Fast Food Needs to be Slow

By all accounts the fast food business is having a tough year. From inflation-pressed consumers cutting back on dining out (or the size of their orders) to California upping its minimum wage to $20 an hour, the squeeze is on.

One recent article about 11 struggling chains included such familiar names as Starbucks, KFC, McDonald’s, and Cracker Barrel.

But one that seems to be bucking the trend—and which I only discovered last summer—is Culver’s. This Wisconsin-based operation is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024.

The fact they’re based in a town of about 3,500 is another reason to cheer their success. Now, their nearly 1,000 locations make them just a third of crowd favorite Chick-fil-A’s size. That may be one reason I saw references online to Culver’s “cult” following.

Culver’s Tasty Treats

My initial exposure to their taste of nirvana came during a late-night visit for ice cream to an outlet near our hotel in northern Ohio.

Three friends and I each opted for a Concrete Mixer, a Blizzard-type concoction that comes in a host of flavors and options.

As good as that was, we figured it would be a great place for lunch the next day before heading for home. Because our meeting ran longer than expected, our driver wanted to grab and go.

At Culver’s, there is no such thing. One has to be patient for your order to be prepared.

That’s because the food is fresh-made, not retrieved from under a heat lamp. The French fries are crinkle-cut (as God intended them to be made), the cheese curds beyond delicious, and the frozen custard good enough to take home a pint.

As much as I wanted to try their grilled Reuben melt that Saturday, I could foresee it creating a bit of a mess as I rode in the back seat of an SUV. So, I chose the cod sandwich instead.

Not only was it the tastiest cod sandwich I have ever eaten, the friend next to me raved about his pot roast sandwich. In the front seat, the two guys who ordered Culver’s butter burgers were carrying on about how great they were.

Sour Grapes

Back home, each of us continued to puff Culver’s. We commented on how we couldn’t wait to try something new on our next visit. And, how it would be foolish to stop anywhere else for a meal if a Culver’s were nearby.

We carried on so much that when another friend’s work took him to the Indianapolis area, he stopped at one. He texted us that night, asking, “What’s the big deal? My burger wasn’t that great and everybody makes cheese curds.”

He considered us guilty of overestimating the chain, but we disagreed. That’s one reason I was so pleased to discover a small town in southern Kentucky also had a Culver’s.

So, just one month after my initial exposure, I insisted the old friends we were visiting there stop at Culver’s one night for supper.

My appraisal of the Reuben’s messy quality proved correct. I was glad to be sitting in a booth with lots of napkins nearby, while being quite pleased with the tasty treat.

As we drove away, I took a long look at the building. Yes, it’s a fast-food restaurant, not the kind you would take your spouse to for an anniversary dinner.

Still, were there one closer than three hours away, I would visit regularly. For now, though, I will stop whenever I’m in one of the 26 states lucky enough to have one.