1851

It can be difficult for brands to find a unique niche in the quick service burger industry. Between the fast food giants who&#8217;ve mastered the art of a value meal and the higher end burger chains who&#8217;ve solidified their reputation and a loyal customer base, there&#8217;s not a lot of room to differentiate and stand out. But over the past 30 years, that&#8217;s exactly what <a href="http://www.culvers.com/franchise?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=consistency-and-a-focus-on-customers-allows-culvers-to-grow-in-the-competitive-better-burger-industry-5940" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Culver&#8217;s</a> has consistently managed to do. The better burger brand has managed to evolve beyond the point of being a regionally recognized name to become one of the industry&#8217;s major national players. But that success didn&#8217;t happen overnight&#8212;Culver&#8217;s has steadily climbed its way through the ranks to get where it is today. And it did that by staying true to and focused on the same core principles that made it a hit when its first location opened its doors for business in 1984. &#8220;A lot of people through the years said, &#8216;When you get to 100 restaurants, things will be so much different,&#8217; but we&#8217;ve just kept doing what we do and, lo and behold, we&#8217;ve become a $1 billion company,&#8221; said Culver&#8217;s CEO Phil Keiser in an <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/qsr-50/better-burger?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=consistency-and-a-focus-on-customers-allows-culvers-to-grow-in-the-competitive-better-burger-industry-5940" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">interview with QSR Magazine</a>. The brand&#8217;s consistency starts with its food&#8212;Culver&#8217;s is known for serving fresh, made-to-order Midwest-sourced burgers on buttered and toasted buns and frozen custard made from real Wisconsin dairy. Despite adding new menu items to its lineup and switching the flavors of its featured custard every day, those classic items have set the standard for quality at Culver&#8217;s. <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/store/customer-service-five?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=consistency-and-a-focus-on-customers-allows-culvers-to-grow-in-the-competitive-better-burger-industry-5940" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">In an interview with QSR Magazine back in 2014</a>, George Kelsey, Culver&#8217;s vice president of training, said, &#8220;With some early success, I think many restaurants make the mistake of pushing into too many different directions, and the core elements that prompted their initial success deteriorate. That&#8217;s not a mistake we are going to make.&#8221; By offering the same delicious food across its entire franchise system&#8212;which now includes more than 550 stores&#8212;Culver&#8217;s has been able to establish a positive reputation among consumers. The bottom line is that people know what they&#8217;re going to get when they order one of their signature butter burgers, and they know that their food will be served to them with a smile. Culver&#8217;s dedication to customer service is another factor that continues to make the brand stand out in the increasingly crowded better burger industry. The brand has always recognized people as being a driving force in its success, so it ensures that all of its business owners and employees are trained to put the customers first. Even minor adjustments&#8212;like focusing on &#8220;guest experiences&#8221; instead of transactions&#8212;make a difference. It&#8217;s clear that Culver&#8217;s plans to continue its long standing traditions&#8212;consistency has been the brand&#8217;s key to lasting success. And that isn&#8217;t limited to the quality of its food and customer satisfaction. Culver&#8217;s exercises consistency in all aspects of its business development efforts. &#8220;Once you make a commitment to a market, you have to grow it,&#8221; <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/qsr-50/better-burger?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=consistency-and-a-focus-on-customers-allows-culvers-to-grow-in-the-competitive-better-burger-industry-5940" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Keiser told QSR Magazine</a>. &#8220;We&#8217;re not interested in opening the most restaurants. We&#8217;re interested in opening successful restaurants.&#8221;

1851 Franchise

By sticking to its roots, the brand has been able to steadily grow over the past three decades.



This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Consistency and a Focus on Customers Allows Culver’s to Grow in the Competitive Better Burger Industry

consistency-and-a-focus-on-customers-allows-culvers-to-grow-in-the-competitive-better-burger-industry

Crust Pizza Co.

Crust Pizza Co. - Technology Piece - CTO Nick Fontenot - May 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Crust Pizza Co. Builds the Future of Franchising With Tech-First Strategy

crust-pizza-co-technology-nick-fontenot-cto

Paris Baguette

Paris Baguette’s Recipe for Expansion: Leadership, Community and A Vision for 1,000 Cafés by 2030

paris-baguettes-recipe-for-expansion-leadership-community-and-a-vision-for-1000-cafes-by-2030

Seniors Helping Seniors®

Franchisee Spotlight with Billy and Anita Clark and Seniors Helping Seniors

Heart and Purpose: Couple Launch Seniors Helping Seniors® Franchise in Northern Arizona

heart-and-purpose-couple-launch-seniors-helping-seniors-franchise-in-northern-arizona

Fitness Premier

Fitness Premier Welcomes Franchisee Back to the Industry With New Pontiac, Illinois Location

fitness-premier-welcomes-franchisee-back-to-the-industry-with-new-pontiac-illinois-location

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue Home Service Ally Ranked No. 70 on Entrepreneur’s Top Low-Cost Franchises for 2025 List

trublue-home-service-ally-ranked-no-70-on-entrepreneurs-top-low-cost-franchises-for-2025-list

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

Restaurant Business: Crumbl Cools Its Expansion, Refocuses on Profitability

restaurant-business-crumbl-cools-its-expansion-refocuses-on-profitability

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Franchise Face-Lifts: Why Major Restaurant Brands Are Betting Big on Remodels

franchise-face-lifts-why-major-restaurant-brands-are-betting-big-on-remodels

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: Building Your Brand’s Growth Machine

ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises

Consistency and a Focus on Customers Allows Culver’s to Grow in the Competitive Better Burger Industry

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS