How Culver’s Has Become Our Favorite Burger Restaurant

We both grew up in San Antonio where Whataburger has been king for decades. Dodie and I both agree that our most favorite hamburger place was Skeeburger, less than a mile from our dear McCollum High School on the Southside.

Ask anyone (alumni, family, neighbors…) and most will agree Skee’s beat out Jack In the Box, Burger King, or nearby Dairy Queen back in the day.

Many of us would sometimes drive into our rival, Harlandale High School’s territory just north of Military Drive for a visit to Whataburger. On occasion, we’d also go by Griff’s Hamburgers near the Jack in the Box for a less expensive, but tasty burger. Last week on a trip into the Alamo City, we noticed the Jack in the Box is abandoned.

When Dodie and I were dating back and forth between Texas and Arizona in 2019, she suggested we go by a Culver’s near Scottsdale in Phoenix. Believe me, when I say the burger was absolutely wonderful. I was hooked.

The key for me was the clean, friendly atmosphere and my first ButterBurger. The cooks start with fresh Midwest beef (never frozen). They use a mix of meats such as sirloin and chuck. Culver’s also incorporates the “puck method” which is the tried and true way that other successful chains such as Steak-n-Shake, Five Guys, and Shake Shack use.

Today, in the Texas Hill Country, when we take the 30 minute drive into Kerrville for any number of reasons, we usually dine at their Culver’s. Their service is friendly, the place is clean, and the food is delicious. I’m hooked and wanted to know more about them.

George and Ruth Culver (both now deceased) weren’t risk takers, as they jumped feet first into a fast food chain in 1961 and purchased an A&W restaurant in Sauk City, Wisconsin.

At the time, there were about 2,000 A&W’s in the ’60s, so it’s not like they were purchasing some obscure chain store. They stuck with it for a while but the Culvers got out of the drive-in business in 1968 and purchased a restaurant at Devil’s Lake.

George and Ruth’s son Craig graduated from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1973.

He originally opted for a STEM major and studied biology, but by the time he left school, he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to do for a career.

After a few jobs, including working at McDonald’s for four years, Craig convinced his parents to take a shot at the quick serve game again.

As fate would have it, they ended up purchasing the very spot where their A&W stood all those years before. In 1984, Culver’s opened its first location.

Most such businesses have a high failure rate the first few years and especially if they franchise. Culver’s has success with theirs because for many years, Craig Culver personally trained all the new franchisees.

He also scouted locations that would be suitable for 10,000 cars to pass by daily. Today, Craig doesn’t train all the stores like he used to, but he continues to occasionally inspect the stores.

Today Culver’s stretches from Minnesota to Florida, with plenty of states in between. Although there are no Culver’s places like New York or California, they continue to expand in the U.S.

In Texas, H-E-B Food/Drug stores are known for their community and charitable involvement. Culver’s seems to be the same as they award scholarships for employee’s collegiate candidates. What began as a single $500 scholarship to a Culver’s team member is now over $8 million.