Culver’s — Restaurant in Wheeling Township

Culver's is the kind of Americana dream you have when you're over 30 and remember neoclassical burger joints, themselves derivative of cozier, small-business eras of mom and pop malt shops.

That being said, I ordered a double Butterburger with a side of cheese curds, a vanilla malt (their own brand of custard), and a big cup of their house root beer. And it was phenominal.

Culver's is not for diets, or delicate digestive constitutions. It's big, heavy, greasy, protein and calcium food. It's food you enjoy eating, enjoy tasting, and even might enjoy digesting. It's cheat day food. It's a little more expensive than others in it's weight class, but the value exceeds the price by virtue of quality and density.

Culver's is for the good, heavy feeling in your gut, loosening your belt and relaxing. You'll nap beautifully afterwards. The hand-packed custard pints are absolutely worth it. The malts are simply perfect. The burgers are unpreposessing and effective. The fact I can get cheese curds and fries really should set the standard for this place.

If there is any real criticism...

1. Once, many years ago, I got food poisoning at a Culver's. And that can (and has) happened many other places. This was also during the meat shortage a few years back, and I don't really hold them responsible.

2. The interiors are frankly bland and plastic faux-Americana, lacking even the generic charm of a Chili's. If anything, it's an upscale McDonalds or Burger King. The fact it's bright whites and blues does lend a certain amount of trust though; if it was dirty, you'd know. And they're pretty scrupulous about hygiene.

I love Culver's. It's a meal I get when I don't plan to do anything else with my day. I sincerely hope you have the time for a day like that, too, to feel sincerely,...

TLDR: My opinion is that I think this is a poor example of a Culver's.

Before I start this review I know what you're thinking: why are you leaving a review on a chain franchise fast food restaurant. Well let me be one of the 1004 folks who have (as of this writing).

Now fast food spots should be graded on a curve so steep you need a sherpa to read them. They should also be graded against other examples of the chain. So let's grade against other Culver's and not say a Burger King or Wendy's. But let me tell you why this place is a 1 star fast food restaurant: it doesn't do what Culver's does best. The service is routinely lackluster, the food either overcooked, cold, they forget something, AND slow. I don't mind waiting for my food at a Culver's. That's part of the fun! Made to order! But I have never waited AS LONG for orders as I have at this specific location. Every 4-6 months or so I forget or think surely the last time was an outlier. They must have corrected it by now. But, reader, let me tell you, it is no outlier. It is EVERY time. It's so consistently bad here that I will travel out of my way to visit another location if the siren song of crinkle cut fries, and cheese curds comes calling.

Would I personally go to this Culver's...

Things have gone downhill here in recent weeks after they lost some good staff. I ordered one piece of fish (Cod) and fries. What was delivered to the table was one chicken strip and fries. The chicken strip was wrapped in a single piece of wax paper and sitting directly on the large blue tray with the fries alongside, no cardboard tray nor plastic plate.

When I took the chicken back to the counter I WAS TOLD IT WAS FISH! After some back and forth someone with either a brain or commonsense agreed that what I had been given was in fact chicken. Some foreign language discussions with the kitchen staff ensued, and a replacement piece of fish was then underway.

Five minutes later the fish was delivered to the table. It was thrown at me like a Frisbee with serious attitude. Frankly the fish could have swum there by itself with the amount of grease that accompanied it. There seems to be complete lack of training, lack of knowledge, lack of interest and no attention to detail at this location. Customer service has gone right...