Culver’s is a fast casual restaurant chain in the United States. The restaurant serves American fast food such as hamburgers, sandwiches, chicken tenders, and desserts. The establishment’s mission is “Every Guest Who Chooses Culver’s Leaves Happy.” This mission has played a vital role in the store’s success. The establishment prides itself in providing its customers with hometown hospitality. It recognizes that its business is really about people. The staff is friendly and serves the food with a smile. This hospitality is said to stem from co-founder Ruth Culver.

Culver’s puts its heart and soul into every meal. It uses the best and freshest ingredients, such as Mid-west raised beef and dairy produced in Wisconsin. Meals are cooked to order and feature the signature ButterBurgers and Fresh Frozen Custard, as well as other items. The burgers are always fresh and never frozen. The finest dairy products are used to make the frozen custard. The restaurant provides a wide variety of menu options, which is ideal for families. The delicious food along with the hometown hospitality and great service has turned regular customers into loyal guests.

History

The establishment started out as a family owned restaurant in a small town in rural Wisconsin. Craig and Lea Culver and Craig’s parents George and Ruth, opened the first restaurant in their hometown of Sauk City, Wisconsin on July 18, 1984. George Culver was the son of a cheese maker and grandson of a Wisconsin farmer. In 1964, George and Ruth bought their first restaurant. They made a great team along with their children, who grew up serving in the restaurant. They learned all about hospitality and cooking delicious food to order. This approach became the model for the many more successful restaurants that followed.

In 1981, Craig Culver came up with the idea for a new restaurant. He combined his mother’s homemade hamburgers with his favorite childhood treat, fresh frozen custard. This combination became Culver’s Butterburgers and Fresh Frozen Custard. As a result, the first location opened in 1984 in Sauk City. The first successful franchise opened in Baraboo, Wisconsin. The first restaurant outside of Wisconsin was opened in Buffalo, Minnesota. The restaurant operates through the privately held company Culver Franchising System, Inc. Culver Franchising System, Inc. was established in 1987 and is based in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin.

The establishment has expanded tremendously over the years. Its restaurants are located mostly in the Midwestern region of the United States. There are about 500 restaurants in 22 states. These states are Wisconsin, North Dakota, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nebraska, Missouri, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Arizona. New locations will be opening in Georgia, North Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Florida. Restaurants seat between 98 and 118 guests.

Each restaurant employs around 30-75 team members year round, with about 10 additional summertime positions. The company operates a successful franchise system. This success is due to the establishment’s commitment to hard work, fresh made-to-order meals, delicious food and customer satisfaction. The company is also very involved in its community. Each restaurant chooses organizations within its community to provide support. The company’s executive leadership includes Craig Culver, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer; Phil Keiser, President and Chief Operating Officer; Lea Culver, Co-founder and Vice President; and Joe Koss, Chief Financial Officer.

Review

The menu consists of ButterBurgers; Premium Chicken; Sandwiches; Sides; Fresh Frozen Custard; Shakes, Malts, and Floats; Snackpacks; Homestyle Plates; Hearty Soups; Fresh Salads; Value Baskets; Mindful Choices; and Beverages. Prices for the Premium Chicken section range from $4 to $8. Examples of selections under this section include the Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Tenders, Buffalo Chicken Tenders, the Fried Chicken Value Basket, and salads with grilled chicken.

The ButterBurgers are priced between $2 and $7, depending on the size ordered. The ButterBurgers consist of Midwest beef that is pressed, seared, and cooked to perfection. The different types of burgers include: the Original ButterBurger, Pepper Grinder Pub Burger, Culver’s Deluxe, Culver’s Bacon Deluxe, ButterBurger Cheese, Cheddar ButterBurger, Cheddar ButterBurger with Bacon, Mushroom and Swiss ButterBurger, Sourdough Melt, and the Wisconsin Swiss Melt. The Homestyle Plates are between $5 and $12. These dishes include the North Atlantic Cod, Butterfly Jumbo Shrimp, Fresh Fried Chicken, Beef Pot Roast, and Chopped Steak.

The sides are between $1 and $4. The sides consist of Crinkle Cut Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Wisconsin Cheese Curds, Onion Rings, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Green Beans, Cole Slaw, Chili Cheddar Fries, and Dinner Rolls. Salads are between $4 and $7. The salads include the Garden Fresco, which is served with or without chicken; and the Chicken Cashew and the Cranberry Bacon Bleu Salads that are both served with chicken. The soups are priced between $2 and $4, and include George’s Chili Supreme, George’s Chili, Chicken Noodle, Tomato Florentine, Potato with Bacon, Bean with Ham, Boston Clam Chowder, and the Broccoli Cheese, just to name a few.

The Mindful Choices section features delicious, lower calorie selections, which include the ButterBurger, Chicken Sandwich and Pot Roast Value Baskets. Items under this section range from $4 to $8. There are over 40 flavors of the restaurant’s famous Fresh Frozen Custard. Options for the frozen custard include sundaes, concrete mixers, shakes, malts and floats. Overall, the restaurant’s atmosphere is nice, clean and welcoming. The staff is friendly and the service is fast and decent. The food is tasty and of better quality than typical fast food. The ButterBurger and the Fresh Frozen Custard are definite customer favorites. This is a great place for families to enjoy higher quality fast food.