We were introduced to White Castle Hamburgers by some American friends on a recent visit to the USA. Travelling between Indiana and North Carolina and visiting various historic Civil War sites en route we detoured especially to take in this regional chain. Our friend had fond memories of dining out 'en famille' during the 1950s with her father bringing out bags of the tiny square steamed burgers named 'slyders' to a car full of excited kids. Based in Columbus Ohio this was the first burger chain so you know who to blame. The first 'restaurant was opened in 1921 in Wichita Kansas and the whole thing grew from that. None of us admitted to being great burger fans and yet there is a sort of country innocence about these places that you don't find at a Burger King or a Mcdonalds. The company pioneered portable and prefabricated structures with wipe-clean interiors made of stainless steel and enamel, thus anticipating the bigger players by many years. Architecturally styled with crenelations based upon the Chicago water tower they emulate stereotypical fairytale castles, given a deal of artistic licence...incidentally much in the same way as some of the more 'historic' buildings here in New Anzac on Sea. For a hamburger chain it's miniscule with almost 400 outlets, none of which is franchised and the company is unencumbered by debt. They also pioneered the disposable paper hat (a bit like a printers origami hat but cleaner) for their kitchen staff who are immaculately turned out. Our sole visit to a White Castle was fun, not least in the ordering of some twenty hamburgers between four of us plus the obligitary hogshead of Coca Cola. It was all very blue collar and we lucked out in the chat with some jovial staff members who quite naturally failed to understand what the hell we English were talking about. A little piece of lost America that's still hanging on...
6 comments:
Great stuff! When people were criss-crossing America as they recovered from the Great Depression, and later in the post-war years, these fast food joints provided a good quick meal in a way that many of our British filthy lay-by caffs STILL fail to do! Yet we deride them...
I wonder if you remember how McDonald's used a strap-line on their signeage? Something like "More than 45 Billion sold!". Just outside Toledo Ohio some years back, I found a small joint with a sign that read: "Mac's Burgers. More than 3500 sold."
Unmitigated America! Thankyou.
Yes Affer, the Yanks have always been ahead of the game mass-catering wise -my dad was so envious when almost the first thing the US Army landed in the North African campaign was ice cream.
You'd make a splendid job of Unmitigated America Mr.A...after you've concluded Unmitigated France that is!
Architecturally, it makes me think of a lego building my kids might make. Culturally, they have got a lot to answer for!
I suppose you have to have been there to truly appreciate the architictural and cultural magnificance!
I've not made it to one of their places yet but I firmly intend to but untill then I will have to make do with in and out burgers.
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