Culver's
Culver's is a privately held Wisconsin-based fast-casual franchise chain operating 1,000+ family-owned restaurants across 26 U.S. states, serving signature ButterBurgers, Fresh Frozen Custard, and Wisconsin Cheese Curds to individual consumers and families through an owner-operator franchise model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersPrairie Du Sac, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Culver's does
Culver's is a privately held, Wisconsin-headquartered fast-casual franchise restaurant chain founded in 1984 in Sauk City by Craig and Lea Culver and Craig's parents George and Ruth. The company operates as Culver Franchising System, LLC, granting licenses to independent owner-operator franchisees who are required to work on-site in their restaurants. Across more than 1,000 family-owned franchise locations in 26 U.S. states, Culver's sells a unified menu built around signature ButterBurgers® (made with fresh, never-frozen beef), Fresh Frozen Custard (produced in small batches daily from Wisconsin dairy), Wisconsin Cheese Curds, chicken, seafood, and a rotating Flavor of the Day custard program. The franchisor generates revenue from an initial $55,000 franchise fee, ongoing 4% service and 2.5% advertising royalties, and other streams, with franchise startup costs ranging from $2.6 million to $8.6 million and a $500,000 minimum liquid asset requirement.
The business has layered a modern technology and loyalty infrastructure on top of its franchise model. In November 2025, Culver's launched Delicious Rewards, a nationwide loyalty program earning 10 points per dollar spent across digital and in-restaurant channels, creating a unified customer identity layer. In May 2026, the chain partnered with Berry AI to deploy Vision AI camera analytics across all 1,000+ locations, capturing real-time service execution, vehicle flow, and throughput metrics within a privacy-first framework, with reported 70% drive-thru comp improvements and 20-40% reductions in service times. Distribution spans company-operated digital ordering via website and mobile app, third-party delivery through DoorDash, and physical restaurant locations.
Culver's reported FY2025 total operating revenues of $337.7 million and net income of $125.6 million, opened 44 new restaurants in 2025, and projects 59 new openings in 2026 — concentrated heavily in Florida, where 14 new locations are planned for 2026 and a separate franchisee group is opening four Central Florida locations within two years. The chain has been ranked among the top franchisee-satisfaction systems in industry surveys, with no disclosed parent company, private equity backing, or institutional investors.
Culver's firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Culver's
- Legal name
- Culver Franchising System, LLC
- Website
- https://culvers.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Culver's is a privately held Wisconsin-based fast-casual franchise chain operating 1,000+ family-owned restaurants across 26 U.S. states, serving signature ButterBurgers, Fresh Frozen Custard, and Wisconsin Cheese Curds to individual consumers and families through an owner-operator franchise model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Culver's industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fast Casual Restaurants
- akta.pro primary industry
- Soft-Serve & Custard Stands (THAFAGAC)
Keywords
Where Culver's is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Prairie Du Sac
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Culver's business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Restaurant Sales: Culver's generates revenue through food and beverage sales at over 1,000 family-owned/operated franchise locations across 26 states. Revenue comes from ButterBurgers, Fresh Frozen Custard, chicken sandwiches, seafood, and other menu items sold directly to consumers.
- Franchise Fees: Initial franchise fee of $55,000 plus ongoing fees of 4% for service and 2.5% for advertising. Franchise opportunities require minimum $500,000 liquid assets and owner-operator involvement.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Franchise startup costs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Culver's product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Culver's operates a fast-casual franchise restaurant system selling handcrafted ButterBurgers (fresh, never-frozen beef), Fresh Frozen Custard made in small batches daily, plus chicken, seafood, salads, sandwiches, sides, and value baskets across 1,000+ family-owned franchise locations in 26 U.S. states. The company also generates revenue from initial franchise fees ($55,000) and ongoing royalty (4%) and advertising (2.5%) fees paid by franchisee owner-operators.
Product overview
Culver's is a Wisconsin-based fast-casual restaurant chain offering a unified menu of handcrafted food products centered around its signature ButterBurgers and Fresh Frozen Custard. The core product portfolio includes burgers, chicken, seafood, sandwiches, salads, sides, and frozen desserts, all prepared with quality ingredients including fresh never-frozen beef, whole white meat chicken from American family farms, and family farm-fresh dairy. The chain operates on a franchise model with over 1,000 locations across 26 states. Supplementary offerings include the Delicious Rewards loyalty program for personalized engagement, the Berry AI Vision AI platform for operational analytics, Gift Cards, and the Thank You Farmers Project agricultural initiative. The Flavor of the Day rotating frozen custard program provides unique daily offerings at each location.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ButterBurgers Signature burgers made with fresh, never-frozen beef, seared to order on a lightly buttered, toasted bun; available in multiple variations including Cheese, Deluxe, Bacon Deluxe, Mushroom & Swiss, Sourdough Melt, and Wisconsin Swiss Melt. Sold to individual consumers at Culver's restaurants.
- Fresh Frozen Custard Fresh frozen custard made in small batches throughout the day with Wisconsin dairy; served as Concrete Mixers, Shakes, Malts, Floats, Sundaes, and Create Your Own dishes with rotating Flavor of the Day selections. Sold to individual consumers.
- Chicken Chicken items made with whole white meat chicken from American family farms, including Original Chicken Tenders, Buffalo Chicken Tenders, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich, and Grilled Chicken Sandwich. Sold to individual consumers.
- Seafood Hand-battered seafood options including North Atlantic Cod Sandwich and Butterfly Jumbo Shrimp, prepared fresh and cooked to order. Sold to individual consumers.
- Value Baskets
Quantifiable outcome
- 14.2% system sales growth rate
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Culver's
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Culver's technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature1 record
Culver's partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- University of Wisconsin BadgerscoreCulver's became the official jersey patch sponsor for UW football, men's basketball, and men's hockey teams starting the 2026 season. The partnership marks UW's first jersey patch sponsorship deal under the NIL era, with Culver's logo displayed on game jerseys debuting September 6 against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field.
- Tareen Development PartnersminorTareen Development Partners completed a new Culver's restaurant development in Faribault, Minnesota, opening June 8, 2026. The project was developed in partnership with franchise owners Deanna Wesley, Taylor VanHoutan, and Anthony Gustafson of VGW Faribault Custard, LLC.
- Berry AIcoreCulver's partnered with Berry AI to deploy Vision AI technology across 1,000+ restaurant locations nationwide. The camera-based analytics system captures real-time operational data including service execution, vehicle movement, and throughput to support faster decision-making and consistent service standards.
- Dairy Farmers of WisconsincoreCulver's partnered with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin as part of the Born to Dairy marketing campaign, placing Wisconsin dairy farmers on city bus wraps and billboards. The campaign capitalizes on renewed national interest in dairy's nutritional value and food transparency.
- Just Women's SportsminorCulver's partnered with Just Women's Sports to host fan activations at the 2026 NCAA Women's Final Four in Phoenix, Arizona. Culver's presented a pop-up Hall of Champions exhibit celebrating women's college basketball history with player meet-and-greets.
- JJ WattcoreWisconsin native and NFL legend JJ Watt partnered with Culver's to launch his favorite meal, JJ's Way. This was Culver's first celebrity meal collaboration.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Culver's competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Shake Shack: Premium fast-casual burger brand; competes with Culver's on fresh-ingredient quality and hospitality positioning but at a higher price point with company-operated stores.
Direct peers
- Sonic Drive-In: Drive-in burger QSR explicitly referenced as the chain Culver's is on track to surpass as the 4th-largest U.S. burger chain; highly comparable in franchise model and drive-thru focus.
- Wendy's: National burger QSR chain with similar franchise model and value-basket pricing tier; directly competes with Culver's in the burger segment and is one of the chains Culver's is on track to overtake in system size.
- Burger King: One of the largest U.S. burger QSR chains competing head-to-head with Culver's for burger occasion; similar franchise-heavy unit model and value-tier menu positioning.
- Five Guys: Fast-casual burger chain competing in the same premium-fresh-beef positioning as Culver's ButterBurger; similar quality-ingredient narrative and customization-driven menu.
- Dairy Queen (DQ): Iconic franchise chain with a flagship frozen dessert product (soft-serve/custard) plus a broader food menu; the most direct analog for Culver's custard-forward foodservice identity.
- Steak 'n Shake: Midwest-rooted burger chain with similar heritage positioning and value-basket pricing; comparable regional brand strength and diner experience.
- Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers: Fast-casual chain combining steakburgers with frozen custard — directly mirrors Culver's ButterBurger + Fresh Frozen Custard dual-category concept and franchise model.
Regional players
- Portillo's: Midwest-rooted, fast-casual chain with strong regional cult following and expanding nationally; highly comparable to Culver's in heritage, hospitality-led brand, and franchise/operator culture.
Broad incumbents
- McDonald's: Largest U.S. burger QSR incumbent; competes broadly across value-tier burgers and drive-thru, setting the competitive ceiling on Culver's unit growth and pricing power.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Culver's social profiles
Digital presenceCulver's financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Culver's leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Culver's funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Culver's M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Culver's
What does Culver's do?
Culver's operates a fast-casual franchise restaurant system selling handcrafted ButterBurgers (fresh, never-frozen beef), Fresh Frozen Custard made in small batches daily, plus chicken, seafood, salads, sandwiches, sides, and value baskets across 1,000+ family-owned franchise locations in 26 U.S. states. The company also generates revenue from initial franchise fees ($55,000) and ongoing royalty (4%) and advertising (2.5%) fees paid by franchisee owner-operators.
Is Culver's a public or private company?
Culver's is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Culver's founded?
Culver's was founded in 1984. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Culver's based?
Culver's is headquartered in Prairie Du Sac, United States, in the North America region.
How does Culver's make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Sales are the primary driver. The others are franchise Fees.
Who are Culver's's main competitors?
Shake Shack is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Sonic Drive-In, Wendy's, Burger King, Five Guys, Dairy Queen (DQ), Steak 'n Shake and Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. Portillo's is listed as a regional player. McDonald's is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Culver's have an API?
No public API is recorded for Culver's.
What industry is Culver's in?
Culver's's product category is Fast Casual Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAGAC, Soft-Serve & Custard Stands.