There are fast food burgers and fast casual burgers, and then there’s Culver’s. This Midwest-based chain lives in a league of its own, in this writer’s opinion, for its downhome, stick-to-your-ribs, familiar, and approachable menu of everything from chicken to burgers and pot roast to custards and curds. Started in 1984 in Sauk City, Wisconsin, by Craig and Lea Culver, along with Craig’s parents George and Ruth, the first Culver’s focused on the prize hog — the ButterBurger and frozen custards. The menu expanded from there to include something anyone who visits can call their favorite.
All that considered, it’s no wonder there is a compendium of ordering hacks out there for true Culver’s devotees. It could be as simple as asking for three dishes that you can combine into one. But there are also some very eyebrow-raising hacks for your Culver’s order that we’re tired of gatekeeping. Instead, we’re sharing them for diners everywhere to use.
Make poutine
If you’ve been to Canada — America’s overly polite hat — you may have indulged in the luscious gut bomb that is poutine. Though the dish seems violently American, the combination of thick-cut french fries, rich brown gravy, and cheese curds actually hails from the Great North. But if you’ve got a Culver’s nearby and the burning desire to try this dish, then you, too, can make a poor man’s poutine. All you need is crinkle-cut fries, cheese curds, and beef gravy.
If you’re looking to give your Culver’s fries a Canadian twist, here’s what you’ll need to do. Order the three components: crinkle-cut fries, cheese curds, and brown beef gravy. Then, layer your curds on top of the fries and drown the whole thing in gravy. Done. As far as authenticity, obviously, the true Canadian stuff doesn’t deal in deep-fried cheese curds. But Culver’s curds, which utilize perfectly squeaky Wisconsin cheddar, are close enough to the real thing. You can experiment, too, with the doneness of the fries (see: crispiness) vs. the other components, too. Really, the world is your poutine plate.
Put your burger on a grilled cheese
On bread or in a bun is the most straightforward and, dare we say, boring option for your burger. Sure, you can slather it with any manner of sauces, toast it to perfection, and lay some of the best dang burgers known to man in between two slices of bread. But, if you’re really trying to think outside the box, head on over to your friendly neighborhood Culver’s and get that burger put straight on a grilled cheese…