Valentine’s Day dinner at White Citadel with candles, attentive wait employees and white tablecloths was a treasured expertise for Krystal Grey and her mom, Cornelia Murphy.
This 12 months, Grey will convey alongside a photograph of her mom, who died final spring at age 80, and place it on the desk she has nonetheless reserved at one of many fast-food chain eating places within the Detroit suburb of Ferndale.
“It wouldn’t be the identical with out her,” Grey mentioned. “I wished one thing to make me really feel higher about her not bodily with the ability to come.”
For 35 years, White Citadel has invited lovers, family members and the soon-to-be in like to have an intimate meal at its eating places. This 12 months the 325 White Castles with a eating room within the U.S. are participating within the promotion, in accordance with Jamie Richardson, chief advertising and marketing officer of the Columbus, Ohio-based restaurant chain.
“That in the future White Citadel turns into love fort,” Richardson mentioned. “It’s one thing our prospects stay up for. Many are repeat guests on Valentine’s Day.”
“Quirky” promotion finds followers
The promotion began in 1991 and was solely provided at White Castles in St. Louis and Minneapolis. Richardson mentioned the aim was to supply “one thing type of enjoyable and quirky and see if anybody needs to come back out have a flowery Valentine’s Day dinner at White Citadel.”
Every collaborating eatery is given a finances for decorations which might embrace purple balloons, garland and flowers. Reservations are required and opened in early January. About 32,000 folks celebrated Valentine’s Day dinner at a White Citadel in 2025. Richardson says they’re on the right track for greater than 35,000 this 12 months.
“Some folks present up in limousines,” he mentioned. “We’ll have folks costume prefer it’s their marriage ceremony. We had over 200 White Citadel weddings through the years.”
Sliders and memorable moments
There’s simply one thing concerning the skinny slice of steam-grilled beef, slathered in mustard and ketchup with diced onions, cheese and a pickle slice on a dinner roll that many can’t resist. Crinkle-cut French fries and a gentle drink sometimes fill out orders. The onion chips and hen rings are also in style.
“It’s all of the ambiance, all of the love and all the nice reminiscences for a fraction of the value,” Richardson mentioned. “For a pair, if they’re actually splurging, it’s proper round $20, or $25 if you happen to’re getting dessert on a stick.”
Ann Tubbs, district supervisor of 9 “Castles” within the Detroit and mid-Michigan areas, mentioned prospects inform her that the reasonably priced price helps however folks preserve coming due to the custom and reminiscences.
“I’ve had a pair who introduced their being pregnant,” Tubbs mentioned. “We’ve had folks are available with their kids simply to make these moments, and others who’ve gotten engaged.”
Amy Richardson, 41, of Lincoln Park close to Detroit, makes positive that she, her three kids and her vital different additionally costume the half, sporting one thing pink or purple and at occasions matching one another.
She mentioned she has spent Valentine’s Day at a White Citadel yearly since 2012.
“I had simply gotten into a brand new relationship and I had a 3-year-old daughter,” she mentioned of the primary time. “We wished to make it someplace kid-friendly. All three of us packed up and went out on our date.”
The couple has since added two youthful kids and spend about $30 on their Valentine’s Day meals for a household of 5.
“We normally get the sliders and the hen rings and the mozzarella cheese sticks,” Amy Richardson added. “It’s extra of a nostalgia factor. It could be fancied up, however it’s not a flowery restaurant the place folks frown on you bringing a younger little one or kids.”
Waffle Home, one other nationwide restaurant chain, additionally will mark its 18th 12 months of providing a particular themed dinner on Valentine’s Day. This was the primary 12 months on-line reservations have been taken and most of the 218 Waffle Home places participating have been booked by the top of final week, in accordance with spokesperson Kelly Bruner.
Carrying on a household custom
Grey has made Valentine’s Day at White Citadel kind of a practice, having executed it about 10 occasions. Grey will likely be amongst 14 followers inducted in Could into the White Citadel “Craver’s Corridor of Fame.” They have been chosen after submitting their White Citadel tales.
This 12 months, she additionally will share the day along with her two younger daughters as a tribute to her mom’s reminiscence.
“I similar to the simplicity of all of it — sit there and spend time with one another,” she mentioned. “Generally, we will do an excessive amount of and it goes overboard to the purpose the place you may’t actually get pleasure from it — spending a lot cash.”
