Columbus, Ohio, USA – White Castle, the iconic fast-food chain, celebrated its most devoted fans today, inducting 14 individuals into its Cravers Hall of Fame during a ceremony held at the company’s home office in Columbus.
This annual tradition recognizes the deep passion and loyalty of White Castle enthusiasts.
The induction marks the 23rd class since the Cravers Hall of Fame was established in 2001. With this newest group, the Hall now includes 284 members who have shared their unique connections to the brand that introduced The Original Slider® in 1921.
Each of the 2024 inductees had the opportunity to share their personal stories during the ceremony. “We are humbled by the extreme lengths our most dedicated Cravers will go to satisfy their love for our hot and tasty food,” said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle. “Their love for our food and their connection to the brand run so deep that we want to show our appreciation by bestowing them with this prestigious honor.”
White Castle provided the inductees with travel, dining, and hotel accommodations, along with a special reception. Each honoree received a commemorative plaque, and their stories are planned to be featured on the restaurant’s signature Slider boxes.
The selection process for the Cravers Hall of Fame is highly competitive, with hundreds of fans submitting their stories each year. Judges evaluate entries based on loyalty, creativity, originality, and the magnitude of the “Crave.”
White Castle notes that it’s famously tougher to get into the Cravers Hall of Fame than it is to be accepted into Harvard.
The stories of the inductees vary from humorous to heartfelt, reflecting the many ways White Castle has created memorable moments in their lives. Previous notable inductees have included figures like rocker Alice Cooper, designer Telfar Clemens, TV personality Adam Richman, actors Kal Penn and John Cho, and the late comic pioneer Stan Lee.
Nominations for the 2025 class are already open.
Here is the 2024 Class of Inductees and a glimpse into their stories:
1. Andrew Abate, Chicago, Illinois
Andrew is a long-time White Castle fan, having tasted his first Slider at the tender age of 3. As an adult, Andrew has found ways to show his affection for the brand. He burns a White Castle candle when he’s feeling down and proudly wears his White Castle hat when pumping iron at the gym. At his wedding reception two years ago, Andrew ordered 420 Sliders to satisfy the late-night Crave of his 200 guests. For his 30th birthday in August 2023, he celebrated by trying to eat a Crave Case of 30 Sliders — his very own #30for30 challenge. Although he bested his personal record, he threw in the towel after 20 Sliders. But his Crave remains as strong as ever.
2. Beau Brent, Astoria, New York
Rocking out takes a lot of work, and the New York glam metal band FerreTT has been re-energizing with Sliders for over a decade. Lead singer Beau Brent says he and his bandmates regularly frequent the Queens Boulevard White Castle in Sunnyside, New York, after gigs, practices and nights out on the town. They love White Castle so much that they wrote a song about going to White Castle. The epic, 8-minute piece, “House of the Holy (Food for the Gods), appears on the band’s newly released album “Glamdemic.”
3. Fredric Calev, Honeoye, New York
For three-quarters of a century, Fredric has had one true Crave – White Castle’s iconic Sliders. His father took him to White Castle when he was less than 5 years old, igniting a passion that continues to this day. Fredric celebrated with Sliders when he returned home from a two-year tour of duty in Vietnam. He and his wife often stop at White Castle during their frequent travels, sometimes going 100 miles out of their way to enjoy a Slider topped with onions, a pickle and ketchup. Fredric even passed down the tradition of eating Sliders to his son and grandsons. Being chosen as a Craver Hall of Famer is the crowning glory to his lifelong Slider passion.
4. Kyle & Kelsey Cavanaugh, Chicago, Illinois
When Kyle and Kelsey moved from Wichita, Kansas, to Chicago in 2010, they stumbled upon a White Castle, and it was love at first bite. They visited the neighborhood Castle regularly during their first few years as a young couple in Chicago. In 2012, they celebrated their first Valentine’s Day at the Love Castle, a tradition they’ve maintained since then. When they moved into their first home in 2017, the nearby White Castle became their go-to place. White Castle has played an important role in Kyle and Kelsey’s love story, and they look forward to building upon that story for many years to come.
5. Robert Donati, Muncie, Indiana
Robert loved White Castle Sliders even before he knew they were called Sliders, and he used any excuse to “Slider down” and enjoy the delicious smelling burgers — whether during his regular Friday lunch with a friend, on dates with his college sweetheart, or as the main ingredient in his Slider-based stuffing on Thanksgiving. So it wasn’t surprising when he and some Slider-loving friends took their Crave to the next level and formed an elite society of Cravers. The group, which calls itself Craver Chapter 834 after the locations of their two favorite Castles in Central Indiana, works to promote the Slider experience and turn skeptics into loyal Cravers.
6. Don Graffam, Shoreview, Minnesota
For over four decades, White Castle has been a delicious constant throughout Don’s life and the common denominator in his most memorable moments. Ever since his dad introduced him as a teenager to the gourmet goodness of Sliders, many of his fondest memories involve White Castle — from late-night trips with college friends to satisfy cravings, to receiving a gifted (or possibly stolen) White Castle garbage can that still graces his kitchen, to celebrating Valentine’s Day with his wife at White Castle. Don has introduced hundreds of people, including his own sons and numerous colleagues, to White Castle’s irresistible little burgers.
7. Jeff Lyerla, Marysville, Ohio
Sometimes a little reminder of home is all you need. Jeff served in the military with a friend and mentor named Erwin Gray – Err for short. In 2009, Jeff came home for a short leave from his deployment in Iraq. One of his first stops was a trip with his two young sons to White Castle, where they devoured a Crave Case. As a prank, Jeff saved the Crave Case and the empty Slider boxes and sent them to Err, his battle brother who also loved White Castle. While disappointed the package didn’t contain Sliders, Err enjoyed the aroma emanating from the boxes for days. Now both retired from the military, Jeff and Err like to get together when they can – usually at a White Castle.
8. Michael Newman, Cornwall, New York
When Michael was a student at Rutgers University, his mom would visit on the weekends and take him and his friends to the nearby White Castle. The group would polish off a few Crave Cases in no time. Instead of throwing away the cardboard Crave Cases, Michael would bring them back to his dorm, wipe them down to remove any food residue, and use them to tote his books and supplies across campus. The Crave Cases worked so well that he didn’t need to buy a backpack. And it was the perfect way for Michael to display his love for White Castle.
9. Sean Ruecker, St. Paul, Minnesota
Sean’s genuine love for White Castle is infectious, as he has undoubtedly converted many of his co-workers into lifelong White Castle fans. He has been instrumental in making White Castle a staple of his office’s weekly lunches, turning what might have been a routine meal into an eagerly anticipated tradition. Sean has introduced numerous colleagues to White Castle and, thanks to him, his office is filled with White Castle enthusiasts who might never have discovered the joy of the hot-and-tasty Sliders had it not been for Sean’s encouragement.
10. Gary Schwartz and Denny Schwartz, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Steve Uppman, Plymouth, Minnesota
Way back in 1967, brothers Gary and Denny and their friend Steve launched an event that has been an annual tradition since then — the White Castle Eating Derby, otherwise known as a Slider-eating competition. Every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, a mix of friends and family gather to see who can eat the most Sliders. The record, set in 1983 and reached again in 2000, is 34 Sliders. Participants look forward to this legendary event all year long. It’s not only tons of fun, but it’s also the only time of the year that many of them get to see each other. This coming November will mark 59 years that Gary, Denny and Steve have been spreading the Crave.
11. Julie Sherman, Chicago, Illinois
Many years ago, on a blazing hot Saturday, Julie had a craving for White Castle. She had seen one a few weeks earlier on a midnight bike ride, but she couldn’t quite remember where it was – and Google Maps didn’t exist to help her. So she set out on her bike to find it. But after 36 miles in 97-degree heat, Julie gave up and started to head home. That’s when she saw White Castle on the next corner. Dripping in sweat, she rode up to the drive-thru window and placed her order. She later mapped out all of the White Castles within a 25-mile radius of her home and created an epic 50-mile White Castle bike tour that she proudly led for her cycling club.
Nominate a Craver for the 2025 class here.
White Castle, based in Columbus, Ohio, holds the distinction of being America’s first fast-food hamburger chain, serving hot and tasty Sliders since 1921. The family-owned business operates around 340 restaurants and a retail division, providing its products in freezer aisles nationwide. Known for owning its meat plants and bakeries to ensure quality, White Castle has received accolades such as Time magazine’s “Most Influential Burger of All Time” for The Original Slider and has been recognized as a Great Place to Work for four consecutive years.
The brand is deeply cherished by its passionate fans, affectionately known as Cravers, who can participate in the CRAVER NATION REWARDS loyalty program through the official White Castle app.
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