can still indulge in not one but TWO different vegan sliders that they offer! Your point about innovation is right on- they were offering a vegan alternative in the form of their veggie patty way before vegan fast food options started hitting the mainstream and they even beat Burger King to the punch with their impossible slider nearly a year earlier. This video made me so hungry I made the drive across town on my lunch break to grab some for lunch, and it didn't disappoint.
Do they use separate grills for the vegan sliders? Otherwise it's like the impossible whopper, soaked in beef grease and basically just a regular burger.
As a vegetarian stoner, I've always appreciated their vegetarian offerings. They've had a veggie slider forever, and recently they came out with an Impossible Slider that is amazing, yet not greasy like the standard slider.
I don't think the Impossible Sliders are cooked in that classic White Castle way where they're grilled on top of a bed of onions, giving them that one-of-a-kind, craveable White Castle flavor. I'm not a vegetarian, but all things being equal I default to plant based options and I periodically abstain from meat for religious purposes. The Impossible slider just doesn't hold up to the original for me. They're a great meatless option and I've been thankful for them more than once. But I wish they'd follow burger king's lead and just make their normal burger with an Impossible patty instead.
I also don't eat meat they have an actual fake meat white Castle slider in some frozen sections found them a handful of times in Cali and they are actually pretty good
I’ve been with white Castle for two years and still amazed when I talked to different employees at different castles about how long they have worked there. A lot of years for some of them
I had a tradition with 2 coworkers of going to White Castle in December, picking up a Crave Case, and finishing the whole thing during our lunch hour. Also, onion chips are way better than onion rings - the only thing the onion ring has is novelty of shape, but it comes with a bunch of problems, like when you can't bite through a section and the entire onion slides out of the fried batter or how you have to either bite out a section or collapse the ring to dip it. Sure, White Castle has spawned a lot of jokes over the years - "they're still on their first cow because of those holes in the burgers" or "they're called sliders because you just go to the bathroom when you're full, so you can keep eating." Even with that, the reality is that I genuinely enjoy the food from White Castle more than the majority of their competitors.
This is one of the most underrated fast food restaurants. The frozen ones do not give the burgers justice as they taste far better in person. The movie gave the burger justice as if you ever travel to areas where it is and people who live there are traveling back. You will over hear conversations about them wanting to have those burgers. Going to the extent they have family members bring them it as they arrive. The small pack of 25 used to be called the crave case. The interesting fact is that the 100 crate is rarely bought. Many people will but the 25 case but not the crate. As someone who has bought the crate because of visiting family who had not had it in years I was surprised to be the 1st person to order it at a new location that was open for over a year. It takes 30-45 min for them to put the order together but it will still be fresh and delicious
I've had both and tbh the frozen are only marginally less good. The buns texture is fucked up by microwaving, but the flavors and textures of the beef and onions/cheese is identical. I was super undwhelmed when I got them at an actual store because I'd had the frozen for years and it wasn't that much better.
Hello! From Chicago! The Crave Crate is a staple at many Midwest graduation parties. And I’ll tell you, it sounds tacky and most people think it is, but it is invariably the first item to go.
This image, of the White Castle restaurant, with the tiny little man to the extreme right? Moves me greatly. I am a little fella myself. 23 inches tall. I appreciate the show of Solidarity. White Castle, You are, FOREVER GREAT! Love "Lil' Fellah"
Well, me and a buddy were craving white castle after a specific session we had. We then found out that a White Castle location by us had been bought by some other restaurant. The employee told us of another white castle location 35-40 so minutes away from where we were that was open for 24 hours. At first my buddy didn’t want to go since he had work to do. He finally agreed after realizing he can do his work on the way. Let’s just say our trip to White Castle was no trip I’ve ever been on. We ran into so many bumps but we ended up making it there. We ordered the crave case with 5 large fries and 4 drinks. Our money had been stolen but some celebrity paid for us for another reason. We killed those burgers.
I remember when their only Arizona location opened up in Scottsdale. It was packed for weeks. I first went there a month after they opened. Best hour and a half wait ever!
I went there over two months after they opened and it was still a 45 minute wait to get to the front to order! It was great though, I moved to AZ from Cincinnati, and literally the nearest restaurant to where I used to live was a White Castle. Thankfully when I went a few weeks ago, it was busy, but no real wait to order and get my food. My friend who had never had it really liked it.
I've been there, I don't care for the burgers but I do understand the "craving cult" thing about them. The flavor is VERY distinct, like nothing else, and I could see how someone would be like "I want a white castle slider."
Yeah it's a category of its own, it's super different than anything else on the market (at least where I'm from). When I get a craving for White Castle, it won't be quelled by just any 'ol burger. Unfortunately all we have around me is the frozen ones which kinda skeeves me out, but it gets the job done alright.
No one in the history of human existence has said, "I want a white castle slider" until you said it now. If someone go to white castle with the mindset of eating only one slider, then they are incorrect, and not human lol
My wife grew up in the south side of Chicago and is crazy in love with White Castle Sliders. She is a member of the cult. We live near the Mississippi river in northwest Illinois and have traveled all the way across on I-80 to the Chicago area to eat Sliders. Then in the 90's, I read an article about White Castle and their history of success. They opened new stores with cash, no debt. How novel. And you are correct, all company owned stores, no slacking franchises. A very good business model. Funny, they still haven't made it to our area yet. lol! It is worth the trip!! Thank you for sharing this about White Castle.
As someone who lives in one of the great lake states, there is a white castle in my town, I've never been there but they always seem busy, and in the 16 years I've lived here its still open.
@@JasonB808 That really wasn't my point. I know people who have driven an hour out of their way to go get White Castle. We drove past probably a half dozen McD's on the way.
I think another reason is for the uniqueness of their burgers. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they steam the patty and/or burger, and this helps to get the juices into the bun along with the flavor of the onions. Man, I crave them constantly. Easily my favorite fast food burger.
You would be correct. We also place the buns on top of them too as well as to keep the steam as well as the flavor in full swing. I work there but my last day is Friday. It's nice but I got pretty burnt out. I am a fryer there.
When I was a teenager I played for a local band based out of the NJ/PA/NY tristate area and we’d rehearse at this place near Freehold called the Jam Room. Every time my dad and I drove back home at like 2am we’d pass by the White Castle down the road and grab a half-cheese half-regular Crave Case, a couple sacks of Clam Strips (my family loved those), and a sack of Onion Strips. They were far from premium tasting, but there was something so comforting and nostalgic about how the sliders tasted. Naturally we’d all destroy those 30 sliders throughout the next day. I still miss those days just for late night White Castle runs.
I can't remember exactly why, but my sister and I were in a Southside Chicago hospital trauma center waiting room for many hours, waiting on my mom to get done with treatment. One of the Chicago cops that was stationed there and one of the nurses asked if we were hungry. We were. Cop took us to the nearest White Castle. Perfectly sized food for little kids. Sliders with extra ketchup, and slider containers to play with. I moved to the Southeast USA as an adult, and while we do have Krystal, it is not the same.
They are clearly operating a winning system. Solid product, solid marketing, no debt. Probably why this is 100th anniversary.
Winning relative to what and by what standard?
They have a working system, not a winning one. Unless you count any business that functions as winning. Calling that winning is no different from giving out participation trophies.
I’m guessing winning is being profitable, and their system probably works while the original company’s family still retains wealth.
@@hydroaegis6658 Being a company for 100 years is a pretty good start.
Winning system my ass, they take FOREVER to make the food and most of the time still manage to get something wrong.
@@hydroaegis6658 they continue to be able to exist
My dad loved White Castle growing up, after his funeral we got a crave crate (or a bunch of crave cases I dont remember) and the whole family ate them.
That's cool! People often try to be so stuffy about memorializing people, But the BEST way is to recognize them for what they loved. I endorse this! I pray your dad is having a "slider" watching this with you!
My grandfather loved them as well and during his wake I went and got a whole bunch of them for everyone because I had the munchies XD. No one said a word and they even delayed his eulogy speech to wait for me to come back with them. Everyone agreed it's what he would have wanted:')
Thats beautiful.. My uncle just past this yr and his brother surprise his kids and grandkids with whoppers too. It was so touching.. My father's a whopper guy too.. Im Asian btw n our pops dont eat much western foods.
MAD LOVE !
Surely you would remember what you did in memory of your Dad lmao...Chatting shit for Likes is my assumption here
I love white castle. The fact that they aren't everywhere definitely helps their popularity. I remember in high-school taking trips with my friends across the state looking for a white castle.
How does it help
@@mykallee6926 because having less white castles makes the trip there an adventure and getting to one feels like you accomplished a goal. If they were everywhere they would just be another McDonald's or Burger King. I have never once thought let me travel to a McDonald's. If I end up at one it's normally just because there is one close by.
@@willyg1988 true but if they errrnt in the store I would have to move just so I can have it more then once in 10 years
The only journey White Castle ever gave me was a long journey on the toilet
@@karterdowd606 oh
A group of friends and I bought the crave crate in Brooklyn, NY (New Utrecht area). There were about 8 of us and we were planning to have an all nighter of gaming, drinking and just generally hanging out. When we ordered the crate the staff were stunned and needed a few minutes to plan out exactly how they were going to handle the order, but they were actually able to deliver and were pretty cool about it overall. They even had the physical box shown on the menu (they mentioned having maybe 3 of these in the entire store). It lasted us well over six hours and many of us wound up taking makeshift ten sacks home in the morning.
I mean, yeah? That is a shit load of food. But damn near every White Castle can handle it and that's the beauty of it. Anything more (I remember a party from like, 15 years ago, where we had 2 crave crates) and you should probably call ahead.
@@o3941 I work at the most recent one in Orlando (only one in the South, technically, aside from Arizona out west) and we have a limit of 60 sliders because of the high volume of customers we get. We don't offer the 100 box but we have the 20, the 30, & then the Crave Pallet (1,000 sliders) that you have to call ahead for; in the 1 1/2 years we been open, I've only heard of two catering events ordering that many
Crates should be easy its 3 rows of sliders plus 10 theyd have to stop all other orders but only for like 18 minites TOPS
Do you remember how long it took for them to give it to you?
Sounds like an experience 😯
I once arrived to a party in the late stages, around 2am, with a crave crate. I've never seen such debaucherous gratitude in my life. An entire house full of drunk people in their twenties demolished the entire thing in under 45 minutes.
The restaurant appreciates it if you call ahead.
How much is one? I'd think that 100 burgers are gonna be very expensive
how much would a crave crate cost tho
@@dygitalanimations42 around $100 including tax
@@bebestaxx1383 100 sliders for $100, huh? i'd say thats close to fair
I’m only here for your Julie Winters avatar pic…
It's a good company to remind others that exponential growth doesn't always have to be the end game. Most people that go into business for the "good reasons" are there to sell a product they believe in and carve out a steady living for themselves. You don't have to have a huge company to be able to do that but people often lose sight of that along the way. This is a good example to argue that often times smaller but steady can be a much better choice than bigger but shaky.
I get your point, but over 400 locations isn't exactly a small business. Compared to the rest of the industry they are tiny but overall it's a pretty big company.
@@schwuzi they are in a very good place right now; exceptional name recognition, privately owned, and big enough to have the resources to weather market fluctuations. They are not a takeover target, so can continue doing what they are doing. In-N-Out is following the same business model as White Castle and doing very well too.
Growth for its own sake is fundamentally unsustainable. The model of get leveraged as far as you can for explosive growth has ruined many companies with good products or services. So I applaud WC for showing the benefits of running a good company for the long term. It's better for the employees, customers and suppliers.
Don't have to expand and be a huge company? That sounds anti-capitalist! CIA, help! Communist on the loose!
@@catdogmousecheese I was thinking the same... get him up against the wall! ;)
The Small Business Association considers a small business to be one with less than $7.5 Million for annual receipts. White Castle is estimated to be worth $850 Million so they are FAR from a small business.
Their corporate folks were extremely nice. In college I reached out at the possibility of opening one in town in PA. Instead of shutting me down, they wrote a very nice email explaining that it was too far from their distribution centers, but that they appreciated that I reached out.
Which franchise did you end up opening?
Same i emailed too years ago! got a response. sad they won’t expand
@@guymor910 White Castle isn’t franchised.
Well it does seem, they took you request to heart and found another way. We might not have White Castle restaurants all over the US, but we can buy frozen sliders made by them at the local super markets.
@@msuspartans5139 why doesn’t McDonald’s sell Mac and cheese or spaghetti and meatballs it’s not their thing I was born and raised in nyc the New York restaurant they showed was in the Bronx spent many nights making the trip there
White Castle is the literal definition of: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
The literal definition?
@@Meltedcheese567 yeah like they’re a perfect example of the definition.
@@V10l3tta1 just like what sweet said in gta sa
@@V10l3tta1 that's not what "literal" means.
They're very very persuasive with those damn cheeseburgers
White Castle is a perfect example of being comfortable with what it is. They aren't McDonald's where they're trying to win over literally everyone. But they make what they make, consistently and well. And what they make is a perfect late night meal.
It is NOT a perfect late night meal. You have no standards 🤣 I rather eat school lunches than that garbage
@@rollsroyce372 But It Is and Indeed your opinion but I wouldn't choose School lunches tho
Yeah I can see that...lol
@@leafaddict1600 My opinion is factual.
th-cam.com/video/pj3AB4Y00xI/w-d-xo.html.
I miss White Castle so much. Their most profitable location (or so we were told) was located literally across the street from my university. You can imagine how many nights ended up there.
Fordham?
I’d believe it. The most profitable Wendy’s in the world is on my campus (and open till 4:00 A.M.)
What's your favorite Sonic game
@@sestinator Yup haha
I’m 81, and grew up in the 50’s cutting the White Castle add out of the paper and feasting on thoes delicious sliders, and I especially loved their chocolate malts, but for some reason they have went away from that texture and flavor. Today Wendy’s texture and flavor of their frosties are as close as I can get to the White Castle drink.
I’m sooooo lucky to be close to the White Castle just north of Phoenix. Before that I had to make due with frozen ones or when I flew back to Ohio visiting family the White Castle was the first stop from the airport.
I fondly remember the white porcelain steel buildings so brute and clean. I’m so glad they are still around.
god bless you! hope your day is great!
I have a little problem with your comment...
First, you say that nowadays, Wendy's is better and more like the good old choco malts that WC used to serve. Then you say you are lucky to live Close to a WC in Pheonix, so you can have their NEW drink, which you clearly prefer at Wendy's.
Do you get my problem with your logic? I mean you aren't talking about frozen sliders are you? And you probably have a Wendy's nearby. Lucky you. I REALLY liked Wendys. Especially the salad bar.
@@TheJimprez the White Castle frosty back in the 60’s when I lived in Columbus Ohio had a thick grainy texture that you had to eat with a spoon and had a delicious chocolate flavor. Their chocolate drinks now are just like a classic milkshake that you use a straw.
And currently the Wendy’s frosty is a thick grainy machine dispensed that is eaten with a spoon.
The difference if taste does not prevent my from enjoying those delicious sliders. And now there are TWO White Castles in the Phoenix Arizona area that I take advantage of as often as I can.
Your story is so amazing!
Love your comment!
As someone born and raised in Ireland, my only exposure to White Castle was Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle. At first I figured it was just another one of those brands created for a movie to be a brand replica for something the creators had no rights to. I was happy to say that I discovered it was real. A few years later, I met my American girlfriend and my first trip to the US started and ended with White Castle as there is one relatively nearby her. It didn't take much convincing and I'm glad we went. It was great food and has become a fond memory for me.
Is your girlfriend also an Irish-American, by any chance? Would be so lovely if you've found each other generations and centuries apart 😅 Irish charms and beauty must be preserved 🤗💚🧡
@@Li_Tobler Hi. She wasn't; I'm Irish, she's American. And we've since split up. But I agree, it would have been wonderful to have found each other like that!
@@gamehours5751 I meant where her ancestors came from to America, of course :) So sad to hear! I hope it was on good terms, at least. You will find someone perfect for you, I'm sure you're worth it!! Cheers from Ukraine 🤗🤗
@@Li_Tobler I don't think her ancestors came from Ireland, but I never checked 😅 And thank you! I hope you're safe in Ukraine
@@Li_Tobler Yo, how's things there right now? You good?
The movie does do it justice. The sliders are so good with a flavor that can't be matched. I have had the Crave Crate in two occasions once for my birthday and the other to celebrate my family running a marathon.
Crave case*
@@TenaciousC_ there is a crave crate that has 100 sliders
What is a slider lmao
White Castle after a run is absolutely goated
I’m from Canada and any one I know who went to White Castle said there burgers tasted like dog shit dipped in grease
Love me some white castle. My grandma used to tell me stories of going there during the depression.
After she had her stroke and was in assisted living, she always appreciated when I'd bring her a white castle kids meal when I visited.
I'm forever thankful for white castle and the memories it brings
If white castle is happy with their earnings, then there's nothing wrong with their business plan. The owners have a very good handle on their finances and accounting to be around for 100 years.
Yeah, avoiding debt is smart if you're looking long-term. Companies that over-leverage are playing a very dangerous game.
That said, I do wish they'd franchise more. :-/
@@jasonblalock4429 I believe the story said they dont franchise in usa at all
Being private helps. If they had shareholders, you know the life would be sucked out of the company as they squeeze every bit of profit to please shareholders who only see the company as a share price and not a restaurant.
Basically, when a company becomes hellbent on earnings and expansion, the soul of the company dies out pretty quickly and it joins the legions of other megacorporations. They have somehow avoided that, which is probably where all the charm comes from. Sure, it has certainly prevented them from becoming one of the major fast food chains but at that point, what would even be the point of it?
@@arfriedman4577 they franchise in Vegas. Casino Royale approached them with the idea. The brands make a good fit.
I live in Terre Haute, Indiana. Back in the 1930s and early 40s (way before my time) there was at least one White Castle here. It closed in the late 50s. Ever since that time, folks had been contacting White Castle to get them to bring one back to Terre Haute. Even the mayor got involved. So finally, about ten years ago, White Castle came here, did a study, then announced that we WOULD be getting a White Castle back here! The day it opened, according to a regional manager with whom I spoke, they set (at that time) an ALL-TIME record for sliders sold in a 24 hour period at just over 30,000!
Owww, how sweet! And even the mayor stepped in! 😂 Congrats on your little victory there 🤍
Common White Castle W
As someone who currently works at a White Castle, we are the only place that serves food that is open 24/7 - in my area, at least. The line is consistently long in the drive thru until about 4 in the morning. And we take cleaning the shop very seriously! Overall I have positive things to say lol
Love this so much
Do you ſtill work þere?
As a Minnesotan, White Castle invokes a nostalgia in me that I can’t get anywhere else.
hello mn fren
Yep. We call 'em "gut bombs" too, not sliders.
Hello fellow Minnesotan
Another fellow ‘Sotan here.
Shoutout to WC in Apple Valley, MN
My dads friend used to be a regional manager (he’s retired). He’s been working for them since he was in high school flipping burgers and absolutely loved it. White Castle has come in clutch for night outs
I am originally from Queens, NY and grew up four blocks from a White Castle. When I started working at adult (edit: adult as in jobs that grown ups have. not the adult industry lol) jobs in NYC, people would randomly bring up White Castle and I always conveyed my love for it. One day, people were talking about a White Castle burger eating challenge. I volunteered to go pick up the food if I didn't have to pay. They agreed. I bought a crave crate from the White Castle on 8th Ave in midtown. They told me that people ordered them way more often than you would think. I won the contest by the way. I finished 27 sliders (w/cheese), one sack of fries, one sack of mozzarella sticks, and one sack of chicken rings :)
If you're talking about the White Castle in Northern Blvd, it closed down not too long ago unfortunately... I used to eat there back in the 90's.
@@jjusmc8973 ah man that's too bad. I was actually talking about the one on Rockaway Blvd in OZP. I'm pretty sure it's still there.
holy shit dud
@@jjusmc8973 why did it close down? Too slow?
Dayuuumm he be killin it 🎉
I feel like White Castle and In-N-Out are those 2 secluded kids who barely talk in school but get nothing but support from most classmates and good grades
So they’re basically good looking introverts.
@@jokerpilled2535 they are the coolest introverts you’ve ever met
@@jokerpilled2535 They're late 90s Jared Leto
Nah fuck In-N-Out
I'm still confused as to why I can't even find a White Castle. I've only seen like 2 in my life a rest stops on toll roads, and I've lived in the same state as their headquarters my entire life... More like that one kid who never shows up to school yet continues to get good grades.
"Buy 'em by the sack!" sounds like the OG super-size concept. Well-played, White Castle. Your 100 years makes sense.
@Stellvia J Hoenheim that sound a bit sussy
My uncle was celebrating his 50th birthday in 2003. His favorite food was White Castle burgers.
So, my mother had the grand idea of making a faux cake by ordering the crave crate and stacking up the burgers like a 3 tier cake.
The whole family came and we ate all of those burgers. It was a magical time!
Mmmmmmmmmmm!!!!
wholesome
Thats wassup
Have you submitted your story to the White Castle Hall of Fame? You be an instant winner for sure!
I grew up in Columbus Ohio, which was the home of White Castle. As a teen, our school, for some unknown reason, sent us on a tour of their headquarters, including the Porcelain Steel Buildings factory. They also sold steel houses, of which Columbus is still home to many. Another item the factory made was lawn spreaders for Scott's, which is headquartered in nearby Marysville.
The way White Castle is operating should be the definitive standard. Too many fast food restaurants are way greedy, which is why they expand at rapid rates.
At least other place's food tastes different than the packaging. White Castle sucks shit.
So business.
And fall....
@@HowardCountyHerald hahahaha i luv this, so true they are literally dogwater
Bruh White Castle is just better whataburger and this is coming from a Texan
I actually prefer companies that don’t try and over expand into every area and franchise hundreds or thousands of stores. They just seem more focused on delivering a good product or service.
Good on them
that why white castle's is winning they only put one location per city
Yes a top notch product and 5 star service because they only have 400 locations... what?
@@ducc764 think about it. The smaller amount of locations means its easier to maintain and also supervise to make sure everythings running smoothly as it should look at mcdonalds for example so many of they're locations are awful compared to other locations in the same chain as well as most big names alot of big name food chains have locations that are in worse condition or less healthy to they're other locations due to how many locations they have it can be harder for the supervisor ceo or whatever to keep after them and maintain them equally. (Hope thay makes sense.)
@@glitchyame6366 to be fair to McDonald's. Practically anyone you got to they're going to taste the same. Sane as five guys. They could definitely make more money with a few more locations and quality control
I've visited a lot of States in the United States, but never had a chance to be in one of them where there was a White Castle located. But in May 2018, me and my brother managed to purchase 2 concert tickets for the U2 group in St. Louis, MO. We bought plane tickets, flew over there to attend the concert. And at the end, we headed to a White Castle to eat it for the first time at a location. It was awesome! For us, it became a "tourist attraction". Now, thankfully our supermarkets carry the White Castle frozen box too.
Frozen ones are nasty ..if you got to New York they're up there too
They are everywhere in Chicago and the Frozen Boxes are disgusting lol
@Marauder you aren't kidding Jesus lol even being in the army defac
How do the frozen burgers compare to the fresh ones if you’ve had them?
I feel ya brother. I used to stop at them anytime I was near one.
I love White Castle. One small thing that isn't mentioned in the video, they do special Valentine's Day events. They close the store to the general public, only accepting reservations in advance. They put up pink and red wallpaper and balloons and theme the restaurant for the night. One employee is the hostess and you're actually served your meal. They even do special combos meant for two people to share. My ex and I did every Valentine's Day we were together. And just a pro tip for anyone going for the first time: Get the chicken rings. People sleep on them and they're actually very good. Onion chips (petals) are amazing with Zesty sauce. Mozzarella sticks are the best fast food ones. Waaaay better than Arby's sticks.
Yes !!!! Good point !! ♥️💗.
During COVID, White Castle and Waffle House were the ONLY fast food restaurant to maintain 24-hour operations in my region. Their drive-thru lines were insane.
They pretty much still are. Other fast food joints claim to be open 24 hours now but only drive through. White Castle keeps it's doors open for all customers.
I would say quarantine bc covid isn't really "over"
Poor workers
@@shinblack Facts
One reason why is because White Castle pays better and usually takes better care of their employees versus their franchise counterparts.
I have a fun story related to White Castle.
My grandparents, children and grandchildren of European immigrants were living in New York in the early 50’s. Not rich by any means, but content.
My grandma told me about her first date with my grandpa.
She told me that my grandpa asked her out and she agreed, after some hesitation, because he was Polish and she came from a strict Italian family. He told her where they were going to go. He said to dress up very nice because he was going to take her out to “a place where kings eat.”
He took her to White Castle.
They were married, and stayed married till my grandpa passed away. Such a cute story that I love to pass on.
I love this story!
King indeed
Your grandpa was chad!
Wholesome story👍
This story has made my day
I used to manage a white castle location, crave crates weren't super common, but on superbowl sunday and thanksgiving every year we had to make sure we have one ready to go at all times.
For when people are sick of turkey.
@@dalethelander3781 Turkey is kind of lame nowadays. Give me a Thanksgiving with tacos or pizza instead
@@jgood005 Agreed. That's winning right there.
@@dalethelander3781 nah u just gotta up the meat game turkey is pretty terrible meat wise u should have an elk Christians it’s great 👍 thanksgiving since I’m salvadorian my family makes some great sandwiches with a great tomato salsa with the turkey but for Christmas we go elk hunting to switch the meat up
@@edwinvillalobos7159 It boils down to tradition. It's always been claimed that when the Puritans and Native Americans broke bread, they ate turkey.
How accurate that is, I don't know. That bit of historical lore may be apocryphal.
Worked at White Castle for 4 years through high school and junior college. Even at that young age I understood and appreciated the System that the Ingram family had. No franchises. Owned the bakery that supplied the buns. Owned the company that supplied fixtures. Family owned for 80 years (100 years now). It’s like IKEA wanting to control as much of the supply chain as possible. It’s smart. Size isn’t always the best. Longevity, stability, and control are much more important. They don’t have to make decisions based on shareholders interest.
Doesn't matter what I've got going on, a Company Man "Why they're successful" video always puts me in a good mood.
I’m glad White Castle sells their burgers in grocery stores so people like me who don’t live near a restaurant can still enjoy their delicious food. Still, I wish they would expand to more of the country, even if it was very slow.
Me too!! i just realized if you thaw them in the fridge for an hour or so, they come out exactly perfect.
I am fortunate enough to live by a location and the frozen ones are nothing compared to what you get at the restaurant. I wish they would open more locations so more people could actually go
@@Pyrodude81 nah of course, the restaurant is holy land. But all i can get are them frozen ones. They do the job and keep me from eating 20 a sitting.
@@TheRealDarrylStrawberry I finish a crave case in about a day and a half lol, that’s why I only go once a year 😂
@@Pyrodude81 bruh are your intestines okay?
Moved out of NYC to Hudson Valley. I miss White Castle so much. Closest one is in NJ near the bridge.
Isn't it right by that Cineplex in New Brunswick?
Did u move to poughkeepsie
@@Juline1221 middletown
There's a White Castle right off the Palisades Parkway exit 8E, thats closer than NJ
lol i'm from hudson valley but that white castle near arthur ave in the bronx always catches my eye when im there
If you put the frozen sliders in the oven and steam them on a boiler pan with water underneath, covered in foil, instead of microwaving, it comes out extremely similar to the actual restaurant.
How long and what temperature?
My microwave make it taste the same as original #NoDifferenceforMe
@@clove8763there’s no way
I live in the Chicagoland area and they are everywhere here.. I didn’t know they were that small I LOVE White Castle
Same
I’ve biked it, 3 am, high as fuck, to the one by midway. Walked my bike to the window and ordered lmao
There's one I believe in all of Cali where I am living but I'm from the Midwest so yeah your lucky I grew up with one every other town 😭
Same
Same!
As a white castle employee I can say that to this day we are still one of the cleanest fast food places to eat, if we aren't cooking we're are cleaning something.
I can agree. I'm a fryer at my Castle, though my last day is Friday. It was pretty cool to work for. I work nights there.
[I love to hear that !!]
@@flarexero2161 Also work exclusively night shifts and we're always cleaning!
Thank you for your service
Love to hear that
Can’t wait for “The company man, why he’s successful.”
and if it’s not from “the company man”, it doesn’t count.
There is one, but not by himself: th-cam.com/video/_HGBnIW4_Gk/w-d-xo.html
The rise and fall.. and rise?
Same
It'd be a 5 second video. "Because he just is."
White castle is great, I tried the real deal once when I was in Kentucky, i loved it....the whole castle bit is really cool
it sucks they aren't bigger but I think being a privately owned regional company in these times is better than being as big as you can be, you have more of a dedicated customerbase and when travelers pass through they'll try as well seeing as the place is unique, why hit the arches when you can go to the castle that you don't even get in your area? uniqueness is valuable
What is interesting is that they’re primarily Midwest but with a Greater New York cluster.
I was displaced by a fire and when I realized there was a white castle nearby, I went and got the crate. I'm on like, burger 48 and it's taken me a couple days but it's pretty great.
Hope everything works out for you. I've been through that myself and it's rough. Keep your head up
I wonder how many people have been crushed by the weight of the burgers they just bought
I'm very sorry to hear. Sending my prayers.
I hope things get better! I'm sorry you had to deal with that
"I want 30 sliders, 5 french fries and 4 large diet cokes."
- Kal "Kumar" Penn -
Cherry Cokes for Harold
Big Smoke.
“I have the same, except make mine Diet Coke’s.”
I can literally see White Castle's HQ building from where I live so I know them well. My dad loved them so as a kid we had them a lot. I never liked them, and it has been almost 30 years since I have eaten one, but I do admire their business model. They have diversified their holdings and sell products to their competition, and have a huge reach in their distribution of frozen sliders so they don't need to have more stores to be successful. And that HQ building I mentioned is actually part of a newly built complex that includes a mix of office and apartment buildings. Knowing their business model there was little to no debt taken on so the rents they are getting will add immensely to their bottom line.
A lot of fast food restraunts sell and use resources from eachother all the time
@@adrianayala122 I doubt it. The odds of getting cancer from a certain food source that's heavily moderated is very very slim. I'm pretty sure it's just a per-cautionary warning incase some random case actually gives you cancer which is highly unlikely. It's like how people believe eating microwaved food could give you cancer which is false.
Where is their HQ located at?
Can confirm. My dad also loved them. I did not. Don't like onions, no offense to you sensitive types. But I am impressed by their business model.
I'm canadian so I have only had the freezer burgers and thought they did a pretty good job. I wish the family all the success in the world, no board trying to wring every penny out of business.
I remember the one time I went to White Castle was when I was visiting New York City with my cousins because we had watched the Harold and Kumar movie. The sliders at the actual location are so much better than the grocery store sliders.
I can confirm that the restaurant sliders are better than the frozen sliders from the supermarket. I’ve had both in the same week just now lol.
Facts. I’ve traveled from California to a White Castle in Chicago for this reason. The cult following and dedication to an American classic is great.
The store ones don't have pickles. That's a huge part.
Imagine if you will.
"Hey where's the Mc Donalds?"
"Oh they packed up and went down to 51st street."
That’s actually what they did with the first ever mcdonalds. They even had to cut it in half to fit under a bridge.
@@haydenhall4576 Good to know they took after white castle when they first started.
I'd say them being privately own is good because it prevents the "we must please the shareholders" profit increase
they could have 5% of the whole company be on an exchange so if it decreases they only lose a little bit of money
Also they take very good care of their workers when you reach certain years of working there (worked at one recently for a couple months) my manager told us that for her 15 years of working at White Castle they invited her to the og White Castle and she went first class got picked up by a limo and got a Rolex with her name on it
Wtf
The Orlando Florida White Castle has a “Crave Pallet” with 6920 sliders.
Maybe I should've ordered that after my 2 hours in line. I ended up getting the Clutch and bunch of sides.
If I didn't already live near a WC, I would be so delighted to pick that up when we go to disney!
no fuckin way
I guess that's what happens when you put a White Castle in Florida. Even a burger place goes a little wonky. I love it lol.
What the actual fuck
On my way rn
They really missed an oppourtunity to open a White Castle in Cherry Hill, NJ.
Cherry Hill resident here.
Yes the hell they did. White Castle actually only exists in the top half of NJ. The closest one is around South Brunswick. Everyone below is out of luck.
Although the entire state can be covered tip to tip in under 3 hours so eh.
@@TomMcMorrow also former cherry hill resident ;-) thanks for the backup Tom.
I live like 5 minutes away from one, I feel so lucky.
There used to be one near the Franklin Mills Mall in NE Philly-- I have vivid memories of going through their drive-thru and seeing a fat greasy guy manning the grill.
It feels so weird to see a town you live near mentioned anywhere lol
When I was in college, the student lounge had a vending machine that sold the burgers in a 2 package wrapper, which you could microwave. If set at the right time, they came out to perfection.
My highschool had a vending machine in the basement that had microwaveable burritos and Mac and cheese and the white castle burgers, the burgers were always sold out
Trick is to take them out of plastic wrapping and wrap them in wet paper towels and then microwave em
I'm a Film/Video Grad from Columbia College Chicago. First: I must congratulate you on the quality/research on all of your videos.
Being from Chicago - I grew up on White Castle. We did not have much $ back when I grew up and, they were delicious and inexpensive. As far as a business model - I think they did it right. A, "Steady Hand at The Helm". Keeping it private and, limiting debt, even though that meant slow growth, is genius. The fast-food industry is littered with casualties who did not head this common sense approach. (Think - Subway?!)
And, in finality: I believe 50% of their success was the following:
1) The five hole frozen burger patty, which did not need to be flipped. (Equal, speed of cooking, saving time& labor.
2) The concept of "Steam Grilling" the burgers over slow, moisture laden heat, not "frying" them on a fairly large,hot flat-top griddle. And finally, what I feel is most important. . .
3) Doing this all of this on a bed of reconstituted, dried onions. They don't ASK if you like onions - it's part of the flavor/process. You can ask for "no-onion", but your missing the point.
P.S. The last thing I'll add, for thoes who are interested and, obsessed with cooking as I have been for decades:
The bun: Before Brioche or, potato flour or, Polynesian sweet bread (Think King's Hawaiian bread), came into current interest/trend, White Castle had perfected and, baked "in-house", a very soft and moist hamburger bun, which was complemented perfectly by their slow, steam frying technique. Always a moist steamed bun with, burger meat steamed over onions to infuse the flavor.
This, besides a mandatory dash of salt by the cooks, which make a difference, more than people know - are their main
'secrets'. . . . .
I just moved back to Jersey from being in Texas for 2 years and I missed White Castle SOOOOOO much it was literally the first thing I ate when I got back
Funny, I would miss Whataburger if I moved away from Texas (and I lived in Jersey for 4 years as a kid). IDK if the restaurant is different, but those frozen White Castle sliders give me diarrhea every damn time.
You didn’t hit Krystal’s while in Texas?
What about the freedoms? Jerseys a bunch of liberals, should’ve stayed in Texas
@@thomasdr08 don’t think I ever saw one tbh
@@carlife_710 imagine being so insecure that you bring up your political beliefs in a completely unrelated and friendly discussion
I’m the manager of a small town “store” and we carry White Castle frozen sliders. They sell like “hot cakes” so to speak.
I remember playing Batman on NES with my brother and then having our Dad take us to White Castle on many occasions. Now when I play Batman on NES, I always have to get some White Castle with it. The two simply go hand in hand.
I love the implication that you're playing Batman on the NES all the time
This is so wholesome it made me cry
My one complaint about White Castles is they expand way too slowly. They're one of the oldest burger franchises in the US and one of the most well known, yet until recently they operate solely in the mid-west and north-east. That has changed fairly recently with them opening two restaurants in Las Vegas, NV and Scottsdale, AZ in 2015 and 2019 respectively, but I'm still hoping they'll expand into the Pacific Northwest while I'm still alive.
Ferret---White Castle DOESN'T franchise. ALL their restaurants are company owned and operated. That's probably why they are still in business.
@@K9AF and every location has to be basically paid in cash. No debt open a new store
They have to go with no debt also they have to compete with a competitor Crystal's
If I ever win the lotto I’ll pay them to open a location in California
@@omgjimmyboy Same in Oregon if I win the lottery. Of course that would mean I'd have to buy a ticket
Grew up in VA and then moved to Jersey for about 5 years and actually had White Castle around and I absolutely loved it! Burgers are awesome, fries were great, and the chicken rings are tasty as well!
hey wow same with me lol, but a lot of the white castle in Jersey are a bit run down don’t ya think?
@@TamperedSource Left NJ for VA. The White Castle I used to go to was really dumpy but damn if they didn’t hit the spot on my late night drives home from work! I miss them from time to time.
There's a white castle in my town, and honestly I think the thing that attributes the most to it's success is it's appeal to people coming home drunk from parties and stuff like that. The drive thru is always light in the day but super crowded late at night. I imagine a bunch of small greasy hamburgers for super cheap is the perfect way to get some food in your stomach to sober up or satisfy some muchies.
Oh yeah, White Castle sliders are the quintessential drunk food in the midwest. It's usually the final stop of the night after hitting the bars.
100% there are three within 5 miles of me and every night after 10 PM they usually have a line around the store
Or stoner munchies
more companies should be like this one… modest, consistent, always there.
100%
Like In-N-Out
When im not watching this channel I’m watching Seven Hunnid on TH-cam
That’s why capitalism ruins companies. Get too money hungry
@@albear972 Yeah but unlike In-N-Out White Castle's burgers are unique and different, never seen why In-N-Out is any better than Wendy's
I'm from the UK and I have been to White Castle once and shared a cave case with an American friend.
It was incredible and everything I imagined it would be (aside from feeling extremely sick afterwards!)
You're not gonna believe this, but they now have the "crave pallet" which consists of 6920 sliders and costs $6400 at the orlando location
I'm on my way
@@j.epstein7723 save some for me.
Enough to feed an island of children, huh.
@@jonwhite549 funny you say that in a comment chain containing "j. epstien"
Hmm the prices and number of sliders seems too coincidental
I worked at White Castle at one point in my life, though it wasn’t my ideal job I will say White Castle definitely cares for their employees who’ve been there for a long time. Several employees there were happy to be employed by the company. Also they DEFINITELY have a cult following I was in shock 😭.
IT'S NOT A CULT!
I mean, it's not a cult - you've been misinformed by the media hacks....here, have a Double Cheeseburger, fries & Coke....(mysterious laughter ensues) :)
So much different than testimonies from McDonalds employee I guess ? 🤔
Have never worked at a White Castle but know that even before the pandemic they were at the top of the payscale for employee's working fast food restaurants in my area. As the pandemic has continued they also seem to one of the few to not have staffing issues and have consistently remained opened.
ive got a friend that works there and he get paid $15 an hour.
I’m glad they stay small, soon as a company franchises or grows too large, they quickly lose what made them special in the first place. I’m sure McDonalds was amazing at the beginning but not nearly good today (my opinion)
The inability to control what is happening by selling your name to someone to loan is why that happens. if you can't control all the processes you lose quality since store owners will always cut corners to make more profit.
It ain’t that controversial to say Mickey Dees isn’t all that good these days. Sure they’re better than Burger King but that’s a bar so low it’s on the ground.
it's not an opinion. it's a fact of life.
@@thedukeofchutney468 truth! Used to love BK, but they definitely sank
I don't like McDonald's either. Their food isn't that great and, costs to much. I'd rather go to Wendy's, BK or Arby's.
My dad used to call them "Fart Burgers" but he taught us the secret of ordering them without pickles. Probably, the greatest tidbit of information he's ever bestowed. I've since developed the intestinal fortitude to withstand a slider as God intended. I'm several hours from a location today but the frozen food version is sufficient and will not fail to warm my mid-western soul.
whats the secret? i dont like eating pickles w/ hamburgers so i would be really happy :O :D
Imo it’s probably the onions
[the frozen ones don't have pickles 😒but they still great. WC should consider selling the pickles too to keep the authenticity in the frozen sliders]
I always found it was the onion juice drippings that would make the worst waves of gas, but I will definitely order a few with no pickles next time to see if that helps because it can be very uncomfortable while trying to sleep
My family also called them Fart Burgers. Never stopped us from eating there.
As imitation is a sincere form of flattery: I recall Denny's restaurants offering a version of the Sliders in their menu, it was found in the Appetizer section of the menu. They were pricey, but tasted good when White Castle couldn't be found in the region.
I haven’t had White Castle in years, but I finally saw one when I went to Indiana and I kid you not, White Castle has the best fast food breakfast out there. I’m impressed
Its getting to be that time again where im seeing Spirit Halloween stores pop up. You should make a video on how they’re successful, because every single year, they come back.
He did one already look it up . . . Its a good channel to deep dive in
@It's Hadley They just suck to be a manager of. Trust me.
They’re a drug money laundering operation.
@@nixonhoover2 no that's mattress firm
@@joeyhoy1995 Them too, there's a lot of money in the drug game.
They just closed down the White Castle on 88-08 Northern Blvd. Jackson Heights, Queens NY. It’s been a staple in my neighborhood for 86 years, 5 months and 25 days. That was my go to spot for after work munchies, ever since Covid-19 brought its ass to NYC, it has messed up EVERYTHING!! RIP White Castle in Jackson Heights, you will be missed
As a New Yorker I must say, I couldn’t imagine life without White Castle.
I've never been. We have crystals here, is there a difference?
@@loganwork7024 crazy how it started here in Kansas and we don’t even have one and y’all got one in NY🤦♂️😂
Facts
That’s awesome! Here in Detroit the same, couldn’t imagine life without.
The ones near me shut down so it's mostly frozen sliders or barely warm delivery unless I decide to travel about 45 minutes or so to get some fresh. And I live in New York.
I went to the White Castle on the Vegas strip, and it was my first time ever having one, and it was absolutely amazing
There are still a lot of old White Tower buildings in Detroit. They were everywhere.
White Castle, whom they imitated, has a strong following to this day.
No matter. When you crave White Castle, you crave it.
It’s dangerous that there’s one a 1/2 mile from my house.
As a University of Michigan MBA, I applaud the families risk adverse / long haul strategy. It’s the classic tortoise and the hare story, or to quote the Beastie Boys, “Slow and Low, that is the tempo.”
How do you know if someone went to Michigan? They’ll tell you.
@@jacobh674 hahahaha so true. That was cringy
I had White Castle for the first time ever a couple months ago, October 2021, in Las Vegas, NV. I loved it. Definitely much better than the frozen ones in the supermarket. Ordered myself 6 sliders total, 3 with cheese and 3 without. I regretted not getting all with cheese.
My friend told me about this time when he was a kid and his family got White Castle. They were gonna have to make a big order cause they had a lot of people, and when they were next up to order there was one guy behind them so he said "hey dad maybe we should let this guy go first" and his dad just says no and then goes "I'll have 120 burgers". The guy behind them in line just left lol. And the lady was pissed and said "call ahead next time!".
Probably didn't have the 'crave crate' at that time but they did order over 100 burgers. But I think it was just cause of their large group.
I’ve never been to an actual location but I’ve known and loved them my whole life. My pops, rest his soul, used to make sliders at the house all the time and spent years trying to replicate them. By the time he said he got them down, they were some of the best burgers I ever had in my life. I buy the frozen boxes from time to time for nostalgia purposes with pops but they just don’t match. I also had access to the southern equivalent Krystals but they don’t match either. Still, one goal of mine is to visit and eat a fresh White Castle one day.
You’ll eat that slider, my friend. But a word to the wise; your old man’s tasted better, and not because Whitecastle burgers aren’t good ;)
Be prepared for a let down lmao ya pops did it better.
Your father probably made delicious burgers.
White Castle, however, is not very good. I don't know how they manage to be the worst, being the longest in business but they are the *worst.* The only ones who can compete with how bad they are are Checkers in 2021.
Don't listen to those others, you'll enjoy them if you like the frozen ones. They're definitely not the same, fresh ones are so much better!
Also, don't forget about the chicken rings!
@@fireemblemaddict128 that’s just your opinion ☝️🤨
Growing up in the Chicago area, I’ve had sliders all my life. Dad used to get them occasionally for dinner when we were younger. They’re good when you have a taste for them…I wouldn’t eat them every night but they’re good on occasion. They got the best cheese sticks ever IMO.
Ageed , I have to have a craving for them to really enjoy them, the frozen ones are good, but not better than the restaurant version.
I've love white castle since I was little. It was perfectly sized for me as a kid and as an adult I can knock back a dozen or so. I may be bias since I now live in a state that doesn't have white castle locations but I would go though a lot for them. Every time I go to a state that has one I try to make a trip to it even if it's out of the way. I'm not sure how I'd like the sliders if I didn't grow up with them. They'd probably be just another fast food place but I love it.
another reason for their success is that they never deviated from what made them successful. they never chased the new customers (after they became established) with divergent product lines, they just focused on what they do, kept it simple, and cemented their customers' loyalty. i didn't go there often, but when i did they did not disappoint...the frozen supermarket ones are ok, but cant really compare to the fresh ones.
great point.
Interesting side note while White Castle didn't like people purposely stealing their motif, they weren't against showing others how to operate a successful burger restaurant. The most successful being Krystal, which is allot like White Castle, but bigger. As it happens Rody Davenport Jr. and partner J. Glenn Sherrill, creators of Krystal loved White Castle but didn't have one close. The owner of White Castle showed them the restaurant & essentially "trained them", after the opened their first Krystal in Chattanooga Tennessee in October 1932. They since moved headquarters to Dunwoody Georgia.
Inspiring the kind of people they were.
I grew up in Georgia, loved Krystals, moved to NY for a while, and found out about White Castle .. tried'em.. they are way sweeter up north.
I've had both. Krystals sucks!!!!
We used to have one in my area and I was so bummed when it closed. I liked it better than white castle tbh.
Krystal didn't have the same no-debt business model and many have closed as a result of the pandemic. I am faithful to White Castle but Krystal is the closest I can get where I currently live. It does the job, but it's not the same. They had seasoned fries for awhile (similar to what Arby's does with their curly fries) and that gave them an edge in my book but they did away with that and also never really offered the quantities that White Castle had.
I believe Harold and Kumar definitely help spike interest in restaurant around that time.
People were eating white castle alot way before that I remember being a kid in the 90s white castle was always packed
So this resto is actually real, I thought it's just a made up brand for a movie (I'm not an American).
@@lipstickzombie4981 duh its real white castle been around since the 1920s its the oldest fast food spot in the country
@@tenntatted7545 👀you did read that he's not an American right
@@tenntatted7545 I have mentioned I'm not an American, nor is this chain available in my country. No need to be condescending.
Every single living and several deceased members of my family, aside from me, have worked at White Castle lol. Funny enough I'm the only professional cook in the whole family. I do love White Castle though, plus they pay well for a fast food chain which I'll always support.
I started loving White Castle in the early 2010s after trying it for the first time at a new location that opened near me. All my friends thought it was disgusting but I knew they just lacked the sophisticated pallet to truly appreciate the allure of the slider.
I went vegan 2 years ago but even now I can still indulge in not one but TWO different vegan sliders that they offer! Your point about innovation is right on- they were offering a vegan alternative in the form of their veggie patty way before vegan fast food options started hitting the mainstream and they even beat Burger King to the punch with their impossible slider nearly a year earlier. This video made me so hungry I made the drive across town on my lunch break to grab some for lunch, and it didn't disappoint.
Do they use separate grills for the vegan sliders?
Otherwise it's like the impossible whopper, soaked in beef grease and basically just a regular burger.
It’s AntiAmerican to be Vegan… keep that in mind
As a vegetarian stoner, I've always appreciated their vegetarian offerings. They've had a veggie slider forever, and recently they came out with an Impossible Slider that is amazing, yet not greasy like the standard slider.
Agree. I eat meat but like their veggie sliders and impossible burgers even more than regular sliders.
I work in a manufacturing plant for white castle doing sanitation after production and I like impossible for the fact that shits so easy to clean lol
I don't think the Impossible Sliders are cooked in that classic White Castle way where they're grilled on top of a bed of onions, giving them that one-of-a-kind, craveable White Castle flavor. I'm not a vegetarian, but all things being equal I default to plant based options and I periodically abstain from meat for religious purposes. The Impossible slider just doesn't hold up to the original for me. They're a great meatless option and I've been thankful for them more than once. But I wish they'd follow burger king's lead and just make their normal burger with an Impossible patty instead.
I also don't eat meat they have an actual fake meat white Castle slider in some frozen sections found them a handful of times in Cali and they are actually pretty good
who tf refers to themselves as "a vegetarian stoner".............
Cookout restaurants have several hundred locations now (mostly in the south east) and refuse to franchise.
You should do a video on them.
Their food is really good, they're my first choice when I'm feeling like a hamburger and onion rings.
I’ve been with white Castle for two years and still amazed when I talked to different employees at different castles about how long they have worked there. A lot of years for some of them
I had a tradition with 2 coworkers of going to White Castle in December, picking up a Crave Case, and finishing the whole thing during our lunch hour. Also, onion chips are way better than onion rings - the only thing the onion ring has is novelty of shape, but it comes with a bunch of problems, like when you can't bite through a section and the entire onion slides out of the fried batter or how you have to either bite out a section or collapse the ring to dip it.
Sure, White Castle has spawned a lot of jokes over the years - "they're still on their first cow because of those holes in the burgers" or "they're called sliders because you just go to the bathroom when you're full, so you can keep eating." Even with that, the reality is that I genuinely enjoy the food from White Castle more than the majority of their competitors.
This is one of the most underrated fast food restaurants.
The frozen ones do not give the burgers justice as they taste far better in person.
The movie gave the burger justice as if you ever travel to areas where it is and people who live there are traveling back.
You will over hear conversations about them wanting to have those burgers. Going to the extent they have family members bring them it as they arrive.
The small pack of 25 used to be called the crave case.
The interesting fact is that the 100 crate is rarely bought. Many people will but the 25 case but not the crate.
As someone who has bought the crate because of visiting family who had not had it in years I was surprised to be the 1st person to order it at a new location that was open for over a year.
It takes 30-45 min for them to put the order together but it will still be fresh and delicious
I mean they were the first to offer vegitarian burgers and impossible burgers.
I've had both and tbh the frozen are only marginally less good. The buns texture is fucked up by microwaving, but the flavors and textures of the beef and onions/cheese is identical. I was super undwhelmed when I got them at an actual store because I'd had the frozen for years and it wasn't that much better.
Hello! From Chicago! The Crave Crate is a staple at many Midwest graduation parties. And I’ll tell you, it sounds tacky and most people think it is, but it is invariably the first item to go.
This image, of the White Castle restaurant, with the tiny little man to the extreme right? Moves me greatly. I am a little fella myself. 23 inches tall. I appreciate the show of Solidarity. White Castle, You are, FOREVER GREAT! Love "Lil' Fellah"
Well, me and a buddy were craving white castle after a specific session we had. We then found out that a White Castle location by us had been bought by some other restaurant. The employee told us of another white castle location 35-40 so minutes away from where we were that was open for 24 hours. At first my buddy didn’t want to go since he had work to do. He finally agreed after realizing he can do his work on the way. Let’s just say our trip to White Castle was no trip I’ve ever been on. We ran into so many bumps but we ended up making it there. We ordered the crave case with 5 large fries and 4 drinks. Our money had been stolen but some celebrity paid for us for another reason. We killed those burgers.
Is your name Harold and your friends name Kumar ?
Same thing happened to me!!! 😂 no way !
@@chazl9531 Other way around, if you read the comment.
Did your celebrity friend pop ecstasy pills in the back
I remember when their only Arizona location opened up in Scottsdale. It was packed for weeks. I first went there a month after they opened. Best hour and a half wait ever!
I went there over two months after they opened and it was still a 45 minute wait to get to the front to order! It was great though, I moved to AZ from Cincinnati, and literally the nearest restaurant to where I used to live was a White Castle.
Thankfully when I went a few weeks ago, it was busy, but no real wait to order and get my food. My friend who had never had it really liked it.
opened in 2019.
I've been there, I don't care for the burgers but I do understand the "craving cult" thing about them. The flavor is VERY distinct, like nothing else, and I could see how someone would be like "I want a white castle slider."
Yeah it's a category of its own, it's super different than anything else on the market (at least where I'm from). When I get a craving for White Castle, it won't be quelled by just any 'ol burger. Unfortunately all we have around me is the frozen ones which kinda skeeves me out, but it gets the job done alright.
No one in the history of human existence has said, "I want a white castle slider" until you said it now. If someone go to white castle with the mindset of eating only one slider, then they are incorrect, and not human lol
@@darklion53 Very true.
My wife grew up in the south side of Chicago and is crazy in love with White Castle Sliders. She is a member of the cult. We live near the Mississippi river in northwest Illinois and have traveled all the way across on I-80 to the Chicago area to eat Sliders. Then in the 90's, I read an article about White Castle and their history of success. They opened new stores with cash, no debt. How novel. And you are correct, all company owned stores, no slacking franchises. A very good business model. Funny, they still haven't made it to our area yet. lol! It is worth the trip!! Thank you for sharing this about White Castle.
As someone who lives in one of the great lake states, there is a white castle in my town, I've never been there but they always seem busy, and in the 16 years I've lived here its still open.
I like that they stay small. It's much better in my eyes and they have a huge following because it. Seriously, who would do that for McDonald's or BK?
I know McDs gets a bad rap, however
If people hated McDonalds, why would they have so many locations? And why are they so busy?
@@JasonB808 That really wasn't my point. I know people who have driven an hour out of their way to go get White Castle. We drove past probably a half dozen McD's on the way.
I think another reason is for the uniqueness of their burgers. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they steam the patty and/or burger, and this helps to get the juices into the bun along with the flavor of the onions. Man, I crave them constantly. Easily my favorite fast food burger.
You would be correct. We also place the buns on top of them too as well as to keep the steam as well as the flavor in full swing. I work there but my last day is Friday. It's nice but I got pretty burnt out. I am a fryer there.
@@flarexero2161 good luck and thanks for all the burgers
I buy them by the case and eat for days, if you reheat them in their cartons facing each other it tastes fresh off the flat top
@@ExNihiloComesNothing nah, thank you for being great customers and not being some of the crazy ones we got 😂.
steamed hams
White Castle was my first job and it was so much fun. Back in 1996 I was 16. Working the bar rush on the weekends was pretty much a party! Lol
When I was a teenager I played for a local band based out of the NJ/PA/NY tristate area and we’d rehearse at this place near Freehold called the Jam Room. Every time my dad and I drove back home at like 2am we’d pass by the White Castle down the road and grab a half-cheese half-regular Crave Case, a couple sacks of Clam Strips (my family loved those), and a sack of Onion Strips. They were far from premium tasting, but there was something so comforting and nostalgic about how the sliders tasted. Naturally we’d all destroy those 30 sliders throughout the next day. I still miss those days just for late night White Castle runs.
Their rarity, and unique approach is what makes them a special contributor, if not founder of the fast food industry we know today. Let them BE.
"Let them BE"
Nobody is trying to change them? Like what does this even mean lmao
I can't remember exactly why, but my sister and I were in a Southside Chicago hospital trauma center waiting room for many hours, waiting on my mom to get done with treatment. One of the Chicago cops that was stationed there and one of the nurses asked if we were hungry. We were. Cop took us to the nearest White Castle. Perfectly sized food for little kids. Sliders with extra ketchup, and slider containers to play with.
I moved to the Southeast USA as an adult, and while we do have Krystal, it is not the same.
My girlfriend bought 2 crave crates for my White Castle themed 30th birthday party. It was nothing short of amazing.