Forty years after the Culver family opened the first Culver’s restaurant in Sauk City, Wis., the brand is celebrating another special grand opening. The location opened in New Haven, Ind. today is the 1,000th nationwide for the chain, which is loved by guests across 26 states for its signature ButterBurgers, Fresh Frozen Custard and Wisconsin Cheese Curds.
Since its founding in 1984, Culver’s has grown through its dedication to quality food, hometown hospitality and a steadfast commitment to people. While the chain’s following has grown from a loyal group of small-town Wisconsin residents to a passionate community of millions spread across the country, its values have remained the same.
“My dad always told me: It’s not important how many restaurants you have, what’s important is how many good restaurants you have,” said Culver’s co-founder Craig Culver. “Our mission in opening our 1,000th restaurant is the same as it was when we started in 1984. We’re going to serve great food with a genuine smile, a ‘please’ and a ‘thank you’ that come from our heart. That’s the way it will always be.”
Culver’s first ventured into franchising in 1990 with the opening of a restaurant in Baraboo, Wis. The Culver family was adamant that any franchisees would serve as owner-operators, actively working in the restaurant and community they were serving. That owner-operator model still exists today.
“Culver’s has always been about more than just great food,” said Rick Silva, CEO of Culver’s. “Our growth is driven by our commitment to our guests and team members. Reaching 1,000 restaurants is a proud moment for us, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our hardworking franchisees, loyal guests and dedicated team members in each of those 1,000 communities.”
The Culver’s brand has spread slowly and sustainably through the franchise model, venturing beyond its Midwest stronghold into 26 states across the west, southwest and southeast regions of the U.S. Its recent growth has been exceptional, with over 50 new restaurants opening systemwide each year for the past four years.
In its growth, Culver’s has established a variety of initiatives to give back to its guests, team members and communities. As part of the Thank You Farmers Project, Culver’s and its guests have donated more than $5 million to invest in agricultural education, provide hunger relief to our communities and support climate-smart agricultural efforts that produce nutritious food. Culver’s also gives back to its communities through the Culver’s Give Local program, which supports schools, community organizations and other local causes.
