Krystal vs. White Castle

Whether you call them “Slyders” or “Belly Bombers,” Krystal and White Castle have built miniburger empires between their little steamed buns. White Castle says they are the first fast food hamburger chain ever. Krystal, in fact, is the second-oldest chain in the U.S. and is  headquartered in Chattanooga, TN; White Castle hails from Columbus, OH.

We’re not the first mechanics to hoist these two burgered twins up beside each other and check for identical markings. But we liked the idea of a fresh examination.

These two facing down in today’s garage is like Alabama playing Notre Dame or Michigan facing Ohio State in a bowl game. There is just so much tradition and history between them. But you can’t eat tradition or history, so let’s sniff that steaming, oniony aroma and chow down on these two burger chains right now.

Facts: Both burgers are cooked on a metal griddle and make serious use of steam to cook the wafer of beef. Both have onions. The Krystal bun seems to be a little fluffier than the White Castle, which was always as wrinkled as Uncle Fussell’s face. The mustard on the Krystal (absent on the WC) gives it a little punch, too. We know people who have gotten a pickle on their WC before, but not always. Guess the cook had to be in the mood for the dilled accessory. But the steamed flavor of a sweaty, naked White Castle soaks into that creased bun and leaves a total experience in your mouth, and to many people, Krystal is close enough to be a Southern twin.

Besides the obvious similarities between the two, there are some differences worth noting. Yank the top off a WC burger and you'll see little holes drilled in the meat cracker. That allows it to cook without being flipped. It also allows the onions to steam up through the meat and into that wrinkly bun. Krystal has mustard.

Is it an even fight? Maybe not. But one thing is sure. Lovers of each tiny burger will fight you to the last smack over who has got the best little taste.

For purposes of throwdown interest, we have divided our mechanics into camps based on background, birth and history. Geoff is from the White Castle headquarters home state of Ohio, and pitches his fries beside the vintage wrinkled Slyder. Fred is from Krystal's hometown of Chattanooga, so he's rooting for the Deep South Belly Bomber. Having swallowed more than his share of both, Terry will attempt to referee and toss in comments from his shared experiences with both and a few branding comments as well. However, he is an equal opportunity offender, so keep that in mind.

Gentlemen, start your chomping.

TT: Let me say right off that I am making my comments from deeply branded impressions of these two in my memories as well as some research. The frozen burger squares on both sides are weak third cousins to what you can get fresh in the establishment, but when you can’t get your fix live, you have to do what you got to do and head for the grocery store freezer. That said, the frozen ones will do in a pinch – like a spare for when you get a craving. And anyone who has ever eaten a K or WC will get cravings for either.

FM:  I have a craving for a Krystal just talking about it.

GS:  Ditto for White Castle here.

TT:  They are like steamed crack and just as addictive. I grew up with Krystal in the Deep South and found out about White Castle when we lived in St. Louis (I worked in an agency where the writer of the movie “White Palaces” plied his trade as a copywriter). Needless to say, one burger joint brings memories of the other and quite honestly, I’ll eat more of either one than I need if faced with the little lumpers.

GS:  Mmmmmmm…. Addictive.

TT:  More than I care to admit. And it’s nearly universal. When I was at Alabama, Coach Paul Bryant ate at the Tuscaloosa Krystal every morning. The most famous sportswriters of the day frequented that Krystal because Bryant loved it. And, no doubt, they became addicted to the little burgers as well. Many likely went back up north and took out their habit on a local White Castle if they hadn’t already discovered the similarities anyway. And of course, I also know more than a few people who have stumbled across the threshold of both joints during a rough all-nighter.

GS:  The cure.

TT:  People used them as medication. LOL.

FM: Ah yes, the Bear would have known. For myself, I can fondly remember my own breakfasts with Dad at the Krystal (the original one on Cherry Street in downtown Chattanooga with the silver ball rotating out front) Breakfast? Everything was better at the Krystal. How did they make eggs that much better? They’re just eggs. I don’t know – maybe it’s the black and white porcelain plates that allow no food morsel to remain untouched by its share of tasty burger grease. Maybe it’s knowing that it was always going to be the same beehived waitress who would call you “Honey” and drawl out “Whadaya haaaaav’ tudaaaay?” It was constant and consistent back then. Like the Bear.

TT:  He was when it came to winning.

GS: I’m a Cincinnati kid born and raised, so my recommended daily allotments included Skyline or Gold Star Chili (a whole other debate in and of itself), or White Castle hamburgers. There was more than one occasion when “buy-em-by-the-sack” was more than a marketing pitch, it was a guaranteed gastronomical good time.  To this day I can still remember when Dad took me for my first Slyder in a gleaming White Castle joint on the seedy outskirts of the Queen City — even as a kid, its castle-shaped white porcelain enamel exterior was more magical than any mouse’s Magic Kingdom (seemed cleaner, too).

TT: So you guys ready for a Bobby Flay-less throwdown?

GS:  Krystal vs. White Castle, you say? Bah-hamburger! Truly you jest, as size is the only thing these two share in common.

Many Ohioans love to lay claim to WC because it is headquartered in Columbus, but the first was actually opened in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921.

FM: Hold on now, Castle Kid. Wichita, Kansas? Who the heck was out there to eat ‘em? Did Glen Campbell grab a lineman to share some Slyders?

TT: Now I smell smoke.

GS: Apparently plenty of folks, ‘cause they took off like a Saturn V. Anyway, as I was saying, with burgers selling for a solid, shiny nickel, White Castle became the first recognized fast food brand.  Krystal may have been second (and in 1932…not even a close second), but as the saying goes, “Second place is first place loser.”

TT: Ouch. In this corner, weighing in at…

FM: Hey, Slyder Sam, I don’t think Apple was first but they got it right, didn’t they? Well, ditto with Krystal burger. Being far superior is a heck of a bigger deal (and much tastier deal) than being first. In fact, I bet PC man in those ads probably got chubby because not only is he square, but he eats square White Castles. Unlike the cool dude who knows what is real - like the Krystal burger. Take that.

TT: Break it up, boys.

GS:  Slyder Sam? I am wounded.

TT:  I smell some emotion. Or did Curtis burn another bag of popcorn?

GS: Wow, Fred, you’re attackin’ hard and early, but that’s what happens when you support the weaker position. And heck, I’m a 6’-2” beanpole, not some fictitious chubby PC polecat (who should probably eat more apples and skip burgers of all sizes). Besides, we all know that McD’s is winning the ultimate burger wars, but this isn’t about how many billions served (which WC had done by 1961, another first and long before the Golden Arches)…

FM:  Since we’re drawing a line on the griddle, I’m staking out a claim.

TT:  It’s not a fight until somebody draws grease.

GS:  Let’s throw some facts down. Since “superior” and “tastier” are subjective, let’s look at this purely from an innovation perspective.

FM:  How about I just open a can of whupass right now?

GS, TT, FM:  (laughing)

TT:  I guess I’m gonna need a striped shirt and a whistle.

GS:  Meanwhile, back at the White Castle… they were the first. The innovator! The king of QC and the prince of patents.  Before clowns, kings, freckle-faced redheads and, yes, even Krystals (smack!), there were White Castle’s majestic meals!

Check these all-beef bullet points:

• First recognized fast food chain “brand”

• First to introduce nutritional testing called “Craveology” (did the “Super Size Me” thing many decades before Morgan Spurlock)

• First in packaging innovation to “keep ‘em fresh and warm”

• First fast food advertising campaign (1932)

• Patents the now classic 5-hole patty for fast, fresh, even cooking (no burger flipping)

• First to freeze products for resale

And we’re just getting cooking.

White Castle had the vision.  Krystal just borrowed their glasses. Krystal, you’ve just been PWND!

FM:  Is my eye swelling shut? Cut me, Micky!

TT:  Okay, I’ve read a little about this. White Castle has a storied past and one seriously loyal following, to be sure. They are and have always kept the branding grill hot. Consistent and unwavering devotion to their burger truth has carried them well. Let’s order some observational sides.

GS:  What’s that music?

TT:  Here’s, check this out: Krystal's website. It features a couple of young girls pushing the MTV-like cool factor pretty hard. The burger-porn music is a little much. White Castle’s site, while more conservative in feel, has a fun interactive feature in their Straight Up or Made Up click-thru, where you can read urban-legend-ish stories about customer experiences at White Castles and decide if they are true or false. I like that. Straight-up quirky, but it feels honest.

GS:  And they have no porn-ish music.

FM:  Okay, you get a point for having no funky tunes.

GS:  I’ll give the nod to Krystal for an edgier Web experience, but I’d need to be high on high-fructose corn syrup to make heads or tails of it.  White Castle is as clean and friendly as their starch white walls.  Simple and filled with goodness, just like a sack of six with onion rings and a shake. A classic combo.  McD’s has the fries, but White Castle has the rings down pat and there’s not a bloomin’ onion on this big blue orb that can top ‘em.  And as a kid, the shakes were so thick you thought your brains were gonna implode from trying to suck them through the straw.

But I digress.  Yeah, Krystal plays up the MTV scene, but White Castle conjures memories and cravings. I’ll take the NPR-esque background audio of the restaurant any day, and you can almost smell the sizzle as you learn the “secret” to the perfect burger.

By the way, what’s up with the Krystal VIP Lounge with a Login required?

TT:  A Krystal Lounge? Maybe that explains the music.

FM: (sings) “My memories have just been sold, my burger is a centerfold…”

GS:  No thanks. I’ll leave the site just to stop the tunes. If I didn’t know better I’d have thought Krystal was a wacky Vegas joint, where retro didn’t realize it died with the piano keyboard tie.

FM: Don’t knock that tie, I have three of them.

TT: I thought you are a Vineyard Vines man?

FM:  I am now – but back in the day.

GS:  No fashion, just burgers.

FM:  Okay, I don’t know about the website – this MTV-ish Krystal focus must be some kind of idea thought up by the marketing department. 

TT:  Or the ad agency.

GS: I just get frustrated at the Krystal site.  The White Castle is inviting, easy and has a loads of fun content from stories to recipes to wallpapers, a hall of fame and even TV spots (love the limo driver).  Like their burgers, each site offers a different “flavor” experience, and a matter of personal taste. 

TT: They could both have some cool content for sure, especially considering their roots.

GS:  And I guess that’s what it REALLY comes down to.  I don’t deny Krystal makes a good burger.  I’ve had them and they are tasty.  But my past is simply wrapped in White Castle lore and memories of lunches with Dad, and of Mom showing up to after school functions with sackfuls for all the kids.

TT:  People going to the Web just want some interesting content, like people flipping through a magazine or channels. Give me something that won’t waste my time. Make it interesting, real and comfortable. Not unlike ordering food at a burger joint.

FM:  Real Krystal people know that Krystal belongs amid a Jimmy Buffett  “I was sittin’ in the Krystal ‘bout as drunk as I could be, In walks a deputy sheriff and he’s holdin’ my TV…”   Heck, Crystal Gayle’s name was inspired by Krystal.  No joke – check it out. 

TT:  What ever happened to her?

GS:  Who?

TT:  She is Loretta Lynn’s sister, I think.

FM:  Whatever. Maybe this is where marketing folks try to take an authentic brand (ie, Krystal = country) and try to turn it in to something it is not (Krystal = grunge). I got to give it to you – White Castle has kept to their essence in their marketing more than the Krystal guys.  But, as for the burgers…

TT:  Granted, you can’t eat the website, but being true to your soul seems imperative when you’re the two oldest brands in the burger kingdom. Emotions are grilling right in this room, so let’s look at some numbers that are hard to ignore no matter which one you like.

Here’s some of what I found out: Each is a private company. As of 2005, Krystal had 420 restaurants; White Castle had around 400 locations. Here’s a big one: White Castle had $606 million in sales in ’05. Krystal had $422.6 million. Ouch. Here’s a spread, too: White Castle had a yearly sales increase of 5.7% and Krystal jumped 1.9%. Why is WC trumping the K-squares on the numbers?

Keep in mind, they seldom compete against each other in the same markets, but burger to burger, did Krystal’s 1995 lawsuits and bankruptcy hamstring their growth? Has White Castle’s solid, consistent adherence to their truth kept them growing?

GS: Well, as similar as these two are on the griddle, it is amazing just how different they are on paper.  Many folks see White Castle and Krystal as “rivals,” even though they really don’t compete in the same markets. In fact, according to Krystal’s own history, because of their similar product, the two pledged to never compete head-to-head in the same market and drew the old Mason-Dixon line as the boundary between Krystal and White Castle territories. 

TT: There ya go.

GS:  How’s that for Southern-fried gentility.  So as White Castle ruled the Midwest and Northeast, Krystal built its base in Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama, later spreading through the Southeast like fire ants on holiday.

But trouble brewed for Krystal, as it relied more on witty marketing than product and industry innovation, and by the ‘80s it was lagging in sales as consumers lost faith.  But like you said about history, you can’t eat a website or a commercial, and Krystal was on its way to becoming history.

Fortunately, a leveraged buyout by R.B. Davenport III in 1985 gave Krystal the focus and funds needed, and by the early ‘90s they were back on the right burger path.  But their troubled past was hard to shake.

FM: Like we often find out, a few internal bumps in the road lead to external problems. Also, from a brand perspective, getting away from your truth and soul and heritage spells trouble. A hipper, funky Krystal? I think not. A truer Krystal? I believe.

TT:  If you don’t align your success, you will align your problems.

GS:  Meanwhile, White Castle continued at a consistent pace, growing in stride with Krystal, but outrunning in a determined focus on constant improvements and innovations that were true to their founder’s vision.  In fact, White Castle is still the total and authentic embodiment of their pledge:

 “Serving the finest products, for the least cost, in the cleanest surroundings, with the most courteous personnel.”

TT:  Something quaint and honest about that.

FM:  The truth.

TT:  Especially since they seem to deliver that internal vision across the divide to the customer. Like we like to say, aligning the internal vision to the external execution.

GS:  That’s a pretty clear vision. And it has served them well.  From day one, White Castle has unswervingly LIVED their pledge.  They don’t need to beat McDonald’s, they just need to be themselves, take care of their customers and let the rest take care of itself. And the numbers don’t lie. In fact, White Castle’s mere 400 stores actually trumped McDonald’s’ 31,000-outlet empire in 1-year sales growth (WC’s 5.7% to McD’s 5.5%).

White Castle really doesn’t seem to “compete,” per se. They simply do best what they do best, keeping true to their vision and values and knowing that “best” isn’t measured at the bottom line, but in the hearts and stomachs of their famished fans!

TT:  Sticking to the truth of their vision does the competing for them.

GS:  Many companies are so focused on beating the competition that they end up beating themselves out of contention. They lose focus on “Who and Why They Are What and Who They Are to Consumers” (think about that phrase slowly a moment). From airlines to automakers, sneakers to sardines, companies first have to know who they are for consumers to know, too.

FM:  Now we agree.

GS:  This is where Krystal seems to be missing the burger boat. Still struggling to get a sense of who they are, Krystal seems to be using marketing to drive the exploration of their brand – through ad campaigns and websites, looking to let consumers tell them who they are – the “If sales go up, that must be us” mentality.  But that’s usually a spike, and those can leave a painful mark.

FM: Well, much as I love ‘em, there’s no doubt Krystal needs to find their footing. They need to regain a sense of brand balance, rediscover their passion and refocus their vision, and that can only happen on the inside. Customers may “own” a brand, BUT they don’t “control” it (an oft misspoken myth). A savvy and focused company ALLOWS customers to own their brand by carefully sculpting the consumer experience.  But they need to first know who they are in order to truly create an authentic experience that sticks just right to their right consumers.

TT:  When a brand has been around as long as these two, they do become less the property of the company who created them and more the property of the hearts and minds and emotions of the people who love them. Look at you two guys. Right up front, you both went at it to defend “your”  White Castle or “your” Krystal. That’s a strong bond and, while not really rational, it’s quite real. You both feel ownership of your favorite brand. Operations are important, clearly, but that’s standard equipment in a fast food business (or any other business). That emotional bond (created by sticking to a vision) is likely what generated a $200 million difference between the two. I say the top management of both companies should keep that in mind when sitting in those branding presentations. Maybe White Castle has stayed true to their truth more than Krystal and that explains the numbers. But Krystal has a powerful truth.

FM: They just need to uncover and embrace it and live it and communicate it so the confusion is gone for those of us who love the brand.

GS:  Krystal was also able to learn a lot by watching White Castle in the early days. And in White Castle they have an outstanding example of what success lies in store once they rediscover who they truly are and start living and sharing it with others.

But you’re right. For me, White Castle “wins” because they won my heart. And we all know the way to a loyal consumer’s heart is through their stomach!  Maybe some other brands in other industries could learn a thing or two from both the Krystal and the Castle.

And in this bite-sized burger war, are there really any losers?

TT: Okay guys, that’s the final bell.  Who’s hungry?

Big R's Brand Garage will be happy to discuss your brand. Just send us your product or e-mail Terry Taylor or Geoff Stone.

Click here to return to the main brand garage page.

Opinions expressed here and in any corresponding comments are the personal opinions of the original authors, not necessarily of Big River and may not have been reviewed in advance by Big River.