One Of Culver's Most Underrated Items Isn't A ButterBurger Or Dessert

Culver's is well known for its ButterBurger and frozen custard, the Midwestern fast food chain's original menu items. But there are tons of other menu items, many of them underrated, that are worth trying. Enter Culver's pretzel bites, the salty, doughy balls that are more bar food than fast food and are paired with an addictive Wisconsin cheddar cheese sauce. This menu side is often overlooked, especially in favor of the famous cheese curds or a classic burger side like french fries. But there are tons of diehard fans that recommend them fervently, especially for Culver's first timers.

When the pretzel bites were first introduced as a limited-time menu item in 2018, fans went gaga over them. Culver's took notice, even dedicating an entire page on its website to guests' comments on social media. That led to the pretzel bites becoming a permanent fixture to the menu in 2021 to the relief of many fans. Although they're not a typical fast food side, customers have called them life-changing, and once you try them, it's easy to see why. They're served warm, slightly crispy and salty on the outside with a soft pretzel interior. Dipping them in cheese sauce is a heavenly experience as it's made with real cheese, unlike most fast food nacho-style cheese sauces.

Aside from the cheese sauce, though, Redditors reported you can turn them into sweet treats, too, by asking for peanut butter, hot fudge, or caramel as a dipping sauce. However you eat them, just eat them. They're worth every penny.

Although Culver's pretzel bites are a delicious treat, less is more (but try telling that to your stomach). The bites come in medium, large, or family size, with calorie counts of 440, 880, and 1,320 respectively. That's a hefty contribution to your daily intake, especially considering the medium only comes with 10 pieces. But it is fast food, after all.

You can also get pretzel bites from the grocery store if you don't feel like going to Culver's or don't have one near you. The same brand that makes Culver's pretzel bites — Miller Baking Company — also makes them under its Pretzilla brand. We're unsure about the cheese sauce's origin (which contains Wisconsin sharp cheddar), although the restaurant uses La Grander Hillside Dairy for its cheese curds. If you want to try your hand at making a similar cheese sauce, Wisconsin Cheese has some tips.

If you decide to take the plunge and try the underrated pretzel bites, you can obviously eat them on their own. But Culver's does state, "They also pair well with literally anything on our menu." On Reddit, some people mentioned eating them with Buffalo tenders and ButterBurgers, two popular menu items, but others are more interested in just the sauce. One Redditor wanted to buy bags of the cheese sauce so he could put it on all his food at home. Now that's a true menu item obsession.