How come White Castle wont open stores - Food and Drink -cooking, cuisine, meat, vegetables, restaurants, diet, prices, allergies... - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

Rathagos · 09-03-2008, 06:26 AM

There are some "novelty" food chains that don't want to overextend. They have some niche marketing, and want to keep it that way. Both Krispy Kreme and Starbucks are paying for their over-reaching by cutting 10's of stores.

I know at Walmart you can buy Whitecastle burgers in a box. They're expensive, though.. but nice once in a while for a quick dinner.

ursamajor1999 · 06-30-2009, 08:56 PM

White Castles aren't just built wherever there's a market because White Castles are not franchised. They're all privately owned by White Castle Systems in Columbus. Unless something has changed since my dad retired in the 1990s (and I'd no longer get news about the company from him) it has been owned by a single family at least since before my began working for them in the mid-1950s (as a baker/foreman at the bakeries (for burger buns, etc) they also owned). At dinner at least once a week I'd hear him rail against the company being idiots (and saltier language) while MickeyD's and etc were taking over the fast food burger business. If they're still owned by the same family (don't know), there's little reason to believe they want to expand now if they didn't expand then.

hugepossum · 07-01-2009, 05:54 AM

Whoa, I completely forgot that Krystal existed... I guess I haven't seen one in a couple of years (since I lived in GA). They aren't too memorable though.

There do not seem to be any White Castle or Krystals in Houston. In fact, this area is probably ripe for the small sandwich market.

I always stop at the first White Castle I see when driving through their distribution region. White Castle is awesomeness incarnate. Curse them for not expanding US wide.

grneyedmustang · 07-01-2009, 06:24 AM

They have them in Tennessee...my friends and I took a road trip to Nashville just to go and get some White Castle (it's the closest one to Atlanta)...and they are not quite the same as Krystal! I believe that they have more onion flavor than Krystal.

And the ones in the store aren't the same either...at least, in my opinion

jeepejeep · 07-01-2009, 06:41 AM

I love 'em too and one of the only things I'll miss when I move from NY. There is one in or near St.Louis I hear. That's west of the Mississippi.