The Fast Food Chain Serving Up Classic Midwest Style Burgers

The Midwest has long been a dairy-rich region serving up hearty comfort food, and its burgers are the perfect example. Classic Midwestern burgers are aptly named butter burgers and are topped with a pat of butter placed directly on the cooked beef patty. The butter melts on contact but keeps its rich flavor and creamy texture. It's a simple addition that makes a big difference, turning an ordinary burger into something distinctly regional.

This tradition goes back to Wisconsin in the late 1800s, when "Hamburger Charlie" Nagreen started frying his beef in butter at the Seymour Fair. The concept stuck around for decades as a regional specialty until Craig Culver decided to build a restaurant around it in 1984. Culver's was founded on the butter burger his mother used to make at home, adding to Culver's family-centered origin story. Alongside other Wisconsin establishments like Sollie's, Culver's has been key in spreading butter burgers beyond their home state.

Today, Culver's operates over 1,000 locations across 26 states, mostly concentrated in the Midwest. So luckily, you don't need to travel to Wisconsin to try a butter burger anymore. Culver's ButterBurgers have brought this regional favorite to communities nationwide, but with their own unique twist.

While traditional butter burgers get their richness from butter placed directly on the beef patty, Culver's is one of the fast food burger chains that uses real butter, sourcing it from Wisconsin's Alcam Creamery, a family-owned operation in Sauk City. But instead of placing the butter directly on the beef patty, Culver's applies it to the crown of the bun. This lets the butter seep into the chain's fluffy Kaiser buns, creating a different kind of buttery experience. Customers can also opt for buttered sourdough or rye bread. However, those with gluten sensitivities will miss out on that pre-buttered flavor since the gluten-free buns come packaged separately.

The buttered bun is just the beginning of what sets Culver's apart from other fast food burgers. Their beef is never frozen, and each patty gets cooked to order, being pressed and seared on the grill for enhanced flavor. The fresh toppings vary depending on your selection, from the straightforward two-patty ButterBurger to the Culver's Deluxe with its fuller lineup of ingredients. The menu also includes specialty options like the Mushroom & Swiss ButterBurger and various melts served on lightly buttered rye or sourdough bread. But regardless of which ButterBurger you choose, you can expect that distinctive Midwestern buttery taste that has made Culver's so successful.