White Castle® Inducts Nine Devoted Fans Into Its 17th Annual Cravers Hall of Fame

A pastor, a bartender and a vegetarian walk into 17th Annual White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame

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Feb 08, 2018, 10:56 ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, has been part of American culture for 97 years. Its passionate fan base, affectionately known as Cravers, are loyal, dedicated, and willing to do almost anything to satisfy their crave. That's why White Castle created the Cravers Hall of Fame in 2001, as an honorary club to recognize its most ardent fans.

White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame Class of 2017

For the past year, White Castle customers from across the country have submitted personal, funny and heartfelt stories for a chance to be inducted into the Cravers Hall of Fame as part of the 2017 class. After judging over 700 entries, White Castle selected nine of the most loyal Cravers. Each member was formally inducted into the 17th annual White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame during a special ceremony at the White Castle General Managers Conference in Indianapolis on February 7, 2018.

"White Castle is always impressed and touched by the commitment our most loyal fans have shown to our restaurants," said Jamie Richardson, White Castle vice president. "Each year, we receive hundreds of unique and creative stories demonstrating how White Castle has impacted our many Cravers. Many of these stories tell us about growing up with our brand and passing down the Crave from generation to generation, celebrating anniversaries, hosting their wedding at a Castle, or even traveling hundreds of miles to get that one of a kind taste."

To determine which Cravers are most deserving of the Hall of Fame designation, the judges set criteria based on brand loyalty, creative presentation, originality and magnitude of the Crave. In 2002, White Castle added the "Craver in Extremis" category to recognize public figures, celebrities and pop icons; including Alice Cooper, Kal Penn and John Cho, Telfar Clemens and John Boehner, who have all publicly shown their love of White Castle.

To date, 227 inductees have been honored with this distinguished award.

The Class of 2017 inductees includes:

Taylor Sticha, Chicago, IL – "Generational Crave" - Sticha came face-to-face with the Crave at an early age, thanks to her father and fellow Cravers Hall of Fame member, Tom Sticha. About 10 years ago, she became a vegetarian, but there was no stopping her family from their White Castle tradition. When White Castle released the Veggie Slider, her Crave returned in full force.

"The Veggie Sliders are delicious and come with everything I know and love about Sliders," she said. "Now, when I treat myself, I know just where to go." Taylor's induction into the Cravers Hall of Fame means more than being added to one of the most exclusive fast-food fan clubs known to man; it also means she can no longer be introduced as simply "the guy in the Cravers Hall of Fame's daughter."

Brian Reed, Tuckahoe, NY – "Like Taking a Slider from a Baby" - As a young 15-year old man, Brian Reed served as a babysitter for a neighboring couple with two young children. They regularly extended him the freedom of their fridge, but it was almost always empty, until one special evening when he discovered a sack of 10 awaiting his appetite. Reed quickly formulated a plan to enjoy the treat once the kids fell asleep, but just as the time came, he heard the couple arrive home.

"I'll just wrap these babies up in my coat, gently carry it in my arms on the way out and heat them up when I get home," he wrote in his submission. But the marvelous idea didn't go according to plan. The couple chatted with him as they arrived, and more than 15 minutes went by before he left without his coat wrapped Sliders. His story ends with one of the parents mentioning he forgot his coat and the Sliders crashing to the kitchen floor. While the experience may have lost him a job, it would ultimately land him in the Cravers Hall of Fame.

Walter Buttkus, Yorba Linda, CA – "Burger Biker" - At five years of age, Buttkus had his first White Castle experience with his father, "back when you could get a Slider for a nickle." Since then, Buttkus has taken every opportunity to satisfy his Cravings, from engaging in Slider eating contests with football players to arguing that the economic law of diminishing marginal utility does not apply to Sliders.

On his wedding day in 1990, Buttkus delayed his big moment for 20 minutes to host a White Castle feast for his groomsmen, something that his then wife would never let go. Buttkus' next project is a true ode to his passion and to Cravers everywhere – a White Castle cruiser motorcycle which he has designed, and will have built, to ride as he tours Castles around the country.

Petty Officer First Class Kyle Johnson, Frederick, MD – "USS Craver" - Currently serving in the US Navy, Johnson grew up in New Jersey with the tradition of weekly visits to his local Castle. His commitment to service came with the realization that he'd now be more than six hours from a White Castle, but no matter the distance, Johnson keeps the tradition going, still making regular trips to pick up multiple Crave Cases for himself and other servicemembers. His belief in putting others first is also exemplified in his new plan to drive a long awaited Crave Case to his father in Florida.

Rick Falbo, Sparta, NJ – "Evidence of the Crave" - After a long night of bartending, Rick Falbo had a hunger that could not be quenched without stopping at his nearest Castle. Upon arriving home with a nearly empty Crave Case, a police officer pulled up with lights and sirens blaring after following a two-mile trail of Slider boxes to Falbo's house. Although Falbo did what needed to be done to satisfy the Crave, he was reminded to do so responsibly, and picked up each box to avoid receiving multiple littering citations.

J and Cassandra Blakemore, Los Angeles, CA – "Slider Smuggler" and "Craver-Con" - After moving away from White Castle restaurants in 2010, the Blakemores heard about superhero and comic legend, Stan Lee's, induction into the Cravers Hall of Fame in 2017. With just one day leading up to spring break, they revised their spring break route to receive an autograph and White Castle Sliders from Lee himself in Los Angeles, despite adding 10 hours to their two-night trip.

But a serious problem remained: what merchandise was right for Stan "The Man" to sign? Cassandra Blakemore looked to the sky for her answer, and found the couple's White Castle 95^th Anniversary tumbler on a shelf above, unopened and ready for its time to shine. Following the autograph signing, the couple showed off the christened tumbler for all to see at the White Castle Crave Mobile^®, and even earned themselves a few bonus sliders.

Tim Bowman, Maplewood, MN – "Sliding Down Memory Lane" - Bowman's White Castle experiences date all the way back to 1963. He and his late father, Don Bowman Sr., were considered regulars across multiple Castles in the area surrounding their hometown. Whenever new Castle memorabilia was introduced – Castle cups, t-shirts, scented candles – the Bowmans got them.

As his father entered his 80s, he was diagnosed with a rare disease and confined to a wheel chair. Bowman continued to take his father to White Castle every Saturday for a #7 and they would reflect on how everything had come full circle. After his father passed in August 2016, more than 200 White Castle Sliders were served at his memorial service. Tim and Don Bowman Sr. perfectly embody the White Castle story and their memories will live on in the Cravers Hall of Fame.

Associate Pastor Bruce Perry, Rossford, OH – "Man of the Crave" - Bruce Perry is always looking for motivation for his sermons that will connect with his congregations. After starting an after-school reading program, he was tasked with the challenge of encouraging his members to step out of their comfort zones to try something new. Luckily, he found just the parallel with trying something new in White Castle's Bacon Jam Slider, and what resulted was a successful program and a church full of Slider followers.

About White Castle^®White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain based in Columbus, Ohio, has been making Bold Moves™ as a family-owned business for more than 97 years. Cravers on-the-go can access sweet deals and place a pick-up order any time in the official White Castle app (iTunes App Store or Google Play) or in the frozen aisle at a grocery store near you. www.whitecastle.com

SOURCE White Castle