May is National Hamburger Month in the United States, a 31-day celebration of the beef patty on a bun that’s been one of America’s most popular foods since White Castle introduced the Original Slider 100 years ago.
In honor of the occasion, and in observance of its 100th birthday this year, the Columbus, Ohio-headquartered company will launch a Time Machine Sweepstakes on May 1. The contest allows restaurant and retail customers to explore White Castle’s past, present and future while giving them the chance to win thousands of prizes, including a grand prize of $100,000 in cash. No purchase is necessary to enter the sweepstakes, which ends on July 11. Further details on participation are available at https://whitecastletimemachine.com.
“White Castle is the official sponsor of National Hamburger Month, having created the event in 1991 to pay homage to the Original Slider we created and the industry we pioneered,” said Lisa Ingram, president and chief executive officer of the nation’s first fast food hamburger chain. “So it’s always a special occasion for us, but especially this year as we celebrate our 100th birthday. We look forward to having some fun this month with our customers.”
Centurians Party On!
White Castle isn’t the only centenarian celebrating this year. About 90,000 people in the USA will reach the big 1-0-0 milestone in 2021, but two in particular stand out because of their long-lasting devotion to the restaurant chain. So White Castle is giving them the royal treatment, including an award, a personal note from CEO Ingram, and a complimentary White Castle meal for themselves and a few guests.
Joseph Girolamo turned 100 on March 9. The Livonia, Michigan, resident and World War II veteran has lived in the metro-Detroit area his whole life and has been a White Castle fan since his childhood. His large Italian-American family — he’s the oldest of seven kids — indulged on White Castle Sliders when opportunity presented itself. As he and his siblings got older, they shared their fondness of White Castle with their own kids, often bringing Sliders to large family gatherings. In 1973, Girolamo took two boxes of frozen Sliders on a flight to California to surprise his brother for his 50th birthday.
Ann Lynch will turn 100 on July 27. A resident of the Chicago area her whole life, she loved White Castle growing up and instilled her passion for Sliders among her seven children. The self-professed “White Castle Queen” loves to associate with the brand and still craves Sliders whenever she can get them. The Original Slider and Cheese Slider remain her favorites.
White Castle owns and operates more than 360 restaurants throughout the USA. It also offers a retail packs of frozen Sliders sold at supermarkets and other grocery stores, produced at its own frozen food processing plant.
