Culver's facts for kids
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Culver's in Onalaska, Wisconsin, featuring the traditional blue metal roof
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Trade name
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Culver's |
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| Private | |
| Industry | Fast food restaurants |
| Founded | July 18, 1984 in Sauk City, Wisconsin |
| Founders |
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| Headquarters | Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, United States |
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Number of locations
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965 (April 2024) |
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Area served
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26 U.S. states, mainly in the Midwest |
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Key people
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| Products | Hamburgers, frozen custard, milkshakes, cheese curds, chicken sandwiches, fish, french fries, salads |
| Revenue |  $3.2 billion |
| Owner | Culver family |
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Number of employees
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25,000 |
Culver's is a popular American restaurant chain. It's known for its "ButterBurgers" and delicious frozen custard. The company started in 1984 in Sauk City, Wisconsin. It was founded by the Culver family: George, Ruth, Craig, and Lea Culver.
Today, Culver's has over 960 restaurants. You can find them in 26 different states across the U.S. Most of these restaurants are in the Midwestern United States.
Contents
History
The Culver family had been in the restaurant business for a while. George and Ruth Culver owned an A&W Restaurant in 1961. Later, they bought a restaurant called The Farm Kitchen. Their son, Craig Culver, also worked in fast food.
On July 18, 1984, the family opened their first Culver's. It was called "Culver's Frozen Custard and ButterBurgers." This first restaurant was in Sauk City, Wisconsin. Craig Culver was the main leader, or CEO, for many years. Since then, other leaders have guided the company. In 2017, a small part of the company was sold to another firm. But the Culver family still owns most of Culver's.
Where it all started: Wisconsin
In 1988, the Culver family thought about letting others open Culver's restaurants. They tried a simple agreement for a restaurant in Richland Center, Wisconsin. This didn't work out well.
So, the family created clear rules for opening new Culver's restaurants. These rules are still used today. Three years later, they opened a new restaurant in Baraboo, Wisconsin. It was a big success! Soon, more Culver's restaurants opened in cities like Middleton, Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, and Milwaukee.
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Growing across the Midwest
By 1993, Culver's was still mostly in southern Wisconsin. There were only 14 restaurants. But soon, Culver's started to grow outside of Wisconsin.
The first Culver's outside Wisconsin opened in Buffalo, Minnesota, in 1995. More restaurants opened in Roscoe, Illinois, and Dubuque, Iowa. In 1998, Culver's even opened its first restaurant outside the Midwest, in Texas.
Expanding beyond the Midwest
Culver's continued to grow carefully. In 2005, new locations opened in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Cheyenne, Wyoming. In 2006, a restaurant opened in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Culver's began to focus on opening restaurants in new areas beyond the Midwest.
A new restaurant design, called the Metro-98, was created in 2006. This design used less land for building. It was a bit smaller but still offered a great experience.
In 2008, Culver's expanded to the Phoenix metropolitan area. By the end of 2011, there were 445 Culver's restaurants. They were in 19 different states. Culver's also opened in South Carolina in 2012. More states followed, including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Alabama. In 2022, Culver's opened in Arkansas.
In 2013, a survey found that Culver's was rated number one. This was for how happy restaurant owners were with the company.
Menu
Culver's menu has many tasty options. They are famous for their "ButterBurgers." These are burgers served on a lightly buttered, toasted bun. You can also find chicken sandwiches, fish, and fresh salads. For sides, they offer french fries and delicious cheese curds.
For dessert, Culver's is known for its amazing frozen custard. It's like ice cream but richer and creamier. You can enjoy it in a dish or a cone. They also make "concrete mixers" and shakes with the custard.
In 2021, Culver's made a special burger called the CurderBurger. It had a giant fried cheese curd on top of the burger! It started as an April Fools' joke. But people loved the idea so much that they asked for it to be real. Culver's made it for a limited time, and it was very popular!
Sponsorships
Culver's supports many sports teams and events. They sponsor teams like the Wisconsin Badgers and the Minnesota Golden Gophers. They also support the Green Bay Packers. Culver's helps with various golf and hockey tournaments too.
Official mascot
Culver's has a fun official mascot named Scoopie. Scoopie is a friendly custard cone! You can see Scoopie in commercials and at community events. Scoopie also helps with fundraisers. Over time, three more characters joined Scoopie: Curdis the Curd, Goldie the Curd, and Sundae the turtle.
See also
- List of frozen custard companies
- List of hamburger restaurants
