In . 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Were adding about three locations a year, including three or five in 2020. . "White Castles rise to cult status was nothing short of miraculous." It is considered the world's first fast-food eatery. White Castle is holding its own. It partners with a slew of vendors including GrubHub, Uber Eats, DoorDash and Postmates. Richardson: It covers a range. Market data provided by Factset. To throw a little bit of movie trivia at you, White Castle's starring role nearly didn't happen because the movie's screenwriters initially had the two friends searching for a Krispy Kreme doughnuts location to satisfy their munchies. Bill is the grandson of White Castle founder Billy Ingram, son of the company's second CEO E.W. Yet, the company is largely responsible for giving birth to the idea of the fast food chain and helping to popularize the hamburger. That said, the chain's total workforce is about 10,000, per Owler, so a small percentage of the entire workforce has experienced this level of upward mobility. Nope. Ingram III) took over in 1992 and sits at the same mahogany desk in the same office as his grandfather. Legal Statement. As McDonald's and other burger franchises dominate the American landscape, White Castle with approximately 375 locations in 14 states, remains a modest . Title page for Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle," 1906. Way back in 1933, the company packed up and moved its main headquarters to Columbus, Ohio where it has remained ever since. After midnight, it goes from White Castle to Night Castle after a night of reverie. With just $700, Edgar Waldo "Billy" Ingram and Walter Anderson opened a tiny white, castle-looking burger shack in Wichita, Kansas. The company refuses to franchise. He recently ordered 50 sliders at a Las Vegas White Castle just for fun. For 43 years, Bill Ingham has been CEO of one of America's most iconic burger chains, one of just three bosses to take charge of the company since it began in Kansas 1921. While most burger chains proliferate by franchising, White Castle has avoided giving up control. Ingram, in her LinkedIn profile, said, Our 10,000 team members are second to none and continue to deliver memorable moments to our internal and external customers on a daily basis. Theyre still hungry for more sliders and that keeps them happy. Elaine Miseta and White Castle's second president E. W. Ingram, Jr. At White Castle, the most compensated executive makes $700,000, annually, and the lowest compensated makes $50,000. The movie "Saturday Night Fever" (1977) featured a scene filmed in a White Castle restaurant, bringing nationwide recognition to the regional brand. In 1921, Billy Ingram launched a family-owned business with $700 and an idea, selling five-cent, small, square hamburgers so easy to eat, they were dubbed Sliders and sold by the sack. May 27, 2021, 05:00 ET. Were there as an oasis for late-night travelers. Members include rock n roll icon Alice Cooper, "Man vs. Food" host Adam Richman and the late titan of the comic-book genre, Stan Lee. White Castle has also managed to punch above to build a legacy among its many loyal fans in pop culture. The Colorado native founded the worlds first burger chain, White Castle, in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921. With just $700, Edgar Waldo "Billy" Ingram and Walter Anderson opened a tiny white, castle-looking burger shack in Wichita, Kansas. They are now married. Market data provided by Factset. Billy became really intrigued by this idea of the hamburger sandwich. While most of today's White Castle locations are modernized with drive-thrus and are far larger than their early counterparts, there are some of those early White Castle buildings still around. "We invented National Slider Day as a special tribute to the fans who share that appreciation for the slider and share their Cravings with us," White Castle VP Jamie Richardson, said in a press release. While most of us don't have the athletic prowess or musical accolades to land us a spot in a sports or music hall of fame, almost anyone can eat a hamburger. "In 1916, Anderson developed a different method of preparing a hamburger sandwich by flattening a ball of ground meat and cooking it with onions on a hot griddle for a short period of time," writes the Kansas Business Hall of fame. Still, Bill Ingram leaves the helm of a company much bigger than the one he inherited. Local burger cook Walter Anderson (left) and entrepreneur Billy Ingram founded White Castle in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921. Ingram is the great-granddaughter of White Castle founder Billy Ingram, per Forbes, and Columbus Business First noted that she is one of 10 fourth-generation family members in leadership positions with the company. Its distinctive white castle buildings adorned towns early in 1921, when it was founded by Billy Ingram. The average White Castle executive compensation is $236,945 a year.The median estimated compensation for executives at White Castle including base salary and bonus is $237,825, or $114 per hour. Since its inception, the Ingram-White Castle Foundation has provided $1.5 million in scholarship support to deserving team members and their dependents. Billy Ingram moved White Castle to Columbus in 1934 after buying out Anderson's share of the business, and the chain enjoyed a growth spurt shortly thereafter. Its classic white castle buildings adorned cities starting in 1921 when it was started by Billy Ingram. (The Impossible has now gone nationwide and speaking from personal experience, it doesn't taste identical to the original beef hamburger, but it is very good and has a nice smokey flavor.). In 1933, the company made a transition in ownership. But we also offer new products such as the Impossible slider. 'Bill' Ingram III to the Columbus Dispatch. (Photo by Todd Plitt/Getty Images). On May 15, 2019, the burger chain celebrated the holiday by offering its Cravers a free slider. Ingram-White Castle Team Member Scholarships. Besides the standard of cleanly washed hands and trimmed fingernails, employees were expected to be clean shaven and have their hair neatly combed and tucked under their hat. The company has far fewer locations compared to other burger chains like McDonald's and Wendy's and this doesn't always sit well with its fan base. Kentucky Fried Chicken (now KFC) opened in 1930; Dairy Queen in 1940; and Jack in the Box in 1951, among others. We dont expect to add double digit numbers. Our focus is still on great value. Charles D Kamer. Elaine Miseta and retiring White Castle CEO Bill Ingram III pictured in 1982. 99%. Were still family-owned and dont seek the limelight as much, but social media has been a place where our followers are bigger than our footprint. White Castle is an American regional hamburger restaurant chain with 377 locations across 13 states, with its greatest presence in the Midwest and New York metropolitan area. Journalist Upton Sinclair had published "The Jungle," his scathing novel of the meatpacking industry, in 1906. 414 is Martha Ingram, whose family controls Ingram Industries. Moment woman pedestrian, 49, swore at 77-year-old cycling on the pavement who then veered into road and was Are you allowing your bank to rip you off? Richardson: Were taking a longer view and keeping in touch with what our customers are telling us. In fact, there are no franchises, though it has two license partnerships with operators who run four outlets in Las Vegas and four in Shanghai. According to The New York Post, the lawsuit was eventually dropped once White Castle provided proper gut space with new seating. The outsiders brought new ideas, fresh perspectives and asked tough questions. You might be shocked to learn that White Castle has a certain degree of appeal to romantics. At the turn of the new century, White Castle has continued to grow, with the expansion plan of opening 20 to 25 outlets each year. For a relatively small brand, thats punching above our weight. World hot-dog eating champion and food legend Joey Chestnut is a White Castle enthusiast. She is even looking at a couple of new brands too: Laughing Noodle, a Chinese restaurant with three outlets in Ohio and Kentucky; Blaze Modern BBQ, a smoke joint with two locations in Indianapolis; and Deckers Grilled Sandwiches, a lunch food joint in Tennessee and Kentucky. The tiny burgers, about 2 inches square, are still sizzled in onions today, the top bun steaming on top of the patty largely unchanged from the way Anderson cooked them years before. White Castle Building No. Americans are expected to spend about $333 billion on fast food in 2022, according to IBIS World data. 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For example, at a White Castle in Brooklyn, New York, its classic burger, really a slider, costs 85 each, its small French fries $1.99 and small soda $1.99, so thats a $5 lunch, or $6 for two sliders or $7 for three. 'Billy' Ingram, and will remain on the board after 35 years as CEO. Please direct all questions to iwcf@columbusfoundation.org or 614.545.0855. All of these perks might give employees a reason to stick around for a chance to work up to general management. Ms. Ingram has also served as President of White Castle System, Inc. since 2013 . (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman). Edgar Ingram (anb.org). The 1940s ended bleakly for White Castle. White Castle began developing the plant-based burger with Impossible Foods back in 2017, and after 18 months had a product it was ready to send to test market. Any team member who encounters an unexpected hardship can apply for a confidential relief grant of up to $1,500. Lisa Ingram, CEO of White Castle, joins "Squawk on the Street" to discuss reopening restaurants and the company's new automated robot. White Castle offers benefits to go with those wages. White Castle turned 100 years old last week. And the biggest challenge is, how do you do that in a way that is more sustainable for your business. Walt Anderson. We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. Today, the burgers are cooked by placing 36 frozen beef patties on a griddle over a bed of onions and water. Ingram then went to work perfecting ways to turn out Andersons burgers as quickly as possible in a sparking, sanitary space to reassure a wary public. Yet, price changes were inevitable. This refusal to franchise hasn't come without a cost, of course. Billy Ingram died in Columbus on May 20, 1966, after battling a short illness. He was 85 years old. They also appointed outsiders to the company's board which was a success. Weve remained relevant for almost a 100 years. Published: 19:52 GMT, 20 December 2015 | Updated: 22:56 GMT, 20 December 2015. It doesn't incorporate the food it serves into its name, it isn't named after the founder, and there is no dollar menu. White castle was dismissed as just a cheap food fad early on, but its small square burgers were such a hit that the chain found itself being imitated from competitors big and small. They were closed in the 1960s because they were too far away from White Castle's supply chains in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. Heres what Jamie Richardson, vice president of Marketing, based in its home office in Columbus, Ohio, said about its growth. We believe voting is a right of responsible citizenship, and we want all our team members to have that opportunity.. 7 / 34. when he and Ingram set out with $700 to open White Castle in . If you eat there constantly, without exercising, your weight gain may get to the point where you can no longer eat inside the place you love. This lack of gut space became a real problem when Kessman tried to squeeze into one of the booths and injured his knee in the process. The comments below have not been moderated. Billy Ingram founded White Castle, the world's first fast-food chain, in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921. "His hamburger sandwich proved popular enough for Anderson to open three hamburger stands in Wichita between 1916 and 1920.". Today our family-owned business sells the same humble . . Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. According to data by Foursquare that looked at the eating habits during the prime muchie hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., White Castle came out on top when compared with eight other fast food restaurants. As a member of the family that owns the multi-million-dollar White Castle chain, Ingram probably has a significant share of the company's net worth. In just the past 20 years, sales have more than doubled to $675 million and the chain added about 100 stores. The original Craver, Billy Ingram, founded White Castle in 1921 and created an American icon that is still family-owned today. Its 100% beef and we put the onions on the grill, then the 100% beef patty on the onions and the bun goes on top to absorb the flavor. All rights reserved. Because the burgers . Ingram, 65, grandson of White Castle's founder, E.W. He "parlayed a 5-cent hamburger into a $36 million chain." Hartman is having a special brick mason from Texas tackle the restoration job. We like to say any time is crave time. It means we want to invite people to come by when theyre most hungry. The shame and despair of being physically attacked by your own child. The group is named after Britain's Thomas Newcomen, the inventor of the steam engine.) White Castle Systems, Inc. P.O. Now is the perfect time to segue to another group of hungry customers the company has embraced. Fail to change and you risk getting left behind. As it should be! McClendon planned that a subject would eat only White Castle hamburgers and water for thirteen weeks. Americans have an insatiable appetite for fast food. Richardson: I would beg to differ. The following year, Billy decided to move all company operations from Wichita to a more centralized location at 555 Goodale Street in Columbus, Ohio. To this day, after almost a hundred years, this family-owned restaurant is still going. Reply. The two men purposely decided on the color white along with porcelain countertops and stainless steel appliances because it gave the budding business a sense of cleanliness. Credit or blame, as the case may be entrepreneur Billy Ingram. As White Castle explains on another part of its website, it also has a scholarship program for employees and their family members. Legal Statement. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images). Founded in 1921 by Billy Ingram, Ohio-based White Castle made the term slider a national food item. that sold tiny five-cent burgers, coffee, pie and Coca-Cola. ", MEET THE AMERICAN WHO COOKED UP FROZEN FOODS: ADVENTURER AND INNOVATOR CLARENCE BIRDSEYE. 'I'd be really worried what that would do to the whole brand.'. I know where he lives.'. Courtesy of White Castle. Ingram Jr., who passed it on to E.W. Private ownership has also let the company remain true to its roots instead of chasing fads and to cultivate something of a cult following. In 1978, representing the third generation of the Ingram's, Bill Ingram III became the president of the company. after 99 years, located in Bloomington, Minnesota. Ingram is the great-granddaughter of White Castle founder Billy Ingram, per Forbes, and Columbus Business First noted . The sliders are available in the frozen-food aisle of supermarkets in all 50 states. But most of its revenue growth derives from the products it sells in supermarkets, whose sales rose 23% last year. "Mr. Ingram helped found in 1921 the White Castle System, noted for its inexpensive burgers, years before [the] recent boom in hamburger chain operations," The New York Times reported in its obituary. In fact, thousands of people have applied for admission since 2001, but just 227 have been accepted. Box 1498 Columbus, Ohio 43216 - 1498 U.S.A (614) 228 - 5781 Fax: (614) 464 - 0596. Ingram had replaced her father as CEO at the end of 2015, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Their original Slider sold "By the Sack" was recently declared the "most influential burger of all time" by a major magazine. At least as far as romantics who like to spend February 14 dining over fast food are concerned. So here's the problem with loving White Castle or any fast food restaurant for that matter a little too much. Its sliders are available in the frozen-food aisle of supermarkets in all 50 states. "It was seen as unsanitary. Ingram Jr. With their ironclad commitment to the integrity of White Castle food, it's safe to assume the burgers of today are identical to what Ingram and Anderson were serving up in 1921, right? A whopping 35,000 reservations were expected for its Valentine's Day festivities at participating restaurants in 2015. Jan 10, 2020. Who does that appeal to? Columbus, Ohio Area. Some of his teammates scoffed down four or five cheeseburger sliders at a time. Keeping it in the family (qsrweb.com) 'I've always learned more from my mistakes than my so-called successes,' Bill told Forbes. That statement wouldn't be so odd, if not for the fact that White Castle doesn't have a single restaurant in the Lone Star state. 'If you franchise, while you can expand faster, you're giving up control of the operation,' says Lisa, who has an M.B.A. from Ohio State. 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