12 Key Features Of Culver's That Keep Customers Coming Back

Culver's started as a small-town restaurant in 1984 and has since grown to over 1,000 locations. Clearly, people enjoy its Midwestern-inspired offerings enough to keep the franchise in business. But what about Culver's keeps customers coming back? 

Believe it or not, they didn't at first, but not necessarily for lack of quality or taste. The location was rural, so customers were few and far between — and often partial to familiar chains. Luckily, word got around about this especially delicious Wisconsin restaurant. Culver's made it past its first few years because loyal customers believed in the restaurant, invested in it, and told their friends. Its success took off due to the draw of its unique features, and now sustains because of them. In fact, only four locations have closed in the 38 years Culver's has been in business.

From niche menu offerings to the genuine hospitality and beyond, the chain's cult following preaches a myriad of reasons for loving Culver's. If you've never been or want to know more, here are 12 features that keep customers coming back to Culver's.

Most fast food restaurants sell the same standard hamburgers seen everywhere. Culver's, however, sells ButterBurgers — an elite version of the American favorite.

ButterBurgers are one of the main menu items with which Culver's honors its Midwestern roots. This special type of burger boasts a long and treasured history as a mainstay in Wisconsin food traditions. Following suit, the ButterBurger from Culver's offers its version of a buttered bun and smashed patty.

ButterBurgers feature a top bun that's been toasted and brushed with a hearty helping of melted butter. Although a seemingly small detail, this results in an extra-rich, velvety texture which is held up by the heartiness of both the burger and the bun. All of these components combined create a savory, salty flavor profile.

Dually inspired by the traditional formula, Culver's ButterBurger features a smashed hamburger patty. Culver's patties are precisely pressed and seared, which makes a perfect partnership with the buttered buns. When these join forces, the thinner portion of meat allows the butter and toasty bread to stand out even more.

Although hard to find on most menus, Culver's always has its ButterBurger. In fact, you'd be making a mistake if you didn't order one of these iconic hamburgers while visiting Culver's. On Reddit threads discussing visits to the beloved chain, commenters urge newbies to order the ButterBurger, claiming it's essential to the "full Culver's experience." To add to its appeal, Culver's ButterBurger also uses fresh, never frozen beef for its patties.

Culver's root beer is exceptionally good — and for good reason. Due to Wisconsin's root beer history, it was a non-negotiable for owner Craig Culver to have a signature root beer on the chain's menu.

Craig's motivation behind Culver's signature root beer is based on his fond memories of frequenting Wisconsin's carhops. With inspired dedication, Culver's signature root beer made it on the original menu and has been a staple ever since.

There's another reason why Craig Culver's childhood was shaped by root beer. During Prohibition, Wisconsin's plentiful breweries were forced to get creative about how to stay in business. Brewers turned their attention to perfecting the craft of making root beer, which led to the enduring success of this drink in Wisconsin. All of this to say — Culver's root beer comes from high standards.

In terms of taste, customers praise Culver's root beer for its extra-thick foam and strong vanilla notes. It has just the right amount of effervescence and tastes delicious right out of the soda fountain. In general, Culver's root beer makes for a refreshing pairing with the restaurant's other menu highlights, like salty cheese curds and rich ButterBurgers. A final tip: It makes for a sensational root beer float. All in all, root beer is one of Culver's many features that elevate the chain beyond other fast, affordable restaurants.

Because Culver's is a fast-casual and fast-food hybrid, it's obvious the restaurant serves its menu items quickly and conveniently. Other restaurants in the same class resort to pre-made food, but Culver's doesn't cut corners. With values of family-focused dining, homey favorites, and traditional flavors, careful and fresh preparation is key to preserving the chain's ethos.

In short, the chain is known for prepping and cooking its food with freshness in mind, from its ButterBurgers to its custard and beyond. Culver's publicly advertises its commitment to these standards, and employees confirm that the restaurant keeps its word. One person on Reddit says, "we don't make any food before it is ordered." This means fresh patties, cheese melted to order, whole white-meat chicken, and custard that's prepped in small batches and slow-churned all day long. It's rare for fast food chains to actually have made-from-scratch menu items, but Culver's can claim this status.

In addition to Culver's fresh prep principle, the restaurant carefully chooses its ingredients, prioritizing Midwestern businesses and sourcing from small, family-run farms. With over 1,000 locations to stock, the time and effort it takes to make this extra step is notable.

For example, Culver's sources its cod from multi-generational fish-supplying families who utilize a sea close to the Arctic Circle. For its dairy, Culver's has worked with the same American dairy farms for decades. Culver's gets its beef for its famous ButterBurgers from Midwestern cows. Made from a combination of three cuts, these burgers are juicy and flavorful. Those iconic cheese curds? The cheddar sourced for these comes straight and solely from one family-run Wisconsin dairy farm. These are only a few examples of Culver's plentiful sources. However, with this knowledge, it's easy to tell that the chain supports local businesses, lifts up family establishments, and provides the best products for its customers. "We never compromise on quality," said Craig Culver.

Culver's even has a program called the Thank You Farmers Project, which raises donations for agricultural education. The Culver's website features numerous blogs and videos featuring the hardworking purveyors behind the scenes, showing what it takes to make these high-quality products.

Culver's has grown into a massive chain, yet its behind-the-scenes operations are akin to smaller, higher-end restaurants in its philosophy towards ingredients. This is one of the main draws for customers; as one Redditor mentions, "I've felt safe eating Culver's considering they pride themselves on using quality ingredients." In short, Culver's brings farm-to-table to fast food.

Culver's is proudly and transparently picky about its fish. With so much care and consideration in its sourcing, it's no surprise that Culver's fish options are adored by its customers, crowning Culver's fish as far superior to other fast food options.

Culver's fried fish offerings are an homage to its roots. The restaurant's concept was inspired by the longstanding tradition of Friday fish fry dinners, which still reign abundantly in supper clubs all over Wisconsin. The Culvers did plenty of personal research before preparing dishes like the North Atlantic Cod Dinner and the North Atlantic Cod Sandwich; in fact, they even operated a supper club before opening Culver's. With most of its locations in Wisconsin, Culver's fish wouldn't stand a chance if it were just average.

Although only available during specific parts of the year, Culver's also sells Northwoods Walleye – a menu item that loyal customers love. Compared to its cod counterpart, walleye is lighter, with a slightly sweet flavor and delicate flakiness. Both the North Atlantic Cod and the Northwoods Walleye are mindfully sourced, freshly prepared, and uniquely delicious in their own right. For those who want fresh fish fast, cruising by Culver's is an excellent option.

Onion ring lovers may appreciate that Culver's sells them in extra-large quantities. Any fried side that comes in a family size is good news, but especially onion rings. After all, not every fast food restaurant offers onion rings, let alone family-size. Plus, large sides from Culver's are actually large; although the number of ounces is unclear, consumers on Reddit speak of family-style portions that come in a dinner-size box. To illustrate how massive they are, other Redditors warn, "don't get a large order of onion rings unless you are really hungry." However, for big families, large groups, or special celebrations like game days or casual parties, these onion rings are a reason to keep coming back to Culver's.

Even in small orders, Culver's extra-crunchy, savory onion rings are worth the trip. One Redditor even wondered what made the fried food so easy to eat. The secret spice blend isn't posted online, but other clues can be found through the company's website. First, Culver's uses whole white onions cut in thick layers for the core of its savory circles. Once dredged with a hearty coating of batter, they are then fried to a perfect toasty color. Culver's finishes the process by sprinkling salt immediately after frying.

Ordering onion rings at a fast food or fast casual restaurant can be a risky move. Many chains don't make their menu items fresh, which means there's a higher likelihood of finding limp, soggy onion rings in your takeout bag. Luckily, onion ring aficionados can get their favorite side in droves at Culver's without worrying about such disappointments.

Some of the best sauces can be found in major fast food restaurants. These chains tout their special sauces proudly; the condiments are a way to stand out with so many menu similarities in fast food. Culver's already stands out with its regionally inspired offerings, but it's doubly unique for highlighting a cheese sauce as its claim-to-fame condiment.

Just like the other offerings on Culver's full menu, this item has a meaningful purpose and connection to Wisconsin. To honor its origins and maintain the sauce's integrity, Culver's uses real cheddar cheese sourced from Wisconsin dairy farms. This add-on isn't some kind of mysterious, chemical-tasting cheese sauce — Culver's wouldn't dare. Instead, it actually tastes like real cheese and sports a similarly rich, sumptuous consistency.

Customers keep coming back for this sauce, claiming it goes with everything — even fish. Believe it or not, reviewers enjoy dipping fried pieces of the Cod Dinner into this decadent cheese sauce. If this pairing seems too peculiar to you, the cheese sauce is an especially safe counterpart to Culver's french fries, cheese curds, ButterBurgers, and onion rings. At its worst, this legendary cheese sauce is a cheap enhancement to pretty much any Culver's order; at its best, it's a dream sauce for cheese fanatics.

Speaking of cheese, Culver's offers its dynamite Fried Cheese Curds as a side. Why is this awesome? For one, fried cheese curds aren't available just anywhere outside of Wisconsin. This state-specific treat is well-known in the Midwest, but has yet to make it into every fast food menu's repertoire. And, even though select fast food restaurants like Freddy's and Dairy Queen serve them, Culver's curds come from the state best known for them. Fortunately, at Culver's, customers can quickly and easily order real Wisconsin cheese curds all day, every day. This is great news for Wisconsinites searching for their hometown food favorites and for those who love Midwestern fare in general.

Even first-time Fried Cheese Curds consumers find that these are a reason to come back. These little morsels of fried and unaged cheese are crunchy, melty, unctuous, and greasy in a good way. While many fast food or fast casual restaurants focus on fries, Culver's customers can swap out fries for Fried Cheese Curds with any meal. They can also be ordered on their own in medium, large, and family sizes. Culver's finds great success with its Fried Cheese Curds for two obvious reasons: Curds are scarcely found in states outside of Wisconsin, and they're also freaking delicious.

For those unfamiliar with custard, think of it as the richer and creamier cousin of ice cream. The answer to what makes frozen custard different from ice cream lies in the ingredients, preparation, and temperature. Of course, there are similarities to ice cream; both contain plenty of sugar and 10% milkfat. However, frozen custard also contains egg yolks, which switches up both the consistency and care procedure completely. 

In terms of eating experience, this addition lends itself to a silkier, less watery consistency through its higher fat content. Because of its unique ingredient combination, custard can stay at a warmer temperature than ice cream; with that said, it's certainly still served cold. Custard needs to be made and served fresh to preserve the structure, flavors, and temperature of the tasty treat. As a result, the chain makes frozen custard in-house every day to protect its delicate consistency.

We're of the opinion that custard could very well surpass ice cream, especially in fast food scenarios. Although Culver's employees complain about the job duties that come with the custard, customers can always expect a fresh, high-quality product due to this process. For those with an affinity for custard, Culver's is a magnetic force. 

But wait, there's more to celebrate about Culver's custard: the custard Flavor of the Day. Offering up a slew of thoughtfully crafted flavors, Culver's customers are impassioned about which are the best. According to online discourse, there aren't one or two that take the crown; but personal preferences abound. Culver's has dozens of rotating custard flavors, and it regularly releases new ones. These range from old-timey traditional favorites like Butter Pecan and Caramel Turtle flavors to more creative concoctions like Dark Chocolate PB Crunch, Devil's Food Cake, and Chocolate Covered Strawberry options. What's more, customers can even use the Flavor of the Day in place of vanilla or chocolate to maximize the toppings in a Culver's Concrete Mixer.

The app even offers a custard calendar for easy tracking, whimsically called the Flavor of the Day forecast. Culver's doesn't have to strong-arm customers into loving its custard; however, this is a brilliant maneuver to keep customers coming back. For tried-and-true Culver's fans, it's a hack for not missing out on new releases. With this tool, users can also filter by popular categories like peanut butter, cookie, fruit, and mint.

Most fast food or fast casual restaurants stick to one or two ice cream flavors, likely to save on maintenance and cost, but not Culver's. Although the full gamut of these flavors isn't available all at once, Culver's frozen custard Flavors of the Day infuse variety and ingenuity into this often dull section of fast food menus.

Yes, Culver's entire menu is based around Midwest cuisine, but this pointed inspiration stretches beyond the dinner plate. The restaurant's ethos also reflects traditional Midwestern values, which include warm hospitality.

In an article from Wisconsinhistory.org, Craig Culver refers to his parents, the original owners of Culver's, as "folks who knew how to say please and thank you and meant it." Additionally, when asked about the restaurant's growth since its humble beginnings, Craig confirms, "we've exported a lot of Wisconsin nice." While it's easy for any chain restaurant to provide this kind of lip service, Culver's has the receipts to back up these statements. 

Staff goes through rigorous training, ensuring that customers are met with a warmth and consideration that aligns with the chain's values. This includes learning Culver's "Five Keys" to customer service success, following company-wide standards on how to greet guests, managing customer complaints, and much more. To complete training, applicants must pass several quizzes based on customer service and company values.

Culver's employees attest to this particular quality of the restaurant, mentioning on Reddit that "it's a very high priority of Culver's as a business to be very hospitable with our guests." One way Culver's ensures this priority is by employing a large number of staff, eliminating employee overwhelm and scheduling conflicts.

Customers have the final say on this sentiment. Culver's patrons report back that the chain's system is working, with one Redditor calling Culver's workers the "best and friendliest employees." Through Culver's multiple manuals, videos, and articles centered around hospitality, it's evident that Midwestern hospitality is an integral tenet of the business.

Culver's gives customers the option to grab-and-go their Midwestern fare; however, if families and friends want to gather for a leisurely meal, that is encouraged. Building on the point of Midwestern hospitality, Culver's locations are intentionally designed to accommodate dining in, from the intimate layout of its tables to an abundance of daylight wherever possible. Guest experience is everything for Culver's; as a result, these locations encourage customers to engage with the space comfortably instead of haphazardly cramming in as many people as possible.

It's easy to see how these designs reflect the business's original concept. Because the first Culver's operated as a small town, family-run restaurant, it primarily served local farmers and families. In fact, becoming a franchise wasn't even part of the initial plan. Craig Culver was at first resistant to his father's idea of turning his hometown asset into a franchise, but folded when he figured out ways to preserve its integrity and homey atmosphere.

Customers love to come back to Culver's, settle in, and stay awhile; and Culver's loves to host them. As Culver's tiniest guests, kids are also enthusiastically welcomed to find joy and respite at their nearest location.