The man in the White Castle
20th July 2021
It all began back in 1921, when an insurance salesman from Wichita, Kansas called Billy Ingram met a small-time restaurateur named Walt Anderson. They offered each other seed money and retail experience respectively. It took $700 to open the first White Castle, since demolished, in downtown Wichita. It caught on fast. In its first year the outlet sold some 12,000 ‘slider’ burgers at 5 cents apiece — and about double that the year after. Soon customers were ordering the bite-sized burgers by the dozen, giving rise to the company’s popular slogan: ‘Buy ’em by the sack.’
July 22nd, 2021 at 00:26
On a long trip years ago, we stopped at a White Castle. We had no idea what they were known for, but we were hungry and it was crowded and it was the only place close to the gas station. I tried to order a burger. You mean a dozen? What? Eventually I agreed to something and wound up with a plate of tiny, tasteless burgers. Like McDonalds had run through a shrink ray. We ate and left and agreed never to stop at that place again.
Later I found out that it was a chain of restaurants, and that people actually went out of their way to eat them. Eventually their “sliders” showed up in the frozen foods section. People like them.
I remain confused.
July 22nd, 2021 at 10:03
If you REALLY want to be confused about what some people like, consider socialism.