This question came up in an argument I had with a friend to which my final reply was, "Hey, it's up to White Castle to come here. The state of Oklahoma hasn't put a ban on them to come build here." I hope someone here can provide a good answer to why they haven't yet.. ?

This question came up in an argument I had with a friend to which my final reply was, "Hey, it's up to White Castle to come here. The state of Oklahoma hasn't put a ban on them to come build here." I hope someone here can provide a good answer to why they haven't yet.. ?

They are only located in 12 states in the Midwest and East. Why aren't they in any of the other 37 states besides Oklahoma?

All White Castle Locations | White Castle (http://www.whitecastle.com/locations/all)

This question came up in an argument I had with a friend to which my final reply was, "Hey, it's up to White Castle to come here. The state of Oklahoma hasn't put a ban on them to come build here." I hope someone here can provide a good answer to why they haven't yet.. ?

White Castle is absent in the South minus Tennessee, and only in Nashville. I love White Castle and would like to see them here, but as I said in my other thread, I think OKC will see In-n-Out Burger before White Castle. I haven't seen White Castle do any meaningful expansion in years.

Harold and Kumar wouldn't have to travel so far. I'd like to see both those Hamburger joints come to this area.

I have eaten at White Castle twice, about 30 years apart. I figure it will be another 30 years before I eat there again, just to remember the reasons why I don't eat there. I have yet to figure out why it is popular with some people, to each their own though.

They were in Moore several (and I do mean several years ago). They were...well, White Castle burgers. And they were gone in less than a year, IIRC.

Not unusual to desire what you can't have.

I have eaten at White Castle twice, about 30 years apart. I figure it will be another 30 years before I eat there again, just to remember the reasons why I don't eat there. I have yet to figure out why it is popular with some people, to each their own though.

I've noticed that people either love or hate White Castles. I fall on the love side. Last trip I made to Michigan to visit friends they met me at the airport with a Crave Case.


They were in Moore several (and I do mean several years ago). They were...well, White Castle burgers. And they were gone in less than a year, IIRC.

There was a slider restaurant in Moore at one time but it was not a White Castle..... Don't remember which thread it was in but it was discussed here before and I provided a link on the White Castle website that lists when they expanded to certain states and Oklahoma is never listed.

I've noticed that people either love or hate White Castles. I fall on the love side. Last trip I made to Michigan to visit friends they met me at the airport with a Crave Case.



There was a slider restaurant in Moore at one time but it was not a White Castle..... Don't remember which thread it was in but it was discussed here before and I provided a link on the White Castle website that lists when they expanded to certain states and Oklahoma is never listed.

It was called Mr. Burger. It was where Van's was before the Tornado hit on May 20th.

mr burger | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianlromig/3342284142/)

White Castle and Krystal are about the same to me. Both are good once in a while but, not any kind of a regular basis. When I lived in Mississippi I went there maybe 5 times in the 5 years I lived there.

White Castle and Krystal burgers are about the same quality as White Castle Burgers you find in the local grocery stores.

And I still stand by my memory of there being one in Moore, south of 12th st on the service road, where Las Fajita's is today. This was confirmed by others, but I have no idea what thread that was in.

FAQs | White Castle (http://www.whitecastle.com/faqs)

2) Why hasn’t White Castle expanded to my area?
White Castle and all its subsidiaries are privately owned and operated. The company does not franchise or offer stock options, and finances its expansion solely through retained earnings. For these reasons, White Castle expands slowly and tends to operate within the existing Midwest and Northeast regions where all our support facilities (meat plants, bakeries, etc.) are located. We believe in this business practice so we can provide a stable company for the more than 12,000+ team members it supports.

And I still stand by my memory of there being one in Moore, south of 12th st on the service road, where Las Fajita's is today. This was confirmed by others, but I have no idea what thread that was in.
I don't ever remember one being in that location or anywhere in Oklahoma, the closest that I have seen one is Memphis. I think the one in Moore was a White Castle clone that someone tried and failed with. It is hard to get traction with a clone when people know the White Castle name and that is what will attract them, hard to draw unless you do some sort of blitz advertising to let people know what it is supposed to be. A White Castle may work in OKC, not really sure though since it is a hard fast food market to crack.

This was pre-1985, the sign was the same logo as the one in the Harold and Kumar movie

White Castle was founded in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas.

White Castle (restaurant) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Castle_(restaurant))

This was pre-1985, the sign was the same logo as the one in the Harold and Kumar movie
That was right at the time that I was driving to Norman all the time, still don't remember it.

Last time I actually ate at a WC would have been in the early 90's. Both times I was up in Chicago watching my sons graduate from Navy Boot Camp. Lot of WC's in that town.

I don't ever remember one being in that location or anywhere in Oklahoma, the closest that I have seen one is Memphis. I think the one in Moore was a White Castle clone that someone tried and failed with. It is hard to get traction with a clone when people know the White Castle name and that is what will attract them, hard to draw unless you do some sort of blitz advertising to let people know what it is supposed to be. A White Castle may work in OKC, not really sure though since it is a hard fast food market to crack.

No offense, bluedog, but it was a White Castle and it was in Moore. It wasn't a clone.

this was pre-1985, the sign was the same logo as the one in the harold and kumar movie

bingo.

No offense, bluedog, but it was a White Castle and it was in Moore. It wasn't a clone.
It might have been, I just don't remember it and I drove that stretch often in that time frame....of course maybe I blocked it out because of how bad I thought their food was.

You see White castle best when you're riding a Cheetah or hang gliding.

I swear I remember it as well, but many folks have convinced me that I am mistaken. I still think it was there...

No offense, bluedog, but it was a White Castle and it was in Moore. It wasn't a clone.

Nope.... You can keep repeating it but it doesn't make it so. There has never been a White Castle in Oklahoma. As I've already pointed out. They list every state they have ever expanded to on their website.

In the beginning, there was a craving. And it was good. | White Castle (http://www.whitecastle.com/company/timeline)

There is the link I posted in the other thread (Page 5 of the In-n-Out thread). If they ever had a White Castle here they must have chosen to remove it from their history because it never shows up anywhere in their time line.

Or perhaps it was really called White Castle and was sued out of business by the real White Castle which would explain why it didn't last long.

Ehh, it's not worth arguing over but I remember it pretty vividly...we lived in the apartments just south of 12th St at the time. It didn't last long, that part of the service rd was kinda off the beaten path at the time. I could be wrong but even wifeypoo remembers it.

Edit: I tried to find a business directory for the time but my Google-Fu wasn't strong enough

Nope.... You can keep repeating it but it doesn't make it so. There has never been a White Castle in Oklahoma. As I've already pointed out. They list every state they have ever expanded to on their website.


Excuse me? You can keep telling me it didn't happen and that doesn't make it so. I don't give a flying crap what their website says. It was in business such a short time it wouldn't surprise me at ALL that it doesn't show up on some "it has to be right, it's on the Internet!" store list.

Good GAREEEEF!!! I'm not going to engage in an argument with people trying to tell me I didn't do something I absolutely did do. For heavens' sake, I was with my mother, and even she was intrigued by the fact she used to eat White Castle hamburgers up north in the Buffalo area when I was just a kid, so she wanted to try them out, too. But I guess that's a fiction that never happened, too..... *SIGH*

I don't know why it isn't on their website, I'm sorry I don't have a picture, or a copy of the receipt, or saved a wrapper, or whatever.

I don't have a dog in this hunt - but I went ahead and called White Castle corporate and they said the only Oklahoma location was in Muskogee and only for a short time. I asked specifically about Moore, and they said no. My information is only as good as whomever answered the phone - but they transferred me and the person said he was looking at a location history report of all locations past and present.

I guess a followup call to someone like the Moore Chamber of Commerce might help back that info up.

Sorry Brian but the person you contacted at White Castle is obviously an idiot.... Or so I've been told. ;)

That is interesting though that their timeline never shows them expanding into Oklahoma but they say they had a location in Muskogee. I'll have to file that into my list of handy information for the next time SoonerDave and I argue over White Castle.

I ate at the location in question and remember the reason we stopped was because they advertised $0.25 hamburgers and as a poor high school student that was a heck of a price even in the late 80's. I also remember the burgers having that school cafeteria flavor which is nothing like the flavor of a White Castle.

I also know there is a Pickle's American Grill right down the street but for some reason I have it stuck in my head that Pickle's was the name of the location in question.

I take White Castle management at their word. The website cearly states White Castle is a privately held corporation, and expands only through retained earnings. Much akin to Braums, also privately held, White Castle will expand only so far as their supply chain will allow.

My guess is that there may have been a White Castle in Moore but it was its own entity, not affiliated with the chain. There is a Whataburger in Russellville, AR that is that way. I can't say for sure however.

Bchris02,
I don't know about White Castle but I have seen the Whataburger in Russellville several times and wondered how they did it because it certainly isn't a normal Whataburger.
C. T.

My guess is that there may have been a White Castle in Moore but it was its own entity, not affiliated with the chain. There is a Whataburger in Russellville, AR that is that way. I can't say for sure however.

Sorry Brian but the person you contacted at White Castle is obviously an idiot.... Or so I've been told. ;)

I guess it comes down to the old adage....who am I going to believe, you or my lying eyes

Cmon, someone has to have a 1984 or 1985 Moore phone book laying around.....

I'd be most willing to believe that it was called White Castle but was not a White Castle.

I guess it comes down to the old adage....who am I going to believe, you or my lying eyes

Cmon, someone has to have a 1984 or 1985 Moore phone book laying around.....According to the catalog the Oklahoma History Center has phone books for Moore for 1985 and for Norman for 1982-1984 and 1986 and Oklahoma City for 1978-204. But I've not tried to research using phone books.

I searched the Oklahoman's archives for that period and nothing came up. There might not have been any reason for it to be mentioned there though.

Bchris02,
I don't know about White Castle but I have seen the Whataburger in Russellville several times and wondered how they did it because it certainly isn't a normal Whataburger.
C. T.

I was once told that the Texas chain Whataburger has agreed to not have any Arkansas locations because of it.

I was once told that the Texas chain Whataburger has agreed to not have any Arkansas locations because of it.

Actually they have a location in Texarkana, Arkansas.

http://www.whataburger.com/locations/state?state=Arkansas

The name is spelled differently in Russellville.

http://s3-media1.ak.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/5qn5vSEvOlL_euDukKN_2A/ms.jpg

Originally Posted by bluedogok
Nope.... You can keep repeating it but it doesn't make it so. There has never been a White Castle in Oklahoma. As I've already pointed out. They list every state they have ever expanded to on their website.
Excuse me? You can keep telling me it didn't happen and that doesn't make it so. I don't give a flying crap what their website says. It was in business such a short time it wouldn't surprise me at ALL that it doesn't show up on some "it has to be right, it's on the Internet!" store list.

Good GAREEEEF!!! I'm not going to engage in an argument with people trying to tell me I didn't do something I absolutely did do. For heavens' sake, I was with my mother, and even she was intrigued by the fact she used to eat White Castle hamburgers up north in the Buffalo area when I was just a kid, so she wanted to try them out, too. But I guess that's a fiction that never happened, too..... *SIGH*

I don't know why it isn't on their website, I'm sorry I don't have a picture, or a copy of the receipt, or saved a wrapper, or whatever.
That wasn't my quote that you responded to.....

Bchris02,
I don't know about White Castle but I have seen the Whataburger in Russellville several times and wondered how they did it because it certainly isn't a normal Whataburger.
C. T.
The one in Russellville is Feltner's Whatta-Burger and a single location there. The Corpus Christi founded Whataburger (HQ moved to San Antonio about five years ago) started in the 50's, the one in Russellville in the 60's. I would imagine they would grant a Whataburger franchise in Little Rock or NWA if someone qualified came forward, just not one in Russellville.

Serious Eats - Feltner's Whatta-Burger Holds Steady in a Time Warp in Russellville, AR (http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/04/feltners-whatta-burger-review-russellville-ar.html)

White Castle is absent in the South minus Tennessee, and only in Nashville. I love White Castle and would like to see them here, but as I said in my other thread, I think OKC will see In-n-Out Burger before White Castle. I haven't seen White Castle do any meaningful expansion in years.

Because in the South they have Krystal which is basically the same thing as White Castle.

I'd be most willing to believe that it was called White Castle but was not a White Castle.

It was Wite Kastle ;)

That wasn't my quote that you responded to.....

Are you sure? :wink:

Ok.... Ready for me to throw another wrench in the works. I just got this from Jim Corbett the Moore City Clerk.


Looking for info. Our records show Las Fajitas has been there since 1991.


Was told it was Neptunes. A sub sandwich shop.

LMAO!!! I sure as heck don't remember it being a Neptunes!

I've researched the County Assessors records and know the building was built in 1995 but the only sales records are Carlos Gimenez selling it to Carlos Gimenez.

My mom was Mr. Gimenez's accountant when he opened Las Fajitas at that location and she said she remembered it being a hamburger place but does not remember the name.

Ok.... Ready for me to throw another wrench in the works. I just got this from Jim Corbett the Moore City Clerk.





LMAO!!! I sure as heck don't remember it being a Neptunes!

I've researched the County Assessors records and know the building was built in 1995 but the only sales records are Carlos Gimenez selling it to Carlos Gimenez.

My mom was Mr. Gimenez's accountant when he opened Las Fajitas at that location and she said she remembered it being a hamburger place but does not remember the name.

Didn't the old Las Fajitas get blown away in the 2003 tornado and they rebuilt it?

Didn't the old Las Fajitas get blown away in the 2003 tornado and they rebuilt it?

It took some damage but it wasn't a total rebuild.

It took some damage but it wasn't a total rebuild.

Thanks didn't know if it a rebuild or not with that storm. I know back in the 80s there was a taco tico in the place boomerang is at now on broadway just north of 12th street, Im not sure what it was before that. I was really young but I don't remember a white castle in Moore, I know there was a burger king on 27th street and I-35.

Thanks didn't know if it a rebuild or not with that storm. I know back in the 80s there was a taco tico in the place boomerang is at now on broadway just north of 12th street, Im not sure what it was before that. I was really young but I don't remember a white castle in Moore, I know there was a burger king on 27th street and I-35.

It was a Dale's BBQ House before becoming Boom-a-Rang..... I wish it was still a Taco Tico.

The slider place being discussed was off 12th Street either where Las Fajitas is now or close to it. If Western Sizzlin was there in the 80's Mackie McNear may remember the name of the place. I do think the word Castle was in the name but I do not remember it being White Castle. It it was White Castle, I do not think it was part of the chain. I have been wrong before, so it could have been a real White Castle but I do not know for sure. Ironically, White Castle started in Wichita, but there are not any White Castles in Wichita now.

Bigray in Ok

Excuse me? You can keep telling me it didn't happen and that doesn't make it so. I don't give a flying crap what their website says. It was in business such a short time it wouldn't surprise me at ALL that it doesn't show up on some "it has to be right, it's on the Internet!" store list.

Good GAREEEEF!!! I'm not going to engage in an argument with people trying to tell me I didn't do something I absolutely did do. For heavens' sake, I was with my mother, and even she was intrigued by the fact she used to eat White Castle hamburgers up north in the Buffalo area when I was just a kid, so she wanted to try them out, too. But I guess that's a fiction that never happened, too..... *SIGH*

I don't know why it isn't on their website, I'm sorry I don't have a picture, or a copy of the receipt, or saved a wrapper, or whatever.

I know the one you are speaking of and it was not a white castle. I have been waiting for the original white castle to open up since the 70s in this area but as of today there has been none. And the white castle you get in the frozen freezer section in the grocery store is no where near the taste of a fresh white castle. Whenever I am in St. Louis it's a must stop. Krystals was the closet thing but not the same.

Someone on Facebook said they thought it was called Bunches.... does that ring a bell with anyone?

That sounds more like an underwear problem.

That sounds more like an underwear problem.

Ouch!

I lived and worked in Moore in the 1980s and, yes, the slider place was called Bunches. Their slogan was "Buy them by the bunches" or something similar IIRC.

...Good GAREEEEF!!! I'm not going to engage in an argument with people trying to tell me I didn't do something I absolutely did do. ...
Memories can be tricky things...there was a guy selling drinking glasses on Ebay from Panchos and he insisted that he got them from the Tulsa Casa Bonita (the glasses didn't mention either place by name, just the Panchos mascot character). For some reason folks get them confused since they were both mexican all-you-can-eat places that had the "raise the flag" for reorders). And here in OKC they were both located on 39th street. I let him know of the error, pointing him to Panchos website for the mascot representation etc but no matter what factual evidence was presented, he still insisted that he got them at Casa Bonita...because by gawd, he DID...LOL Not saying this happened to you, but it can happen.

Memories can be tricky things...there was a guy selling drinking glasses on Ebay from Panchos and he insisted that he got them from the Tulsa Casa Bonita (the glasses didn't mention either place by name, just the Panchos mascot character). For some reason folks get them confused since they were both mexican all-you-can-eat places that had the "raise the flag" for reorders). And here in OKC they were both located on 39th street. I let him know of the error, pointing him to Panchos website for the mascot representation etc but no matter what factual evidence was presented, he still insisted that he got them at Casa Bonita...because by gawd, he DID...LOL Not saying this happened to you, but it can happen.

Understand and agree completely, but it didn't happen in this case :) It was White Castle, and as I said before, I'll stand by that even if the Internet or the little blond chick that says "they can't post anything on the Internet that isn't true" insists I didn't. If it were a casual memory of "I remember walking by a building like that one day, and it might have been green," that would be one thing, but my memory is of a specific experience in a specific context, while with another party, who had their own context for the situation. I would never have given the place a second thought were it not for the fact it was a White Castle, which is why I took my mom there in the first place. But I realize none of that carries any weight, because (insert angelic music) The Internet Sayeth Differently.

Whatever.

As I said, I know what I did. That's good enough for me, even if not for anyone else.

In my own opinion, I just do not think White Castle would go over in Oklahoma? If another fast food burger joint opens up in OK, I would say the one mostly likely to succeed would be In and Out. The Southern version of WC which is Krystal Burger opened up in the DFW area where I live and since then, they have closed down. Some of their locations being converted to Carl's Jr.s

In my own opinion, I just do not think White Castle would go over in Oklahoma? If another fast food burger joint opens up in OK, I would say the one mostly likely to succeed would be In and Out. The Southern version of WC which is Krystal Burger opened up in the DFW area where I live and since then, they have closed down. Some of their locations being converted to Carl's Jr.s

Do you know if all four of the Krystal's that opened in the DFW area closed already?

As much as I'd like to see a White Castle here I kind of have the same opinion. Not sure it would succeed..... Even though I'd try really hard to make it succeed. At least until I dropped dead from eating too many Crave Cases. :Smiley122

...But I realize none of that carries any weight, because (insert angelic music) The Internet Sayeth Differently... Whatever. ...

Just for clarification, actually it is the White Castle corporation that says they never had one in Moore. Muskogee? Yes. Moore? No.

Whatever.

As I said, I know what I did. That's good enough for me, even if not for anyone else.

Everyone's free to have their own halucinations. So how dare someone from White Castle's own corporate office try and take that treasured memory away from you!

Do you know if all four of the Krystal's that opened in the DFW area closed already?

As much as I'd like to see a White Castle here I kind of have the same opinion. Not sure it would succeed..... Even though I'd try really hard to make it succeed. At least until I dropped dead from eating too many Crave Cases. :Smiley122 I do know the Krystal's on Midway Road in Dallas closed down and it was converted to a Carl's Jr. Another friend told me that where he lives there was a Krystal's very nearby and it had also closed. I did not ask him specifically what location that was?

I ate once at a White Castle in Kansas City when I lived there. Didn't really care for it. But I think I heard they're all gone now from KC.