10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (2024)

Home Food News Restaurants

10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (1)

ByLauren Naru

Taste of Home's Editorial Process

Updated: Dec. 15, 2023

    Culver's has been serving frozen custard and ButterBurgers to guests for 30 years. Find out a few facts you didn't know about this Wisconsin-based chain (you already know the cheese curds are delicious!).

    1/10

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (2)

    Shutterstock / Marc Venema

    5,400 cows work full time to make milk for Culver’s custard

    Culver’s fresh frozen custard is made from dairy sourced from more than 100 family farms in Wisconsin. Made in small slow-churned batches throughout the day, the frozen custard is rich, creamy and delicious. Added bonus: Because it’s served at a temperature that won’t freeze your taste buds, you get to experience the flavor longer!

    No Culver’s in your neck of the woods? Try these copycat recipes at home.

    2/10

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (3)

    Culver's

    There are 80+ Flavors of the Day

    A tradition since the first restaurant was opened in 1984, the “Flavor of the Day” is a unique combination of frozen custard and mix-ins that differs from one restaurant to the next. Depending on the day, you can enjoy flavor combinations like Caramel Cashew, Chocolate Oreo Volcano, Georgia Peach, Mint Explosion or one of dozens of different combinations.

    Cure your ice cream craving with a scoop from the best ice cream shop in your state.

    3/10

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (4)

    Shutterstock / Foodio

    Over 9 million orders of onion rings were served in 2017

    9,326,744 to be exact. That’s more onion rings than there are people in Culver’s home state of Wisconsin! What makes them so popular? The onion ring batter features a subtle blend of spices, and the thick-cut onions (yellow, to bring out their sweetness) are fried to a crispy and delicious golden brown.

    4/10

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (5)

    Culver's

    More than 18 million orders of cheese curds are made annually

    Laid end-to-end, those cheese curds would stretch to the moon, back to Earth, then back to the moon! Pro tip: Order a side of cheese curds and add them to your ButterBurger for a crazy-good flavor experience. Or make your own at home.

    5/10

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (6)

    Shutterstock / Brent Hofacker

    315,205 gallons of its signature root beer are sipped annually

    Growing up, co-founder Craig Culver was a big fan of root beer. So when the first restaurant opened, he helped create a signature root beer recipe. Today, you can enjoy a glass fresh from the fountain or in a root beer float with a scoop of fresh frozen custard.

    Don’t miss these tasty root beer recipes.

    6/10

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (7)

    Culver's

    ButterBurgers are smashed and seared to order

    Made with a special blend of three cuts of fresh—never frozen—100% Midwest beef, ButterBurgers don’t touch the grill until after you’ve placed your order. Then they’re pressed, cooked-to-order and served on a lightly buttered, toasted bun. The signature sear locks in the burger’s moisture for full flavor, while giving it a crispy texture. Yum!

    Psst!Learn which fast-food burger tastes best.

    7/10

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (8)

    Culver's

    It’s awarded millions in scholarships to employees

    As a way to show their appreciation to employees for their hard work and dedication, the Culver’s Foundation Scholarship Program provides financial support to those working towards college or technical school degrees. Since 1993, more than $4.5 million in scholarships have been awarded to over 3,000 team members.

    8/10

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (9)

    Culver's

    Childhood favorites inspired the first Culver’s

    The first Culver’s was opened in Sauk City, Wisconsin in 1984 by Craig and Lea Culver, along with Craig’s parents George and Ruth. The idea for the restaurant came from two of Craig’s favorite childhood things: his mom’s homemade hamburgers with fresh frozen custard.

    Learn what the McDonald’s menu looked like the year you were born.

    9/10

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (10)

    Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock

    185,000 pounds of bananas are needed to make banana splits annually

    The dessert possibilities are endless. On any given day you’ll find three frozen custard flavors on the menu: vanilla, chocolate and the Flavor of The Day. Pick the toppings and mix-ins you’re craving to create your own Concrete Mixer or sundae. Other options include shakes, malts and floats.

    10/10

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (11)

    Culver's

    Ask Alexa to find your favorite flavor

    To find the location serving your favorite Flavor of the Day, you can ask Amazon Alexa. Enable the Culver’s skill to quickly hear which flavor is available at your nearest location. If you’re not a fan of the flavor being served at the nearest location, ask Alexa to find it for you.

    Originally Published: November 05, 2018

    Author

    Lauren Naru

    Lauren writes about gift guides, sales and must-have items for the kitchen and home. She loves a good deal and is always on the hunt for super savings and products that solve cooking problems. In her spare time, you’ll find Lauren creating custom cookies for friends and family.

    Read More

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (12)

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants (2024)

    FAQs

    10 Things You Didn't Know About Culver's Restaurants? ›

    Fun fact: The first ButterBurgers were made with an ice cream scoop. That's right — fresh beef for the first ButterBurgers was “scooped” into perfect portions, then pressed into the grill to achieve the sear we know and love today.

    What is a fun fact about Culvers? ›

    Fun fact: The first ButterBurgers were made with an ice cream scoop. That's right — fresh beef for the first ButterBurgers was “scooped” into perfect portions, then pressed into the grill to achieve the sear we know and love today.

    What is Culver's most famous for? ›

    Culver's is a fast-food restaurant that started in Wisconsin and has since expanded to 26 states. The chain is known for its ButterBurgers, cheese curds, and frozen custard.

    Who is Culver's biggest competitor? ›

    Culver's main competitors are Chipotle Mexican Grill, Papa Murphy's, and Darden Restaurants. Competitor Summary. See how Culver's compares to its main competitors: McDonald's has the most employees (210,000).

    What is the slogan for Culver's? ›

    Culver's motto is, “Welcome to Delicious,” and our experience was that it is. The franchise founded in Wisconsin, features ButterBurgers and frozen custard treats as its signature dishes.

    What is Culvers named after? ›

    Culver's co-founders Craig and Lea Culver, and Craig's parents George and Ruth Culver built their restaurant business by following this principle. But there is a story to tell on how this all came to be, one that starts on the banks of the Wisconsin River in a southern Wisconsin town called Sauk City.

    Where is the oldest culvers? ›

    In 1984, Craig and Lea Culver, along with Craig's parents, George and Ruth, opened the very first Culver's in Sauk City in a former A&W restaurant that his parents had previously owned and operated.

    What makes Culver's different? ›

    It's why we always use fresh, never frozen beef and whole, white meat chicken from America's family farms. It's why we only use family farm-fresh dairy for our Frozen Custard. And it's why every single Cheese Curd we've served has come from a Wisconsin dairy farm.

    Why is Culvers called Butterburger? ›

    What a lot of folks don't know is why it's called a ButterBurger. We call our ButterBurgers “ButterBurgers,” not because they've been cooked, marinated, dunked, fried or drizzled with butter but because we lightly butter the crown of the bun for an extra touch of goodness.

    What is Culver's signature sauce? ›

    Creamy and tangy with notes of buttermilk, Parmesan cheese, a touch of spice and just a hint of savory bleu cheese.

    What state has the most Culvers? ›

    As of April, 2024, there are 998 Culver's restaurants in the United States. These restaurants are located in 26 states and territories and 793 cities. The state with the most Culver's locations is Wisconsin, with 136 restaurants.

    Who owns the most Culver's franchises? ›

    “And keep reminding them, and people will get there. And they will be so happy when they do.” Chad Stevenson, left, and Jeff Liegel of S&L Companies are the largest Culver's franchisees with nearly 100 restaurants in five states and 50 owner-operators.

    Is Culver's switching to co*ke? ›

    Yes, our restaurants are making the switch to Coca-Cola products,” Culver's replied. “You will still be able to enjoy Culver's Signature Root Beer, Diet Root Beer, Dr. Pepper, fresh brewed sweetened and unsweetened tea, as well as Shakes and Concrete Mixers made with Fresh Frozen Custard.”

    What does Culver's mean? ›

    a dove or pigeon.

    Does Culver's use real beef? ›

    We use only fresh, never frozen beef, seared on a grill after you order and served on a lightly buttered, toasted bun.

    Where is Culver's headquarters? ›

    What is the biggest culvers? ›

    Eating at the World's Largest Culver's has to be on every Midwestern bucket list! Culver's in Newville is the largest of the beloved fast-food restaurant group and features a conference room available to rent for private events.

    Who has the most culvers? ›

    As of April, 2024, there are 998 Culver's restaurants in the United States. These restaurants are located in 26 states and territories and 793 cities. The state with the most Culver's locations is Wisconsin, with 136 restaurants.

    Is Culvers only a Wisconsin thing? ›

    Culver's first restaurants outside Wisconsin opened in Buffalo, Minnesota, in September 1995, Roscoe, Illinois, in December 1995, and Dubuque, Iowa, in November 1997. In February 1998, the company opened the first Culver's outside the Midwest in Texas.

    What makes Culver's custard so good? ›

    Make It Fresh, Multiple Times a Day

    You can taste the difference … really! Our frozen custard is special because it's made fresh: slow-churned, right in the restaurant, in small batches.

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Article information

    Author: Lidia Grady

    Last Updated:

    Views: 6352

    Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

    Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Lidia Grady

    Birthday: 1992-01-22

    Address: Suite 493 356 Dale Fall, New Wanda, RI 52485

    Phone: +29914464387516

    Job: Customer Engineer

    Hobby: Cryptography, Writing, Dowsing, Stand-up comedy, Calligraphy, Web surfing, Ghost hunting

    Introduction: My name is Lidia Grady, I am a thankful, fine, glamorous, lucky, lively, pleasant, shiny person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.