Tuesday, July 12, 2022 | 2 a.m.
Calling White Castle just another hamburger stand is kind of like calling “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” just another movie.
To hardcore devotees of the little square burgers, White Castle is more of an experience. The home of the humble slider has developed a cultlike following since serving up its first burger in 1921 in Wichita, Kan.
“We see people all the time taking photos and selfies at our White Castles, so we know it’s kind of a cultural phenomenon,” said Mike Heid, director of operations for several White Castles in the Las Vegas area.
Primarily a Midwest phenomenon, the chain has expanded westward to include a handful of restaurants in Arizona and Nevada, including one that just opened last month in Henderson.
On a recent afternoon, cars were lined up 10 deep at the drive-thru of the Henderson store, a former Carl’s Jr. near Sunset Station. Inside, Matthew Delisle and Celia Flores sat at a table with their two children as they waited for the sliders they ordered.
Originally from the East Coast, Delisle went to college in Chicago, where he developed a taste for the burgers.
“I haven’t had White Castle in a while,” Delisle said in anticipation. “From what I remember, they taste pretty good.”
Heid said customers often get nostalgic about White Castle while thinking back on growing up in the Midwest or in the New York City area.
“There are people coming in who experienced this brand long ago as kids,” Heid said. “It’s a cultural thing for them, and there’s a lot tied to that, emotionally.”
Flores said she has never had a White Castle burger. Most of her knowledge about the restaurant, she said, is through the popular “Harold & Kumar” movies, based on two stoner friends who find themselves in ridiculous situations while attempting to get to White Castle.
“I remember years ago when Costco started selling frozen White Castle burgers,” Flores said. “People were going crazy over that. … Now I’m going to see what all the commotion is about.”
After trying her first slider, the couple’s 11-year-old daughter, Zoey, gave her stamp of approval. “I would probably crave these,” Zoey said.
The burgers, which have holes poked through the beef patty, cook via steam atop a bed of onions, giving them their distinct flavor.
Slider fans — they are known as “cravers” — gobble them up by the sackful — or the case. The company even maintains a Cravers Hall of Fame for its most devoted customers.
The Henderson White Castle is owned by the same folks behind the Terrible Herbst empire, which has over 120 gas stations across the Southwest.
They also own the White Castles at the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas, at Harmon Square on Paradise Road, and at Casino Royale on the Strip.
The group also has a White Castle in Jean, which is popular with tourists driving to Las Vegas from California.
After getting past some staffing issues because of the tight labor market, the company is particularly excited about the Henderson restaurant, its first stand-alone location, Heid said.
“Our drive-thru is now open 24 hours at the Henderson location, and I really think we’re going to get to the point where it’s going to be busy around the clock,” he said. “If the community shows us there’s not a need to be open 24 hours during the week, we can adjust later.”
If the Henderson location is successful, it’s possible the company could add more locations, Heid said.
“There’s not a month that goes by that I don’t get some messages from people asking when we’re going to bring a White Castle to Summerlin or North Las Vegas,” he said.
