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White Castle - Why They're Successful
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- Опубліковано 12 жов 2021
- White Castle has been successful by doing things differently from the rest of their industry. This video talks about their pioneering history while highlighting some of the biggest reasons behind their success.
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They are clearly operating a winning system. Solid product, solid marketing, no debt. Probably why this is 100th anniversary.
Winning relative to what and by what standard?
They have a working system, not a winning one. Unless you count any business that functions as winning. Calling that winning is no different from giving out participation trophies.
I’m guessing winning is being profitable, and their system probably works while the original company’s family still retains wealth.
@@hydroaegis6658 Being a company for 100 years is a pretty good start.
Winning system my ass, they take FOREVER to make the food and most of the time still manage to get something wrong.
@@hydroaegis6658 they continue to be able to exist
I once arrived to a party in the late stages, around 2am, with a crave crate. I've never seen such debaucherous gratitude in my life. An entire house full of drunk people in their twenties demolished the entire thing in under 45 minutes.
The restaurant appreciates it if you call ahead.
How much is one? I'd think that 100 burgers are gonna be very expensive
how much would a crave crate cost tho
@@dygitalanimations42 around $100 including tax
@@bebestaxx1383 100 sliders for $100, huh? i'd say thats close to fair
I’m only here for your Julie Winters avatar pic…
White Castle is the literal definition of: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
The literal definition?
@@Meltedcheese567 yeah like they’re a perfect example of the definition.
@@V10l3tta1 just like what sweet said in gta sa
@@V10l3tta1 that's not what "literal" means.
They're very very persuasive with those damn cheeseburgers
A group of friends and I bought the crave crate in Brooklyn, NY (New Utrecht area). There were about 8 of us and we were planning to have an all nighter of gaming, drinking and just generally hanging out. When we ordered the crate the staff were stunned and needed a few minutes to plan out exactly how they were going to handle the order, but they were actually able to deliver and were pretty cool about it overall. They even had the physical box shown on the menu (they mentioned having maybe 3 of these in the entire store). It lasted us well over six hours and many of us wound up taking makeshift ten sacks home in the morning.
I mean, yeah? That is a shit load of food. But damn near every White Castle can handle it and that's the beauty of it. Anything more (I remember a party from like, 15 years ago, where we had 2 crave crates) and you should probably call ahead.
@@o3941 I work at the most recent one in Orlando (only one in the South, technically, aside from Arizona out west) and we have a limit of 60 sliders because of the high volume of customers we get. We don't offer the 100 box but we have the 20, the 30, & then the Crave Pallet (1,000 sliders) that you have to call ahead for; in the 1 1/2 years we been open, I've only heard of two catering events ordering that many
Crates should be easy its 3 rows of sliders plus 10 theyd have to stop all other orders but only for like 18 minites TOPS
Do you remember how long it took for them to give it to you?
Sounds like an experience 😯
White Castle is a perfect example of being comfortable with what it is. They aren't McDonald's where they're trying to win over literally everyone. But they make what they make, consistently and well. And what they make is a perfect late night meal.
It is NOT a perfect late night meal. You have no standards 🤣 I rather eat school lunches than that garbage
@@rollsroyce372 But It Is and Indeed your opinion but I wouldn't choose School lunches tho
Yeah I can see that...lol
@@xskelux1600 My opinion is factual.
ua-cam.com/video/pj3AB4Y00xI/v-deo.html.
My dad loved White Castle growing up, after his funeral we got a crave crate (or a bunch of crave cases I dont remember) and the whole family ate them.
That's cool! People often try to be so stuffy about memorializing people, But the BEST way is to recognize them for what they loved. I endorse this! I pray your dad is having a "slider" watching this with you!
My grandfather loved them as well and during his wake I went and got a whole bunch of them for everyone because I had the munchies XD. No one said a word and they even delayed his eulogy speech to wait for me to come back with them. Everyone agreed it's what he would have wanted:')
Thats beautiful.. My uncle just past this yr and his brother surprise his kids and grandkids with whoppers too. It was so touching.. My father's a whopper guy too.. Im Asian btw n our pops dont eat much western foods.
MAD LOVE !
Surely you would remember what you did in memory of your Dad lmao...Chatting shit for Likes is my assumption here
As someone born and raised in Ireland, my only exposure to White Castle was Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle. At first I figured it was just another one of those brands created for a movie to be a brand replica for something the creators had no rights to. I was happy to say that I discovered it was real. A few years later, I met my American girlfriend and my first trip to the US started and ended with White Castle as there is one relatively nearby her. It didn't take much convincing and I'm glad we went. It was great food and has become a fond memory for me.
Is your girlfriend also an Irish-American, by any chance? Would be so lovely if you've found each other generations and centuries apart 😅 Irish charms and beauty must be preserved 🤗💚🧡
@@Li_Tobler Hi. She wasn't; I'm Irish, she's American. And we've since split up. But I agree, it would have been wonderful to have found each other like that!
@@gamehours5751 I meant where her ancestors came from to America, of course :) So sad to hear! I hope it was on good terms, at least. You will find someone perfect for you, I'm sure you're worth it!! Cheers from Ukraine 🤗🤗
@@Li_Tobler I don't think her ancestors came from Ireland, but I never checked 😅 And thank you! I hope you're safe in Ukraine
@@Li_Tobler Yo, how's things there right now? You good?
I live in Terre Haute, Indiana. Back in the 1930s and early 40s (way before my time) there was at least one White Castle here. It closed in the late 50s. Ever since that time, folks had been contacting White Castle to get them to bring one back to Terre Haute. Even the mayor got involved. So finally, about ten years ago, White Castle came here, did a study, then announced that we WOULD be getting a White Castle back here! The day it opened, according to a regional manager with whom I spoke, they set (at that time) an ALL-TIME record for sliders sold in a 24 hour period at just over 30,000!
Owww, how sweet! And even the mayor stepped in! 😂 Congrats on your little victory there 🤍
Common White Castle W
Their corporate folks were extremely nice. In college I reached out at the possibility of opening one in town in PA. Instead of shutting me down, they wrote a very nice email explaining that it was too far from their distribution centers, but that they appreciated that I reached out.
Which franchise did you end up opening?
Same i emailed too years ago! got a response. sad they won’t expand
@@guymor910 White Castle isn’t franchised.
Well it does seem, they took you request to heart and found another way. We might not have White Castle restaurants all over the US, but we can buy frozen sliders made by them at the local super markets.
@@msuspartans5139 why doesn’t McDonald’s sell Mac and cheese or spaghetti and meatballs it’s not their thing I was born and raised in nyc the New York restaurant they showed was in the Bronx spent many nights making the trip there
I love white castle. The fact that they aren't everywhere definitely helps their popularity. I remember in high-school taking trips with my friends across the state looking for a white castle.
How does it help
@@mykallee6926 because having less white castles makes the trip there an adventure and getting to one feels like you accomplished a goal. If they were everywhere they would just be another McDonald's or Burger King. I have never once thought let me travel to a McDonald's. If I end up at one it's normally just because there is one close by.
@@willyg1988 true but if they errrnt in the store I would have to move just so I can have it more then once in 10 years
The only journey White Castle ever gave me was a long journey on the toilet
@@karterdowd606 oh
If you put the frozen sliders in the oven and steam them on a boiler pan with water underneath, covered in foil, instead of microwaving, it comes out extremely similar to the actual restaurant.
How long and what temperature?
My microwave make it taste the same as original #NoDifferenceforMe
@@clove8763there’s no way
I love White Castle. One small thing that isn't mentioned in the video, they do special Valentine's Day events. They close the store to the general public, only accepting reservations in advance. They put up pink and red wallpaper and balloons and theme the restaurant for the night. One employee is the hostess and you're actually served your meal. They even do special combos meant for two people to share. My ex and I did every Valentine's Day we were together. And just a pro tip for anyone going for the first time: Get the chicken rings. People sleep on them and they're actually very good. Onion chips (petals) are amazing with Zesty sauce. Mozzarella sticks are the best fast food ones. Waaaay better than Arby's sticks.
Yes !!!! Good point !! ♥️💗.
I feel like White Castle and In-N-Out are those 2 secluded kids who barely talk in school but get nothing but support from most classmates and good grades
So they’re basically good looking introverts.
@@jokerpilled2535 they are the coolest introverts you’ve ever met
@@jokerpilled2535 They're late 90s Jared Leto
Nah fuck In-N-Out
I'm still confused as to why I can't even find a White Castle. I've only seen like 2 in my life a rest stops on toll roads, and I've lived in the same state as their headquarters my entire life... More like that one kid who never shows up to school yet continues to get good grades.
It's a good company to remind others that exponential growth doesn't always have to be the end game. Most people that go into business for the "good reasons" are there to sell a product they believe in and carve out a steady living for themselves. You don't have to have a huge company to be able to do that but people often lose sight of that along the way. This is a good example to argue that often times smaller but steady can be a much better choice than bigger but shaky.
I get your point, but over 400 locations isn't exactly a small business. Compared to the rest of the industry they are tiny but overall it's a pretty big company.
@@schwuzi they are in a very good place right now; exceptional name recognition, privately owned, and big enough to have the resources to weather market fluctuations. They are not a takeover target, so can continue doing what they are doing. In-N-Out is following the same business model as White Castle and doing very well too.
Growth for its own sake is fundamentally unsustainable. The model of get leveraged as far as you can for explosive growth has ruined many companies with good products or services. So I applaud WC for showing the benefits of running a good company for the long term. It's better for the employees, customers and suppliers.
Don't have to expand and be a huge company? That sounds anti-capitalist! CIA, help! Communist on the loose!
@@catdogmousecheese I was thinking the same... get him up against the wall! ;)
The Small Business Association considers a small business to be one with less than $7.5 Million for annual receipts. White Castle is estimated to be worth $850 Million so they are FAR from a small business.
Worked at White Castle for 4 years through high school and junior college. Even at that young age I understood and appreciated the System that the Ingram family had. No franchises. Owned the bakery that supplied the buns. Owned the company that supplied fixtures. Family owned for 80 years (100 years now). It’s like IKEA wanting to control as much of the supply chain as possible. It’s smart. Size isn’t always the best. Longevity, stability, and control are much more important. They don’t have to make decisions based on shareholders interest.
I am originally from Queens, NY and grew up four blocks from a White Castle. When I started working at adult (edit: adult as in jobs that grown ups have. not the adult industry lol) jobs in NYC, people would randomly bring up White Castle and I always conveyed my love for it. One day, people were talking about a White Castle burger eating challenge. I volunteered to go pick up the food if I didn't have to pay. They agreed. I bought a crave crate from the White Castle on 8th Ave in midtown. They told me that people ordered them way more often than you would think. I won the contest by the way. I finished 27 sliders (w/cheese), one sack of fries, one sack of mozzarella sticks, and one sack of chicken rings :)
If you're talking about the White Castle in Northern Blvd, it closed down not too long ago unfortunately... I used to eat there back in the 90's.
@@jjusmc8973 ah man that's too bad. I was actually talking about the one on Rockaway Blvd in OZP. I'm pretty sure it's still there.
holy shit dud
@@jjusmc8973 why did it close down? Too slow?
Dayuuumm he be killin it 🎉
I’m 81, and grew up in the 50’s cutting the White Castle add out of the paper and feasting on thoes delicious sliders, and I especially loved their chocolate malts, but for some reason they have went away from that texture and flavor. Today Wendy’s texture and flavor of their frosties are as close as I can get to the White Castle drink.
I’m sooooo lucky to be close to the White Castle just north of Phoenix. Before that I had to make due with frozen ones or when I flew back to Ohio visiting family the White Castle was the first stop from the airport.
I fondly remember the white porcelain steel buildings so brute and clean. I’m so glad they are still around.
god bless you! hope your day is great!
I have a little problem with your comment...
First, you say that nowadays, Wendy's is better and more like the good old choco malts that WC used to serve. Then you say you are lucky to live Close to a WC in Pheonix, so you can have their NEW drink, which you clearly prefer at Wendy's.
Do you get my problem with your logic? I mean you aren't talking about frozen sliders are you? And you probably have a Wendy's nearby. Lucky you. I REALLY liked Wendys. Especially the salad bar.
@@TheJimprez the White Castle frosty back in the 60’s when I lived in Columbus Ohio had a thick grainy texture that you had to eat with a spoon and had a delicious chocolate flavor. Their chocolate drinks now are just like a classic milkshake that you use a straw.
And currently the Wendy’s frosty is a thick grainy machine dispensed that is eaten with a spoon.
The difference if taste does not prevent my from enjoying those delicious sliders. And now there are TWO White Castles in the Phoenix Arizona area that I take advantage of as often as I can.
Your story is so amazing!
Love your comment!
"Buy 'em by the sack!" sounds like the OG super-size concept. Well-played, White Castle. Your 100 years makes sense.
@Stellvia J Hoenheim that sound a bit sussy
I grew up in Columbus Ohio, which was the home of White Castle. As a teen, our school, for some unknown reason, sent us on a tour of their headquarters, including the Porcelain Steel Buildings factory. They also sold steel houses, of which Columbus is still home to many. Another item the factory made was lawn spreaders for Scott's, which is headquartered in nearby Marysville.
They just closed down the White Castle on 88-08 Northern Blvd. Jackson Heights, Queens NY. It’s been a staple in my neighborhood for 86 years, 5 months and 25 days. That was my go to spot for after work munchies, ever since Covid-19 brought its ass to NYC, it has messed up EVERYTHING!! RIP White Castle in Jackson Heights, you will be missed
I miss White Castle so much. Their most profitable location (or so we were told) was located literally across the street from my university. You can imagine how many nights ended up there.
Fordham?
I’d believe it. The most profitable Wendy’s in the world is on my campus (and open till 4:00 A.M.)
What's your favorite Sonic game
@@sestinator Yup haha
My uncle was celebrating his 50th birthday in 2003. His favorite food was White Castle burgers.
So, my mother had the grand idea of making a faux cake by ordering the crave crate and stacking up the burgers like a 3 tier cake.
The whole family came and we ate all of those burgers. It was a magical time!
Mmmmmmmmmmm!!!!
wholesome
Thats wassup
Have you submitted your story to the White Castle Hall of Fame? You be an instant winner for sure!
Also they take very good care of their workers when you reach certain years of working there (worked at one recently for a couple months) my manager told us that for her 15 years of working at White Castle they invited her to the og White Castle and she went first class got picked up by a limo and got a Rolex with her name on it
Wtf
My dad used to call them "Fart Burgers" but he taught us the secret of ordering them without pickles. Probably, the greatest tidbit of information he's ever bestowed. I've since developed the intestinal fortitude to withstand a slider as God intended. I'm several hours from a location today but the frozen food version is sufficient and will not fail to warm my mid-western soul.
whats the secret? i dont like eating pickles w/ hamburgers so i would be really happy :O :D
Imo it’s probably the onions
[the frozen ones don't have pickles 😒but they still great. WC should consider selling the pickles too to keep the authenticity in the frozen sliders]
I always found it was the onion juice drippings that would make the worst waves of gas, but I will definitely order a few with no pickles next time to see if that helps because it can be very uncomfortable while trying to sleep
My family also called them Fart Burgers. Never stopped us from eating there.
During COVID, White Castle and Waffle House were the ONLY fast food restaurant to maintain 24-hour operations in my region. Their drive-thru lines were insane.
They pretty much still are. Other fast food joints claim to be open 24 hours now but only drive through. White Castle keeps it's doors open for all customers.
I would say quarantine bc covid isn't really "over"
Poor workers
@@shinblack Facts
One reason why is because White Castle pays better and usually takes better care of their employees versus their franchise counterparts.
As a Minnesotan, White Castle invokes a nostalgia in me that I can’t get anywhere else.
hello mn fren
Yep. We call 'em "gut bombs" too, not sliders.
Hello fellow Minnesotan
Another fellow ‘Sotan here.
Shoutout to WC in Apple Valley, MN
White castle is great, I tried the real deal once when I was in Kentucky, i loved it....the whole castle bit is really cool
it sucks they aren't bigger but I think being a privately owned regional company in these times is better than being as big as you can be, you have more of a dedicated customerbase and when travelers pass through they'll try as well seeing as the place is unique, why hit the arches when you can go to the castle that you don't even get in your area? uniqueness is valuable
What is interesting is that they’re primarily Midwest but with a Greater New York cluster.
My one complaint about White Castles is they expand way too slowly. They're one of the oldest burger franchises in the US and one of the most well known, yet until recently they operate solely in the mid-west and north-east. That has changed fairly recently with them opening two restaurants in Las Vegas, NV and Scottsdale, AZ in 2015 and 2019 respectively, but I'm still hoping they'll expand into the Pacific Northwest while I'm still alive.
Ferret---White Castle DOESN'T franchise. ALL their restaurants are company owned and operated. That's probably why they are still in business.
@@K9AF and every location has to be basically paid in cash. No debt open a new store
They have to go with no debt also they have to compete with a competitor Crystal's
If I ever win the lotto I’ll pay them to open a location in California
@@omgjimmyboy Same in Oregon if I win the lottery. Of course that would mean I'd have to buy a ticket
I actually prefer companies that don’t try and over expand into every area and franchise hundreds or thousands of stores. They just seem more focused on delivering a good product or service.
Good on them
that why white castle's is winning they only put one location per city
Yes a top notch product and 5 star service because they only have 400 locations... what?
@@ducc764 think about it. The smaller amount of locations means its easier to maintain and also supervise to make sure everythings running smoothly as it should look at mcdonalds for example so many of they're locations are awful compared to other locations in the same chain as well as most big names alot of big name food chains have locations that are in worse condition or less healthy to they're other locations due to how many locations they have it can be harder for the supervisor ceo or whatever to keep after them and maintain them equally. (Hope thay makes sense.)
@@glitchyame6366 to be fair to McDonald's. Practically anyone you got to they're going to taste the same. Sane as five guys. They could definitely make more money with a few more locations and quality control
The way White Castle is operating should be the definitive standard. Too many fast food restaurants are way greedy, which is why they expand at rapid rates.
At least other place's food tastes different than the packaging. White Castle sucks shit.
So business.
And fall....
@@HowardCountyHerald hahahaha i luv this, so true they are literally dogwater
Bruh White Castle is just better whataburger and this is coming from a Texan
I'm canadian so I have only had the freezer burgers and thought they did a pretty good job. I wish the family all the success in the world, no board trying to wring every penny out of business.
I'm from the UK and I have been to White Castle once and shared a cave case with an American friend.
It was incredible and everything I imagined it would be (aside from feeling extremely sick afterwards!)
I have a fun story related to White Castle.
My grandparents, children and grandchildren of European immigrants were living in New York in the early 50’s. Not rich by any means, but content.
My grandma told me about her first date with my grandpa.
She told me that my grandpa asked her out and she agreed, after some hesitation, because he was Polish and she came from a strict Italian family. He told her where they were going to go. He said to dress up very nice because he was going to take her out to “a place where kings eat.”
He took her to White Castle.
They were married, and stayed married till my grandpa passed away. Such a cute story that I love to pass on.
I love this story!
King indeed
Your grandpa was chad!
Wholesome story👍
This story has made my day
The movie does do it justice. The sliders are so good with a flavor that can't be matched. I have had the Crave Crate in two occasions once for my birthday and the other to celebrate my family running a marathon.
Crave case*
@@TenaciousC_ there is a crave crate that has 100 sliders
What is a slider lmao
White Castle after a run is absolutely goated
I’m from Canada and any one I know who went to White Castle said there burgers tasted like dog shit dipped in grease
White Castle burgers are delicious and fullfilling🍔The store frozen ones are not up to the restaurant level but still has the White Castle taste.
Every single living and several deceased members of my family, aside from me, have worked at White Castle lol. Funny enough I'm the only professional cook in the whole family. I do love White Castle though, plus they pay well for a fast food chain which I'll always support.
As someone who currently works at a White Castle, we are the only place that serves food that is open 24/7 - in my area, at least. The line is consistently long in the drive thru until about 4 in the morning. And we take cleaning the shop very seriously! Overall I have positive things to say lol
Love this so much
Do you ſtill work þere?
If white castle is happy with their earnings, then there's nothing wrong with their business plan. The owners have a very good handle on their finances and accounting to be around for 100 years.
Yeah, avoiding debt is smart if you're looking long-term. Companies that over-leverage are playing a very dangerous game.
That said, I do wish they'd franchise more. :-/
@@jasonblalock4429 I believe the story said they dont franchise in usa at all
Being private helps. If they had shareholders, you know the life would be sucked out of the company as they squeeze every bit of profit to please shareholders who only see the company as a share price and not a restaurant.
Basically, when a company becomes hellbent on earnings and expansion, the soul of the company dies out pretty quickly and it joins the legions of other megacorporations. They have somehow avoided that, which is probably where all the charm comes from. Sure, it has certainly prevented them from becoming one of the major fast food chains but at that point, what would even be the point of it?
@@arfriedman4577 they franchise in Vegas. Casino Royale approached them with the idea. The brands make a good fit.
I'm a Film/Video Grad from Columbia College Chicago. First: I must congratulate you on the quality/research on all of your videos.
Being from Chicago - I grew up on White Castle. We did not have much $ back when I grew up and, they were delicious and inexpensive. As far as a business model - I think they did it right. A, "Steady Hand at The Helm". Keeping it private and, limiting debt, even though that meant slow growth, is genius. The fast-food industry is littered with casualties who did not head this common sense approach. (Think - Subway?!)
And, in finality: I believe 50% of their success was the following:
1) The five hole frozen burger patty, which did not need to be flipped. (Equal, speed of cooking, saving time& labor.
2) The concept of "Steam Grilling" the burgers over slow, moisture laden heat, not "frying" them on a fairly large,hot flat-top griddle. And finally, what I feel is most important. . .
3) Doing this all of this on a bed of reconstituted, dried onions. They don't ASK if you like onions - it's part of the flavor/process. You can ask for "no-onion", but your missing the point.
P.S. The last thing I'll add, for thoes who are interested and, obsessed with cooking as I have been for decades:
The bun: Before Brioche or, potato flour or, Polynesian sweet bread (Think King's Hawaiian bread), came into current interest/trend, White Castle had perfected and, baked "in-house", a very soft and moist hamburger bun, which was complemented perfectly by their slow, steam frying technique. Always a moist steamed bun with, burger meat steamed over onions to infuse the flavor.
This, besides a mandatory dash of salt by the cooks, which make a difference, more than people know - are their main
'secrets'. . . . .
I've love white castle since I was little. It was perfectly sized for me as a kid and as an adult I can knock back a dozen or so. I may be bias since I now live in a state that doesn't have white castle locations but I would go though a lot for them. Every time I go to a state that has one I try to make a trip to it even if it's out of the way. I'm not sure how I'd like the sliders if I didn't grow up with them. They'd probably be just another fast food place but I love it.
I’m glad White Castle sells their burgers in grocery stores so people like me who don’t live near a restaurant can still enjoy their delicious food. Still, I wish they would expand to more of the country, even if it was very slow.
Me too!! i just realized if you thaw them in the fridge for an hour or so, they come out exactly perfect.
I am fortunate enough to live by a location and the frozen ones are nothing compared to what you get at the restaurant. I wish they would open more locations so more people could actually go
@@Pyrodude81 nah of course, the restaurant is holy land. But all i can get are them frozen ones. They do the job and keep me from eating 20 a sitting.
@@TheRealDarrylStrawberry I finish a crave case in about a day and a half lol, that’s why I only go once a year 😂
@@Pyrodude81 bruh are your intestines okay?
I've visited a lot of States in the United States, but never had a chance to be in one of them where there was a White Castle located. But in May 2018, me and my brother managed to purchase 2 concert tickets for the U2 group in St. Louis, MO. We bought plane tickets, flew over there to attend the concert. And at the end, we headed to a White Castle to eat it for the first time at a location. It was awesome! For us, it became a "tourist attraction". Now, thankfully our supermarkets carry the White Castle frozen box too.
Frozen ones are nasty ..if you got to New York they're up there too
They are everywhere in Chicago and the Frozen Boxes are disgusting lol
@Marauder you aren't kidding Jesus lol even being in the army defac
How do the frozen burgers compare to the fresh ones if you’ve had them?
I feel ya brother. I used to stop at them anytime I was near one.
I had White Castle for the first time ever a couple months ago, October 2021, in Las Vegas, NV. I loved it. Definitely much better than the frozen ones in the supermarket. Ordered myself 6 sliders total, 3 with cheese and 3 without. I regretted not getting all with cheese.
My girlfriend bought 2 crave crates for my White Castle themed 30th birthday party. It was nothing short of amazing.
As a white castle employee I can say that to this day we are still one of the cleanest fast food places to eat, if we aren't cooking we're are cleaning something.
I can agree. I'm a fryer at my Castle, though my last day is Friday. It was pretty cool to work for. I work nights there.
[I love to hear that !!]
@@flarexero2161 Also work exclusively night shifts and we're always cleaning!
Thank you for your service
Love to hear that
Love me some white castle. My grandma used to tell me stories of going there during the depression.
After she had her stroke and was in assisted living, she always appreciated when I'd bring her a white castle kids meal when I visited.
I'm forever thankful for white castle and the memories it brings
I’ve been with white Castle for two years and still amazed when I talked to different employees at different castles about how long they have worked there. A lot of years for some of them
Oh, wow. I didn't even know White Castle is that small. It's such a staple fast food place around here that I never thought they were that tiny haha.
I love White Castle. I can suck those sliders down like crazy. I love grabbing a crave case and with a friend or two and just going to town on it LMAO.
I was displaced by a fire and when I realized there was a white castle nearby, I went and got the crate. I'm on like, burger 48 and it's taken me a couple days but it's pretty great.
Hope everything works out for you. I've been through that myself and it's rough. Keep your head up
I wonder how many people have been crushed by the weight of the burgers they just bought
I'm very sorry to hear. Sending my prayers.
I hope things get better! I'm sorry you had to deal with that
Can’t wait for “The company man, why he’s successful.”
and if it’s not from “the company man”, it doesn’t count.
There is one, but not by himself: ua-cam.com/video/_HGBnIW4_Gk/v-deo.html
The rise and fall.. and rise?
Same
It'd be a 5 second video. "Because he just is."
Have loved it for 30 years. So unique. So consistent. Great sliders, crinkly cut fries, great onion rings.
My wife grew up in the south side of Chicago and is crazy in love with White Castle Sliders. She is a member of the cult. We live near the Mississippi river in northwest Illinois and have traveled all the way across on I-80 to the Chicago area to eat Sliders. Then in the 90's, I read an article about White Castle and their history of success. They opened new stores with cash, no debt. How novel. And you are correct, all company owned stores, no slacking franchises. A very good business model. Funny, they still haven't made it to our area yet. lol! It is worth the trip!! Thank you for sharing this about White Castle.
I used to manage a white castle location, crave crates weren't super common, but on superbowl sunday and thanksgiving every year we had to make sure we have one ready to go at all times.
For when people are sick of turkey.
@@dalethelander3781 Turkey is kind of lame nowadays. Give me a Thanksgiving with tacos or pizza instead
@@jgood005 Agreed. That's winning right there.
@@dalethelander3781 nah u just gotta up the meat game turkey is pretty terrible meat wise u should have an elk Christians it’s great 👍 thanksgiving since I’m salvadorian my family makes some great sandwiches with a great tomato salsa with the turkey but for Christmas we go elk hunting to switch the meat up
@@edwinvillalobos7159 It boils down to tradition. It's always been claimed that when the Puritans and Native Americans broke bread, they ate turkey.
How accurate that is, I don't know. That bit of historical lore may be apocryphal.
My dads friend used to be a regional manager (he’s retired). He’s been working for them since he was in high school flipping burgers and absolutely loved it. White Castle has come in clutch for night outs
One thing that added to their popularity where I lived was that they were one of few restaurants that were open for extended hours or 24 hours. This was long before everything else became 24hrs. For example, in certain parts of town if you wanted to use a public restroom and get a meal at 2am your only option was white castles lol. They've also had a good menu and many different items that appeal to different types of people. Also their small size (the sandwiches) makes them addictive. I feel you end up buying more. Most wouldn't order 2 1/4lb'ers somewhere else but 8-12 white castles never seems like a stretch lol.
I'm 36. I live in Texas. I had my first fresh white castle burger (plenty of frozen ones) in my life in June of this year in Florida and I was blown away by how good it was. I wish they would expand more because they are a national treasure.
I really like Whataburger but I like everything except for their hamburgers for some reason - their chicken is absolutely some of the best in the business, they're definitely in the top five in all fast food for their sauces, their breakfast menu is honest and simple by incorporating biscuits and gravy and other country favorites, and having a spirit of running 24 hours makes them a little ahead of the curve
I live in the Chicagoland area and they are everywhere here.. I didn’t know they were that small I LOVE White Castle
Same
I’ve biked it, 3 am, high as fuck, to the one by midway. Walked my bike to the window and ordered lmao
There's one I believe in all of Cali where I am living but I'm from the Midwest so yeah your lucky I grew up with one every other town 😭
Same
Same!
"I want 30 sliders, 5 french fries and 4 large diet cokes."
- Kal "Kumar" Penn -
Cherry Cokes for Harold
Big Smoke.
“I have the same, except make mine Diet Coke’s.”
Nice history lesson of a beloved fast food hamburger chain that I grew up eating at since the 1960s in Chicago, IL.
I 'buy 'em by the sack' when I occasionally visit my Hometown.
Until then, I buy them at various supermarkets in SoCal.
I also have a 'White Castle' graphic t-shirt that gets compliments when worn.
White Castle was my first job and it was so much fun. Back in 1996 I was 16. Working the bar rush on the weekends was pretty much a party! Lol
This just goes to show that you can be a business owner without wanting to take over the world. I think as long as they’re happy where they’re at, not worth risking their success
and unlike other companies, there's no "growth at any cost" incentive that could cause the business to collapse from it simply not growing fast enough and becoming unable to pay off its debts. also it's a bunch of restaurants with a decent customer base that serves okay food. like seriously, i don't see a scenario of them failing, so long as they don't get into controversy.
I remember the one time I went to White Castle was when I was visiting New York City with my cousins because we had watched the Harold and Kumar movie. The sliders at the actual location are so much better than the grocery store sliders.
I can confirm that the restaurant sliders are better than the frozen sliders from the supermarket. I’ve had both in the same week just now lol.
Facts. I’ve traveled from California to a White Castle in Chicago for this reason. The cult following and dedication to an American classic is great.
The store ones don't have pickles. That's a huge part.
In 2005 myself and two buddies go to St Louis Missouri from Sacramento CA (at the time) to see a St Louis and SF Giants series of games. We were heading to a place that we were told would be great and along the way we run into White Castle. None of us had ever been to a White Castle, and we changed our course and headed into W. C. The three us mowed down 45 of their burgers plus root beers and fries after having been fueled up on beers at the St Louis Cards stadium. It was so awesome that we hit it again the next day. Fresh White Castle is the best! Been a fan ever since then.
White Castle will always have a place in my stomach.
I recall plenty of times in my youth when my mother would drive me and my sister in the summertime in the evening hours in our van to get some white castle. a sack of 10, sack of fries, sack of onion rings, and a fiver of cheese sticks. We'd go back round and just park and eat in the lot watching the stars. Half the time we'd fall asleep before getting back home across town. Good memories they are.
Moved out of NYC to Hudson Valley. I miss White Castle so much. Closest one is in NJ near the bridge.
Isn't it right by that Cineplex in New Brunswick?
Did u move to poughkeepsie
@@Juline1221 middletown
There's a White Castle right off the Palisades Parkway exit 8E, thats closer than NJ
lol i'm from hudson valley but that white castle near arthur ave in the bronx always catches my eye when im there
When I was in college, the student lounge had a vending machine that sold the burgers in a 2 package wrapper, which you could microwave. If set at the right time, they came out to perfection.
My highschool had a vending machine in the basement that had microwaveable burritos and Mac and cheese and the white castle burgers, the burgers were always sold out
Trick is to take them out of plastic wrapping and wrap them in wet paper towels and then microwave em
Worked for white castle for 10 years, I actually enjoyed it for majority of the time I was there. Still eat there every once in a while.
My biggest exposure to White Castle were weekend trips to Chicago to visit family every now and again.
White Castle was EVERYWHERE!
Imagine if you will.
"Hey where's the Mc Donalds?"
"Oh they packed up and went down to 51st street."
That’s actually what they did with the first ever mcdonalds. They even had to cut it in half to fit under a bridge.
@@haydenhall4576 Good to know they took after white castle when they first started.
Doesn't matter what I've got going on, a Company Man "Why they're successful" video always puts me in a good mood.
I've been going to White Castle since high school and I'm 76. This was in Louisville, Ky. In the last two maybe three decades they've been the only fast-food restaurant I'll go to. So, you might say that I like them.
This image, of the White Castle restaurant, with the tiny little man to the extreme right? Moves me greatly. I am a little fella myself. 23 inches tall. I appreciate the show of Solidarity. White Castle, You are, FOREVER GREAT! Love "Lil' Fellah"
I can literally see White Castle's HQ building from where I live so I know them well. My dad loved them so as a kid we had them a lot. I never liked them, and it has been almost 30 years since I have eaten one, but I do admire their business model. They have diversified their holdings and sell products to their competition, and have a huge reach in their distribution of frozen sliders so they don't need to have more stores to be successful. And that HQ building I mentioned is actually part of a newly built complex that includes a mix of office and apartment buildings. Knowing their business model there was little to no debt taken on so the rents they are getting will add immensely to their bottom line.
A lot of fast food restraunts sell and use resources from eachother all the time
@@adrianayala122 I doubt it. The odds of getting cancer from a certain food source that's heavily moderated is very very slim. I'm pretty sure it's just a per-cautionary warning incase some random case actually gives you cancer which is highly unlikely. It's like how people believe eating microwaved food could give you cancer which is false.
Where is their HQ located at?
Can confirm. My dad also loved them. I did not. Don't like onions, no offense to you sensitive types. But I am impressed by their business model.
I'd say them being privately own is good because it prevents the "we must please the shareholders" profit increase
they could have 5% of the whole company be on an exchange so if it decreases they only lose a little bit of money
White Castle isn't going anywhere, they were great back then and still to this day. I didn't know there were such pioneers 😊
Growing up on Long Island White Castle was the I got drunk and need something to eat spot. Now I don’t live there and I miss being 10 minutes away from such a wonderful place. They have no competition. You know what you are getting and you love it. They are the most craved fast food spot in my heart.
I remember playing Batman on NES with my brother and then having our Dad take us to White Castle on many occasions. Now when I play Batman on NES, I always have to get some White Castle with it. The two simply go hand in hand.
I love the implication that you're playing Batman on the NES all the time
This is so wholesome it made me cry
The Orlando Florida White Castle has a “Crave Pallet” with 6920 sliders.
Maybe I should've ordered that after my 2 hours in line. I ended up getting the Clutch and bunch of sides.
If I didn't already live near a WC, I would be so delighted to pick that up when we go to disney!
no fuckin way
I guess that's what happens when you put a White Castle in Florida. Even a burger place goes a little wonky. I love it lol.
What the actual fuck
On my way rn
I still my remember my first visit to WC in the early 70's with my dad in Kentucky. Grew up on them and love them still!
I’d love a comparison to Krystal, which is what I grew up with in the South but is markedly similar to White Castle, which I grew to love after moving to NYC. 😅
Krystal is what I grew up with being from Alabama. White Castle is eerily similar but I've only eaten there one time and that was years ago during a visit to Cincinnati. Krystal is very slightly better in my opinion.
White Castle is the original
I’m the manager of a small town “store” and we carry White Castle frozen sliders. They sell like “hot cakes” so to speak.
I just moved back to Jersey from being in Texas for 2 years and I missed White Castle SOOOOOO much it was literally the first thing I ate when I got back
Funny, I would miss Whataburger if I moved away from Texas (and I lived in Jersey for 4 years as a kid). IDK if the restaurant is different, but those frozen White Castle sliders give me diarrhea every damn time.
You didn’t hit Krystal’s while in Texas?
What about the freedoms? Jerseys a bunch of liberals, should’ve stayed in Texas
@@thomasdr08 don’t think I ever saw one tbh
@@carlife_710 imagine being so insecure that you bring up your political beliefs in a completely unrelated and friendly discussion
My Crave Case Experiance
My friend was planning to buy countless boxes of frozen White Castle sliders from Costco for a party but also sort of as a gag. Thanks to having seen this video, I shut that plan down and made him get the crave crate. I wouldn't have even known it existed otherwise. I had never been to White Castle before this. As a proud customer of the crave crate I can safely recomend it. The presentation is satisfactory with each slider coming in its own padding with white castle themed Snapple facts on the back. The order was finished within an hour of calling and the staff was friendly. The food knocked our socks off and tasted a glamorous 3% better than the microwavable variation and even had pickles and ketchup.
I feel so special I live in NYC and theres a White Castle three blocks away from me!!!☺️🥰
There's a white castle in my town, and honestly I think the thing that attributes the most to it's success is it's appeal to people coming home drunk from parties and stuff like that. The drive thru is always light in the day but super crowded late at night. I imagine a bunch of small greasy hamburgers for super cheap is the perfect way to get some food in your stomach to sober up or satisfy some muchies.
Oh yeah, White Castle sliders are the quintessential drunk food in the midwest. It's usually the final stop of the night after hitting the bars.
100% there are three within 5 miles of me and every night after 10 PM they usually have a line around the store
Or stoner munchies
They really missed an oppourtunity to open a White Castle in Cherry Hill, NJ.
Cherry Hill resident here.
Yes the hell they did. White Castle actually only exists in the top half of NJ. The closest one is around South Brunswick. Everyone below is out of luck.
Although the entire state can be covered tip to tip in under 3 hours so eh.
@@TomMcMorrow also former cherry hill resident ;-) thanks for the backup Tom.
I live like 5 minutes away from one, I feel so lucky.
There used to be one near the Franklin Mills Mall in NE Philly-- I have vivid memories of going through their drive-thru and seeing a fat greasy guy manning the grill.
It feels so weird to see a town you live near mentioned anywhere lol
So the new whitecastle that just opened in Arizona opened literally across the street from my school, and the first day was so busy that my mom was 30 minutes late that day to pick me up, just due to the sheer amount of whitecastle traffic in the area. It was mostly like that for entirely the first month
Technically I think A&W is actually the oldest fast food chain, I believe they first started before White Castle (even if it was just rootbeer) and I also believe they franchised first as well.
Love your channel btw! I found you recently and have been binging everything you’ve ever posted while at work, great informative content and would love to see you do a podcast/long form content to compliment the shorter videos! Keep it up 👍
I spent much of my youth living in Louisville KY where we had quite a large number of WC locations. My Dad would sometimes take me to the machine shop on Saturdays when I was a little kid and he always stopped at WC for coffee. When I pointed out that Mom had brewed a pot hours earlier (that he'd frank) he said something missing from your video, "They make a pot every 30 minutes or less. If the pot gets older than 30 minutes it's tossed out and a new pot made. It's really good coffee, fresh." Back in the late 60's at that time Dad would get me a single slider if I was being "good", I remember a price of 14 cents for sliders. When I became a teen driver with my minimum work restaurant job/spare-change in my pocket, the parking lot of the local WC was a great place to go on Friday/Saturday nights. I'd run into all sorts of friends from school. Because of the amount of steady business the food was always hot and fresh and honestly, dang tasty for such inexpensive food. In college it was normal to go on a WC run and come back with 10-20 burgers for each of us. A friend of mine came up with the term "wolf-cookies" for the burgers as we were prone to wolf them down so fast. But WC started adding weird things in the late 80's or 90's like chicken ring and fish sandwiches to their menu and honestly, I don't think those things and other additions helped it's business. I think now folks want something "fresher" so as a result a number of the locations in the Nashville area have closed and now there are only two in the entire middle TN area where I live, and only one other in the state being up by the KY line. To satisfy the craving I sometimes drive 40 minutes to go get a #1 combo (4 sliders, crinkle fries, and drink [cream soda]) to bring back the nostalgia of my youth. When the figure of "40 minutes away" was brought up in the Kumar movie I howled in laughter, "Been there Bud! Road-trip!"
i believe Nashville is the only place on earth that you can buy a While Castle Hamburger and a Krystal Hamburger (much inferior knock-off) in the same city or state.
@@Jimbo700 KY has/had(?) some Krystal locations too. KY and TN are only two (I believe) of the state locations that overlap? I was on the road a couple of years ago and saw one in Bowling Green KY (home of the Vette), dunno if it's still there. In the early 80's we had some pop up in Louisville but the last time I was through town they were gone. Krystal doesn't steam their buns which to me is a huge difference in flavor, the dry bun can be a turnoff and their burger is definitely a distant second to a slider. Krystal seems to have run into a lot of issues here in TN and have closed more locations than they have open now, in the last 20 years? The financial news reported that Krystal's had filed for bankruptcy protection, that was sometime 2020'? Off that down-note, a Krystal's Chili Cheese Pup is a semi-annual requirement by my Wife, that's her occasional crave. It's a half or 1/3 size chili dog. I can agree those are really tasty but the heartburn isn't worth it to me. And Krystal's had/has(?) a breakfast bowl that has grits, scrambled egg, a sausage patty, and cheese (sounds gross all together but is surprising good). You do a rough chop with your spork, give it a stir, and chow down. I really liked those, hadn't had one of those in years though. I think it was called the "scrambler".
@@MongoMan693 Yessir, that gray goo in the middle of a White Castle Hamburger bun is what makes it so good! I also agree with your wife about the Krystal Chili Cheese Pup. It is a tasty treat! I never had a Krystal breakfast bowl but it sounds great. I'll try it next month when I'm in Daytona Beach.
You're not gonna believe this, but they now have the "crave pallet" which consists of 6920 sliders and costs $6400 at the orlando location
I'm on my way
@@j.epstein7723 save some for me.
Enough to feed an island of children, huh.
@@jonwhite549 funny you say that in a comment chain containing "j. epstien"
Hmm the prices and number of sliders seems too coincidental
I've gotta say there's just something special about white castle. maybe a large part of it is the scarcity. But their burgers really hit the spot lol. It's the only fast food place in the midwest that i'd be willing to drive an hour 1 way to. & their customer service is top-notch too. I remember years ago, a buddy and I were at white castle. and on the bag it said. "Questions, Comments, we'd love to hear from you!". So as a joke, we called while eating in the restaurant and said everything was amazing and we love them. In response, they mailed both of us coupons shaped like white castle burgers!!
I didn't grow up with White Castle and have never lived near one. When I visit Chicago I always grab a crave case of cheese sliders. Those little burgers are amazing 😂. Definitely live up to the hype for me.
I worked at White Castle at one point in my life, though it wasn’t my ideal job I will say White Castle definitely cares for their employees who’ve been there for a long time. Several employees there were happy to be employed by the company. Also they DEFINITELY have a cult following I was in shock 😭.
IT'S NOT A CULT!
I mean, it's not a cult - you've been misinformed by the media hacks....here, have a Double Cheeseburger, fries & Coke....(mysterious laughter ensues) :)
So much different than testimonies from McDonalds employee I guess ? 🤔
Have never worked at a White Castle but know that even before the pandemic they were at the top of the payscale for employee's working fast food restaurants in my area. As the pandemic has continued they also seem to one of the few to not have staffing issues and have consistently remained opened.
ive got a friend that works there and he get paid $15 an hour.
more companies should be like this one… modest, consistent, always there.
100%
Like In-N-Out
When im not watching this channel I’m watching Seven Hunnid on UA-cam
That’s why capitalism ruins companies. Get too money hungry
@@albear972 Yeah but unlike In-N-Out White Castle's burgers are unique and different, never seen why In-N-Out is any better than Wendy's
I really dig their style and approach so much more than the typical story of franchising, expanding as much as possible, running into crushing debt, closing locations, selling the company off, and having it end up just another big soulless corporate franchise. This is my kind of success story!
im born and raised in chicago and white castle is everything from breakfast to late night after the club... i love them always and forever!!!!
Its getting to be that time again where im seeing Spirit Halloween stores pop up. You should make a video on how they’re successful, because every single year, they come back.
He did one already look it up . . . Its a good channel to deep dive in
@It's Hadley They just suck to be a manager of. Trust me.
They’re a drug money laundering operation.
@@nixonhoover2 no that's mattress firm
@@joeyhoy1995 Them too, there's a lot of money in the drug game.
Grew up in VA and then moved to Jersey for about 5 years and actually had White Castle around and I absolutely loved it! Burgers are awesome, fries were great, and the chicken rings are tasty as well!
hey wow same with me lol, but a lot of the white castle in Jersey are a bit run down don’t ya think?
@@TamperedSource Left NJ for VA. The White Castle I used to go to was really dumpy but damn if they didn’t hit the spot on my late night drives home from work! I miss them from time to time.
Another thing is when they open a new store like the Scottsdale location, the entire family is in the store working and training to start the first few weeks.
Some may not know,,,. Scottsdale Arizona.. !!! Luv them 🍔🥤💗
On one forum I belong to, there is a White Castle thread that is now more than 10 years old. There are currently 2,444 posts on it. We fans are everywhere!