It’s a different kind of burger joint. With more variety on its menu than McDonald’s and Burger King, Culver’s has left its distinct mark in the fast food world. Previously, it used to be an elusive burger joint, too. Having originated in Wisconsin, most people would only run into Culver’s when driving through that state.

Once Culver’s came to Illinois, the only nearby ones weren’t exactly in our backyard — they were located in suburbs like Rosemont, Mt. Prospect, and Franklin Park. With these locations, frequent trips would not be possible. However, on Wed., Nov. 23, that changed with the opening of a new Culver’s in Morton Grove.

Let me just say that I absolutely love Culver’s. It has much more variety than other fast food places. For instance, if I don’t want a burger, I can easily pick something else from the menu. However, my trips to Culver’s used to be limited. I would go to the ones in Rosemont or Mt. Prospect, but only if I had any business in the area. Now, however, I can have a fresh ButterBurger, and it’s only five minutes away from my house.

I was lucky enough to attend the grand opening of Culver’s, and it was a complete madhouse. There were lines snaking out the door and around the building, and the drive-thru was double-parked. Now, almost three weeks later, it’s still crowded. The drive-thru isn’t double-parked anymore, but is still busy; and while the lines are no longer out the door, there’s still enough people there who want to get their Culver’s fix.

I’ve gone to Culver’s two times since its initial opening. The first time, I had a Sourdough Melt ($2.99 for a single patty). It’s a hamburger patty, grilled onions, and cheddar cheese housed between two slices of sourdough bread. (For those of you who don’t like cheddar, you can get the Wisconsin Swiss Melt instead, which is also $2.99 for a single patty. It’s the same as the Sourdough Melt, but with Swiss cheese and rye bread instead of cheddar cheese and sourdough bread.) It’s one of my favorite items on the menu, but the thing is the onions and cheese can make the sandwich feel kind of heavy. It’s definitely not something for a small appetite.

The next time, I had the Mushroom & Swiss ButterBurger ($4.59, since it was a SnackPak). I’ve had the original ButterBurger before, which is the trademark burger of Culver’s. However, I’d been wanting to try this specific kind of ButterBurger for a while. The mushrooms were not at all rubbery, and though the Swiss could be a bit much at times, it was still good. I ordered this as a SnackPak, which is pretty much a value meal — seven choices are available (from burgers to chicken tenders), and it’s served with small fries and a small drink. It’s a good choice for those who want more than just a sandwich, but aren’t hungry enough to order large sizes.

The main draw of Culver’s, however, is the frozen custard (under $3 for a single scoop). The choices each day are vanilla, chocolate, or flavor of the day. The second time I went, I tried the flavor of the day, which was Bonfire S’mores. It was chocolate custard with marshmallow cream, graham crackers, and chocolate shavings. It was amazing, since the richness of the marshmallow cream played off the chocolate custard very well. The graham cracker and chocolate shavings helped to make the whole thing actually taste like S’mores.

What’s great is that custard can be bought to go in pint or quart size. Vanilla, chocolate, and past flavors of the day can be bought and so can the Oreo custard sandwiches. What’s also great is that with kids’ meals, there are coupons on the side of each bag. One is for a free scoop of vanilla or chocolate custard, and the other coupon can be saved in order to redeem Culver’s-related merchandise.

Note, though, that every night the Morton Grove Culver’s closes at 10 PM, even on Fridays and Saturdays. (The ones in Rosemont and Mt. Prospect also close at that same time.) This past Friday, I had passed Culver’s around 10 PM, and had decided to buy some custard. The lights outside were still on, as was the electric Culver’s sign. However, I ended up waiting in the drive thru for a few minutes until an employee came out to tell me that they were closed. Some other cars had been in the drive thru, too, because they had also thought that Culver’s was still open. I respect that they choose to close a bit earlier than other places on the weekend, but next time I hope that they at least turn the Culver’s sign off, so that way drivers know that they’re closed.

Even though the lines are still long, it’s completely worth it. It’ll probably take a while for things to settle down a little bit, because the excitement of the location being “new” is understandably still there. Is the wait worth it, though? Definitely. If you’re wanting some fast food, but are sick of the other places, then Culver’s is a great place to try.

The new Culver’s is located at 7310 W. Dempster Street in Morton Grove.

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment:

• Have you had a chance to check out Culver’s yet?
• What have you ordered so far?  What was your favorite?
• How does Culver’s compare to the other fast food chains in the area?

Comment as much as you would like, but you will only get an entry for your first.

This giveaway is open to STUDENTS ONLY (sorry teachers! NWN staff is not allowed to enter either!)

One winner will be selected via random.org. The winners will be contacted via email and will be announced on Morning Announcements.

This contest ends Friday, Jan. 13 at 8 AM, so act quick!