11 Things Customers Can't Stand About Culver's

Culver's is known for being a fast-casual establishment with Midwestern charm. It's probably not the kind of place you'd go on a fancy date, but it is famous for its commitment to freshness, which isn't always the norm in the fast food world. Still, it's not all plain sailing — there are some things that customers can't stand about Culver's.

If you've only ever heard people raving about this fast food joint, you might be interested to learn what folks are saying about the other side of things. And it's not always the same for everyone. Some people wonder how Culver's famous cheese curds are so good, while others trash-talk them on the internet. So, some of it is absolutely down to preference. Even so, whether you're a committed customer or a first-timer, it can be good to learn what other people think to help build a picture of things.

We've scoured the web for real customer opinions about the ways in which Culver's grinds their gears. Maybe you've had the same experience in the past, or perhaps you're new to the chain and trying to work out what to avoid. Either way, learning what diners dislike about Culver's could give you some insight into what to order next time or how to navigate your experience.

It might seem like a simple thing, but one of the things that customers dislike about Culver's is the fact that employees ask for names on drive-thru orders. This sounds like a bit of a petty complaint at first, but when you dig into the issue, we can see why it's frustrating. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about it, unless you opt to go into the restaurant to order rather than rolling up to the drive-thru window.

There are some drive-thru habits that customers should and shouldn't do, but this time, it's an annoyance with the establishment. Asking for names may seem innocuous, but the trouble lies with the execution. Many fast food chains use order numbers, as Culver's used to, but this newer trend of taking names can lead to confusion. The trouble is that staff often get the names wrong (we can blame the crackly drive-thru speaker for that), so they might come out looking to deliver an order for "Ann" when your name is "Hannah," which can only lead to chaos.

The thing is, Culver's employees don't like having to take names, either. They might spend 30 minutes a day taking names and writing them down, which doesn't feel like a good use of time, especially since orders are generally assigned a number, too. So, yes, it might be annoying, but don't blame employees for this company policy.

When you head to Culver's, you sometimes end up spending more than you bargained for. This can be because there are upcharges for even minor extras. While some fast food joints are happy to give you extra pickles in your burger or swap onions for tomatoes, Culver's seems to add a surcharge for every little change, and it can all add up.

Prices vary by location, but some customers report being charged as much as $0.60 for every extra — even something as simple as tomatoes. Customers aren't happy with this and often end up taking it out on staff, with some people even yelling over a $0.20 extra charge. So, this is definitely one of those things about Culver's that gets diners worked up.

We get that it's frustrating to think you're going to pay one price for a burger and fries only for it to come in at a couple of dollars extra, but any changes or extras you want are in your control. It's okay to go home and grumble about it. Maybe you even want to vent on a Reddit thread of your own. But it's never okay to take your annoyance out on the restaurant staff who are only doing their jobs and have to follow the rules of their employers. If you don't want to be charged for extras, don't order anything extra. Otherwise, you're just going to have to take it on the chin.

Originating from the Midwest, Culver's is known for its cheese curds. For those not familiar, cheese curds are pieces of young cheddar that (in this context) are coated and fried. Although you won't find this style of cheese curd just anywhere, it's a common Midwestern bar snack and fast food favorite. And, while they do have plenty of fans, some customers really can't stand the cheese curds.

It's not because these people don't like cheese curds in general. In fact, quite the opposite. Some folks believe that cheese curds from Culver's aren't up to scratch, likening them to something you might pick up frozen at the grocery store. This could be the difference between true cheese curd connoisseurs and those trying them for the first time. If you've nothing else to compare them to, they might seem great, but anyone who has eaten a lot of curds from a lot of different restaurants may tell a different story.

One of the major bugbears that we've run into is that Culver's curds are breaded, not battered. It seems that people who are serious about their cheese curds have a major preference for battered versions, noting that the breading makes them seem cheap and inferior. Don't be mad if you love the cheese curds at Culver's. It's okay to like what you like. But you might want to consider trying some other cheese curds for comparison. You might not be able to go back.

For a fast food joint, there's nothing especially fast about Culver's. Customers often complain about how slowly the food comes out, particularly at the drive-thru. There are reasons for this, but it doesn't change the fact that you'll often wait a lot longer than you would at somewhere like McDonald's or Burger King.

There are better and worse times to go to a drive-thru. For instance, if you go at prime dinner time or while everyone is on their lunch break, you can expect to wait a while, whereas between peak meal times, the wait is likely to be much shorter. Even so, your food is never going to come out within a couple of minutes at Culver's. This is because the fast-casual chain is known for its fresh food, made to order. While other fast food joints make popular items and keep them in warmers, Culver's only fires off food when you place your order. That's why the quality is often seen as superior; you're not being fed soggy food that's been sitting around for 20 minutes before you even place your order.

That said, some people complain that their food takes a long time to come out and then reaches them lukewarm. It's one thing to wait a long time for food and receive it hot and fresh, but it's another thing to wait around for soggy or stale items.

As a Midwestern chain, you might expect Culver's to have decent ranch dressing. However, it's actually one of the things that customers don't like about Culver's. No matter how much folks like its other food, the ranch is just disappointing.

When we ranked chain restaurant ranch from worst to best, Culver's didn't take the last spot. However, it only made it to 14 out of 16, which doesn't say much for its quality. We determined that it tasted like something you could pick up at a supermarket and was packed with additives, so it's not a great choice overall. There's nothing hugely offensive about it, but it doesn't bring much to the table. A good ranch should be tangy and creamy, with loads of herbs and tons of flavor, but the stuff from Culver's is mid. Nothing more, nothing less. We get that it's not the biggest of complaints, but ranch can make or break a meal, and this version is more likely to break it.

If you're a huge ranch fan, we'd honestly recommend bringing your own or ordering drive-thru and taking it home, so you can use whatever you have in your fridge. But if you like ranch well enough but would be happy with a different sauce or dressing, we'd recommend picking basically anything else.

Culver's has been expanding beyond its Wisconsin roots for years now, with locations popping up in states across the nation. But according to plenty of customers, the Culver's you get in, say, Texas or Arizona, isn't always the same as one you'd find in the Midwest. One of the things customers don't enjoy is that the quality can be questionable once you stray outside America's heartland.

If you're wondering what it was like to eat at the first Culver's, warm, family-friendly service was at the heart of things, while popular menu items like ButterBurgers and its frozen custard were on the menu. Still, not everything is the same today, especially the further you go from where the chain originated. The general consensus seems to be that the further you stray from the core Midwest, the more hit-or-miss the experience becomes. Some complain that the food isn't as good outside the region, whereas others say the food can be just as good, but the culture and hospitality aren't there.

It's worth noting that Culver's runs on a franchise model, which means quality can hinge on who's running the location and how closely they stick to the playbook. So if your first Culver's experience happens to be at a brand-new spot outside the Midwest and it underwhelms you, that's not necessarily a fair verdict on the chain as a whole. For the true Culver's experience, head to the Midwest and see what all the fuss is about.

If somebody tells you they go to Culver's specifically for the fries, you'd be within your rights to give them the ol' side-eye. This isn't a place known for good fries, and that's something customers can't stand. In fact, the fries are among the Culver's menu items you could skip on your next visit – and for good reason.

Many customers say that, while the burgers are good, the fries are just plain bad. People complain that they're pale and undercooked, and they taste as if they come frozen. While many fast food fries are frozen, you don't want them to taste like they're freezer-burned. Some customers say that on occasion, they go to Culver's for burgers and elsewhere for fries. One person remarked that, if Culver's only had fries similar to those sold at Five Guys, it would be the perfect fast food joint.

There is a way around this, though. Some people say that if you ask for the fries extra crispy or well done, there's a significant difference. It's worth a try if you're really craving French fries, but there is also a range of other sides at the restaurant that you might enjoy more.

Culver's is a fast food joint, so nobody is expecting the food to be particularly health-forward. But, even bearing this in mind, a common customer complaint is that the food is too greasy. Anyone heading there is going to expect the usual degree of indulgence that you want from fast food. However, that doesn't mean the food should be greasy.

"My burger was a bag of grease," wrote one customer on Tripadvisor, which is not the kind of review that's going to encourage you to head to Culver's. Some people love the burgers, but others find them overly greasy, even beyond what's normal for this type of food. Others have complained about a greasy smell, while the cod dinner also receives relatively frequent grease-related complaints. There certainly is a fine line between rich, comfort food goodness and pure grease, and unfortunately, this chain restaurant sometimes crosses it.

Of course, there are some items on the menu that you may naturally expect to be on the fattier side. The chain is known for its ButterBurgers, which aren't going to give anyone the impression that they're light and wholesome. That said, the butter in Culver's ButterBurgers isn't where most people expect. It's not the burger that is buttered, but the bun. This shouldn't add a significant greasiness, but it could still tip things over the edge for anyone who prefers plainer food. Culver's offers lighter options on the menu for those who worry about greasy food, so there should be something to suit most tastes.

Some customer complaints are the same at every Culver's, but others seem to depend on the location or just a bad experience. There are some reports of occasional underseasoned food, which is enough to put some folks off altogether. After all, if you're not sure on any given day whether you're going to have a delicious meal or something bland and tasteless, you might not want to spin that wheel.

For some diners, the food at Culver's is just fine. They've heard the hype, gone hoping for something amazing, and left feeling that the food was somewhat underseasoned and bland, noting that it wasn't terrible but was just okay. With these customers, it can be hard to tell if the branch made a mistake or the food just isn't to their preference.

There are also people who specify that they've had burgers more than once, where the patties just weren't seasoned. This is less a general problem with the chain as a whole, but more a case of the cooks making mistakes and forgetting to season. This may be a problem with particular locations, where the chefs might be stingy with seasoning, or it can just be an occasional error that leaves affected customers disappointed. Either way, we'd expect more consistent seasoning from a chain like Culver's, so it's easy to see why this makes some folks not want to go back.

Some people complain about the price of food at Culver's in general. It's their right to do so, but restaurants have to make a profit amid rising ingredient and energy costs. The more legitimate complaint is that the quality of the food doesn't always justify the price.

One thing people dislike about Culver's is that they don't think the food is good enough to warrant the price. They may see it as basic fast food fare with a restaurant price tag, the kind of food that could be picked up much cheaper elsewhere. This means that the cost itself isn't really the problem, but rather the lack of value for money.

But, of course, this is just one of the multiple opinions people have about the food. Others agree it's pricier than they'd like, but think the food is good enough in comparison to other fast food joints to justify it. Some also recommend the kids' meals, which offer good value for their portion sizes. There are clearly enough people who keep coming back to keep the chain going, so it can't be all bad. Ultimately, it's all down to your own preference. Either you think Culver's food is worth it or you don't.

When you go to a fast food chain, you normally know what to expect. Large fries at McDonald's are always the same size, and you know how full your McFlurry container is going to be. But Culver's customers note inconsistency in serving sizes, which can leave them frustrated, not knowing exactly how much they can expect on their plate.

Some diners believe that serving sizes have changed or are getting smaller, but Culver's employees claim otherwise. If you've noticed your portions getting smaller, this is potentially due to the staff. And it's not necessarily that they've started skimping on the portions. In fact, it's possible that, in certain locations, employees used to be generous with the servings, but management has cracked down and told them to stick precisely to Culver's guidelines.

So, when you notice a bit less in your cup of custard or fewer fries in your bag, you may have been given extra in the past and have found those days are over. On the other hand, if you occasionally get more than you bargained for, it could be a new member of staff or someone who just likes to give generous portions. Whatever the reason, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.