Wisconsin ’s well - known range of mountains feature larder cheeseburger and still custard with enough variety to make dairy fan swoon . But there ’s more to this fellowship - possess line of work than just cheese curd and fries .
1. THE CULVERS SHARE A LOVE FOR DAIRY. AND FAMILY BUSINESS.
Four fellow member of theCulver kinsfolk — George , Ruth , their boy Craig , and girl - in - law Lea — banded together to found the first Culver ’s restaurant in 1984 . The Wisconsinites planned out the most regional , dairy farm - laden fare possible : Warren Burger pass with cheese and butter , unused custard , and fry cheeseflower curds . The first blueness - roofed Culver ’s restaurant popped up in Sauk City , Wisc . , near to the family ’s hometown , and still serves the famed ButterBurgers more than 30 years after . George and Ruth ’s other shaver , Curt and Georgia , are company shareholder .
2. THE CULVER FAMILY HAS OWNED A LOT OF RESTAURANTS.
The namesake fast - nutrient restaurant is n’t the Culver syndicate ’s first . George and Ruth Culver bought their first eatery — an A&W — in 1961 . Craig say the restaurant was a family line effort , andat the geezerhood of 11 , he and his two siblings did “ everything from car hopping to being the janitor to work in the kitchen . ” George and Ruth later on boughtThe Farm Kitchenin 1968 — where Craig would meet his wife , Lea . And for two geezerhood , the sept also ranthe Ritz , a supper guild . In 2000 , near 16 year after Culver ’s restaurant launch , the family open theBlue Spoon Café , a “ creamery café ” that serve bunch of upscale , dairy farm - featuring dish and wine .
3. A JOB AT MCDONALD’S WAS INSPIRATION FOR THE CULVER’S CHAIN.
After a childhood of restaurant work , co - founder Craig Culver swore off a career in the intellectual nourishment industry . “ It was justdifferent than most family . We were always serving people while they were vacationing and having fun , ” he said . Instead , Craig went on to take biology in college , but found himself without a job after graduation . A three - twelvemonth least sandpiper as aMcDonald ’s assistant managerpushed him to reconsider the food industry . Before long , he convert his parent to come out of retirement to launch their own burger and custard joint .
4. THE FIRST CULVER’S FRANCHISE DIDN’T GO SO WELL.
Despite the family ’s intellectual nourishment industry experience , the first Culver ’s restaurant was n’t an instant success . The eating house lose $ 40,000 in itsfirst yr , but turned profits in its second and third days . By 1987 , Craig , Lea , George and Ruth were approach with a franchise crack that they grew to rue , partially due to their inexperience in franchising contracts . Craig Culver bring up to that first franchise localisation as “ a bankruptcy , ” and the family held off on franchising again until 1990 . Now there are 560 locations in 22 states .
5. WANT TO OWN A CULVER’S? YOU’VE GOT TO ENLIST IN BOOT CAMP.
After the first enfranchisement debacle , it ’s become a bit more hard to own a Culver ’s eatery . That ’s where Culver ’s “ Boot Camp ” comes in , to ensure interested party are a strong burst for the strand . First , possible owner - operaters have towork 60 hoursin a Culver ’s eatery , without pay , before affect on to four months of breeding in every restaurant role . It ’s not cheap or easily approachable : the program be around $ 20,000 , and franchisees are n’t considered if they do n’t have a last worth of at least $ 500,000 . Plus , Culver ’s onlyaccepts 36 peopleinto boot camp each year .
6. CRAIG CULVER SNAGGED THE BUTTERBURGER IDEA EARLY ON.
The Culver’sco - founder admitsthat a acquaintance told him about an old Milwaukee restaurant called the Milky Way that answer butter burgers . The restaurant had long since been out of business concern , but Craig obligate onto the mind in case he ever had the chance to use it . Except , he did n’t know what to do with it : “ When we opened Culver ’s , I did n’t have a clue how the butter was going to be involved in the beefburger — whether it was going to be on the grill or put a slab of butter on the bun — and it took us a couple hebdomad to visualize out how to do it . ” Craig say his mom ’s way of cookery beefburger , withgrilled , butter buns , end up being the everlasting recipe .
7. HE ALMOST RENAMED IT THE BETTERBURGER.
But by then it had already take on long enough to explain to customers what a ButterBurger was . When the burgersbecame well known , it made good sense to keep the ButterBurger name .
8. GLUTEN-FREE EATERS CAN HAVE BURGERS THERE, TOO.
Even though the chain ’s menu is definitely not lactose - intolerance well-disposed , Culver ’s offers burgers for gluten - intolerant diners . Culver ’s settle to add thebun optionin former 2015 after get request from customers . Two years prior , Craig said that they were looking to become more lodge to allergens and healthy feeder , but felt for those who could n’t mollycoddle in his restaurant ’s signature dishful . " Gosh , if you ca n’t savor a good hamburger every once in a while , or a great rooted custard cone,“he bemoan , " that ’s kind of sad , I believe . "
9. CULVER’S MASCOT IS A GIANT SCOOP OF CUSTARD.
Because what other mascot would do for a burger and custard seat than a cone call Scoopie ? The giant vanilla pocket pay heed child ’s and philanthropy events , and once , back inmeme - madden , early ' 13 , he made his own Harlem Shake video .
10. IT TAKES A LOT OF COWS TO MAKE ALL THOSE FROZEN TREATS.
Because Culver ’s serves up150 million scoopsof sparkler cream each year , there are 5400 dairy cows , working full - time , to be accurate . The chain offers 80 unlike rooted flavor , but each restaurant only serves three per twenty-four hour period : chocolate , vanilla and a random flavor that change by location .
11. THE CHAIN’S CO-FOUNDER COOKED THROUGH RETIREMENT.
Up until his retreat in 2015 , Craig Culver still enjoyed flipping burgers . When official concern draw too stressful , Craig would break in at a nearby Culver ’s for alittle grill clock time . “ I ’ve often said if I ’m make a bad day in the office , I need to get into the restaurant , ” he enunciate . His ducky to eat ? A double ButterBurger with cheese .
12. THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT REALLY LOVES MOVIE PUNS.
Culver ’s Community Theater is n’t exactly what it voice like . The chain ’s YouTube channel features 10 ads that play off classic plastic film starring Culver ’s card items , like “ Lord of the Onion Rings , ” “ The Wizard of Cod ” and “ Frytanic . ” vocalize like a utter dinner party and pic date nighttime .
