An open letter to Flying J corp.

[Ragman]

I come from the generation before the crave.

My generation grew up with the 5 cent slider, the nickle mighty whitey one. The place where you knew they didn't play hockey with the frozen patties or see how fast a roach would last in the deep fryer.

To us frozen isn't happening unless we freeze them. You didn't get it from the grocery store, packaged in a plastic wrap. If you were away from home, it was always good to get someone visiting with 36 White Castle burgers to amaze and amuse the locals.

To us the happy smiling face behind the clean counter in an equally clean eatery asking us how many colon cleansing units do we want was just part of the experience.

Watching the white clad clean skilled worker doing his or her magic on the grill was an inspiration to all. Just thinking about those rehydrated onions, that raw square patty with those five "quick cook air holes" sitting steaming brings back a lot of good memories.

Like a lot of others of my generation, we had contests to see how many we could eat, some wimped out at ten while others went on to reach thirty. Even though we didn't show up for work for a few days after that, it was all about camaraderie of the contest. But more it was all about being a patron of the White Porcelain Palace known as White Castle and the delicacy of those burgers with the five holes and the rehydrated onions it was steamed on that matter.

Billy Ingram would have been proud of my generation, to us there wasn't a crave or hyped marketing but just White Castles and the hamburger he strive to perfect.

​

I guess you have a few years on me. While i can't remember 5 cent burgers, I do recall 10 cent at the castle near tiger stadium.

Just reading your post has my mouth watering.

I wonder if i could beat my personal record of 56. hmmmmm

 

[layoutshooter]

Must have a few years on me as well. I remember them at 12 cents, Micky D's were 15 cents. We had a local take off on the Castle on the corner of Pennsylvania RD and Fort Street called "Howard's Hamburgers" Same basic burger as White Castle but they had malts, White Castle did not. They were SO THICK that it took the better part of an hour to get the first sip up a straw!

 

[layoutshooter]

Ok, Any of you Downriver River Rats remember "Carter's Hamburgers"? They were located where Southfield road dead ends at Jefferson, right on the River. We used to drop our boat over the guardrail there, head over to our duck blind on the NE corner of Mud Islands, set our decoys, then motor back to Carter's, eat burgers and drink coffee till about 10 minutes till shootin' time, then motor back and get ready to shoot!! Great times back then.

 

[Ragman]

Ok, Any of you Downriver River Rats remember "Carter's Hamburgers"? They were located where Southfield road dead ends at Jefferson, right on the River. We used to drop our boat over the guardrail there, head over to our duck blind on the NE corner of Mud Islands, set our decoys, then motor back to Carter's, eat burgers and drink coffee till about 10 minutes till shootin' time, then motor back and get ready to shoot!! Great times back then.

They also had a location at southfield and outer drive.
I know the southfield location was still open as of 2008.

 

[layoutshooter]

They also had a location at southfield and outer drive.
I know the southfield location was still open as of 2008.

I have not been by to see if "our" Carter's was still open. I seem to remember them having one further up Fort Street, in Detroit, might be thinking of something else, the ole brain is just too full to sort things out quickly anymore.

 

[Ragman]

. . . the ole brain is just too full to sort things out quickly anymore.

Must be from too many white castles and beer.

 

[layoutshooter]

Must be from too many white castles and beer.

Could be!! I can even remember talking about White Castle with a guy I was stationed with in Japan. He was from Wyandotte, MI. He got there after I did, I went into the orderly room for a beer, he was working the counter, I walked up and he asked if I wanted "POP" or beer? I laughed, told him he must be from Michigan, he grew up across the street from one of my old guitar players in one of my bands. We talked for hours about White Castle, pop, the "River" and life in "the world". Great fun!

 

[letzrockexpress]

One of the most famous names for White Castle burgers is "gut bombs" therefor those who work at White Castle are known as [SIZE=+1]Bombardiers!! [/SIZE]

I have some friends in the U.P. that call Pasties "gut bombs"..

 

[greg334]

Pasties?

Not really gut bombs unless they are made with bad lard. There is something else from up there that are really bad but not pasties.

Carter's, Bray's, Bate's - all local and all like WC.

Bray's has modrenized. Bate's closed a couple locations and Carter's I lost track of. There is also Telway, both of their locations (Michigan ave and Madison Heights) are still open and still turning out the same 'stuff'.

35 was my limit but that is another story. We had one guy who claimed 60 but we never tested him - he kind of died from a drinking challenge.

I remember buying them for a nickle, I also remember the Red Barn and a few other places that are no longer in existence.

 

[Ragman]

. . . I also remember the Red Barn and a few other places that are no longer in existence.

I forgot about Red Barn, loved their chicken. Anybody remember Top Hat (not the supper club in windsor)?

 

[letzrockexpress]

Pasties?

Not really gut bombs unless they are made with bad lard. There is something else from up there that are really bad but not pasties.

Carter's, Bray's, Bate's - all local and all like WC.

Bray's has modrenized. Bate's closed a couple locations and Carter's I lost track of. There is also Telway, both of their locations (Michigan ave and Madison Heights) are still open and still turning out the same 'stuff'.

35 was my limit but that is another story. We had one guy who claimed 60 but we never tested him - he kind of died from a drinking challenge.

I remember buying them for a nickle, I also remember the Red Barn and a few other places that are no longer in existence.

Kind of died????

Red Barn was awesome...I didn't know they had them in Michigan..I though it was only a Cleveland thing.

 

[jaminjim]

Pasties?

Not really gut bombs unless they are made with bad lard. There is something else from up there that are really bad but not pasties.

Carter's, Bray's, Bate's - all local and all like WC.

Bray's has modrenized. Bate's closed a couple locations and Carter's I lost track of. There is also Telway, both of their locations (Michigan ave and Madison Heights) are still open and still turning out the same 'stuff'.

35 was my limit but that is another story. We had one guy who claimed 60 but we never tested him - he kind of died from a drinking challenge.

I remember buying them for a nickle, I also remember the Red Barn and a few other places that are no longer in existence.

What year were they a nickel?

 

[Rhodes101]

I come from the generation before the crave.

My generation grew up with the 5 cent slider, the nickle mighty whitey one. The place where you knew they didn't play hockey with the frozen patties or see how fast a roach would last in the deep fryer.

To us frozen isn't happening unless we freeze them. You didn't get it from the grocery store, packaged in a plastic wrap. If you were away from home, it was always good to get someone visiting with 36 White Castle burgers to amaze and amuse the locals.

To us the happy smiling face behind the clean counter in an equally clean eatery asking us how many colon cleansing units do we want was just part of the experience.

Watching the white clad clean skilled worker doing his or her magic on the grill was an inspiration to all. Just thinking about those rehydrated onions, that raw square patty with those five "quick cook air holes" sitting steaming brings back a lot of good memories.

Like a lot of others of my generation, we had contests to see how many we could eat, some wimped out at ten while others went on to reach thirty. Even though we didn't show up for work for a few days after that, it was all about camaraderie of the contest. But more it was all about being a patron of the White Porcelain Palace known as White Castle and the delicacy of those burgers with the five holes and the rehydrated onions it was steamed on that matter.

Billy Ingram would have been proud of my generation, to us there wasn't a crave or hyped marketing but just White Castles and the hamburger he strive to perfect.

​

Dam Greg how frickin old are you? From White Castles webpage

Burgers were 5 cents in 1921 and that price was reduced and increased over the next several years. You may remember a big jump in December of 1950 when burgers went from 10 cents to 12.

 

[chefdennis]

I have been eating the "belly bombs" since around 1955. I have no idea what they cost since i didn't pay for them, dad did...they also didn't have the 5 holes until 1949.

When i was hands on in my perssonal chef buiness, one of my clients was a franchise holder for several different fast food places including a single white castle in toledo. He hooked me up with a "professional advisory panel" that reviewed possible new products and ad promo's. I still get questionaires from them for White Castle...when i do finish the quesstionaire and e-mail it back, the snail mail me (5) five (1) one dollar coupons for purchases at any white castle...but when they come to the house, my 16 y/o daughter knows what they are and i don't ever see them anymore.....

For what it is worth, i know White Castle has a "consumer advisory panel" also....it is open to anyone...i am sure you could join it from their website...5 buck worth of coupons will get you a #1 meal....4 burgers, coke and a fry.....

 

[letzrockexpress]

I have been eating the "belly bombs" since around 1955. I have no idea what they cost since i didn't pay for them, dad did...they also didn't have the 5 holes until 1949.

When i was hands on in my perssonal chef buiness, one of my clients was a franchise holder for several different fast food places including a single white castle in toledo. He hooked me up with a "professional advisory panel" that reviewed possible new products and ad promo's. I still get questionaires from them for White Castle...when i do finish the quesstionaire and e-mail it back, the snail mail me (5) five (1) one dollar coupons for purchases at any white castle...but when they come to the house, my 16 y/o daughter knows what they are and i don't ever see them anymore.....

For what it is worth, i know White Castle has a "consumer advisory panel" also....it is open to anyone...i am sure you could join it from their website...5 buck worth of coupons will get you a #1 meal....4 burgers, coke and a fry.....

That's not an advisory board, that's a sneeze guard.....

 

[Rhodes101]

I have been eating the "belly bombs" since around 1955. I have no idea what they cost since i didn't pay for them, dad did...they also didn't have the 5 holes until 1949.

When i was hands on in my perssonal chef buiness, one of my clients was a franchise holder for several different fast food places including a single white castle in toledo. He hooked me up with a "professional advisory panel" that reviewed possible new products and ad promo's. I still get questionaires from them for White Castle...when i do finish the quesstionaire and e-mail it back, the snail mail me (5) five (1) one dollar coupons for purchases at any white castle...but when they come to the house, my 16 y/o daughter knows what they are and i don't ever see them anymore.....


For what it is worth, i know White Castle has a "consumer advisory panel" also....it is open to anyone...i am sure you could join it from their website...5 buck worth of coupons will get you a #1 meal....4 burgers, coke and a fry.....

Hey Chef, I am surprised that a trained Chef would leave that biz to get into his one. Chef school can be quite costly. What school did you attend and how long did it take to become a Chef?

 

[layoutshooter]

Hey Chef, I am surprised that a trained Chef would leave that biz to get into his one. Chef school can be quite costly. What school did you attend and how long did it take to become a Chef?

Why would that surprise you? You will find ex-doctors, college professors, nurses, military retirees and, yes, even a few used spies. This is a very interesting profession and it attracts all kinds of people.from all kinds of backgrounds, for all kinds of reasons. Most that I have spoken with express their of the freedom this business provides that their past lives did not offer for them. Many are here because they were "up against it" and saw this as a last option.

 

[greg334]

I said my generation, which started in 1944. So I made a mistake but so ... we grew up on 12 cent burgers.

I remember buying them for 14 cents each - 1967 and the big deal was that I spent $4.00 for burgers and fries.

 

[Rhodes101]

Oh I see, 64 is not so old. I thought you were a geezer.

 

[highway star]

A few "misplaced words", eh Greg?