🏰 Pioneers of Fast Food
Founded in 1921, White Castle is widely credited as the first fast food hamburger chain in America — setting the stage for every burger brand that followed.
🍔 Steam-Grilled Perfection
Their famous sliders are cooked on a bed of onions and steamed rather than grilled over open flames. This gives each burger its distinctive juicy flavor.
🔢 Five Holes Make a Difference
Each patty has five holes punched in it. These let steam and onion flavor pass through the meat, so sliders cook faster and stay moist.
🏠 Castles by Design
Early restaurants were built to look like miniature white castles. The design was chosen to suggest purity, cleanliness, and strength — important at a time when diners distrusted ground beef.
🎥 Hollywood Fame
White Castle got a pop culture boost in 2004 with the cult comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, which turned late-night slider cravings into movie magic.
📦 Frozen Aisle Pioneers
White Castle was among the first fast food brands to sell its burgers in grocery store freezers, bringing sliders to fans far from restaurant locations.
📅 Craver’s Hall of Fame
The chain celebrates devoted fans through its official “Craver’s Hall of Fame,” honoring everyone from everyday fans to celebrities who love the sliders.
💍 Valentine’s Day Tradition
Since the 1990s, many White Castle locations transform into “love castles” each Valentine’s Day — complete with tablecloths, candles, and table service.
📍 Selective Expansion
Unlike other chains, White Castle has remained relatively small and regionally focused. Most of its restaurants are concentrated in the Midwest and a few other areas.
🕰 Over a Century of Sliders
More than 100 years since its founding, White Castle remains family-owned, proudly serving its classic sliders to new generations of Cravers.