White Castle Seeks Help From the Craver Nation to Find Missing Spatula Shovels and Town Crier Regalia

Items were to be used in groundbreaking ceremony for new Castle in Tempe, Arizona

COLUMBUS, Ohio , Nov. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hear ye, hear ye. White Castle broke ground Tuesday for its second Castle in Arizona, but a few important items were missing from the ceremony.

The seven giant spatulas that serve as shovels and the regalia for White Castle's beloved town crier never made it from White Castle's home office to their intended destination in Tempe. So, White Castle officials improvised. They used one spatula shovel from the family-owned business's historical collection and regular shovels to dig up dirt, and the town crier wore a hastily created replacement outfit crafted by the tailor in his village. 

White Castle isn't sure what happened to the shovels and garb, which are normally kept under lock and key. When White Castle leadership and family members arrived in Arizona, the items were nowhere to be found. So, White Castle is now seeking help from the Craver Nation to find these precious items in time for future groundbreakings and other public ceremonies.

"These sacred relics mean a great deal to the entire White Castle family, and we'd really like to get them back," said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle. "We don't have any theories for their disappearance, although it is interesting that one of our major competitors had a mascot who was known for stealing hamburgers. Just saying." 

"Rest assured, we are heightening security on other proprietary items — like our bun recipe and our 100% beef-to-onion ratio recipe," he added.

The spatula shovels are about 5 feet tall with wooden handles and a metal flipper sporting the White Castle logo. The town crier regalia includes a size L royal blue jacket and knickers as well as a tricorn hat.

White Castle is known for its unique rituals to celebrate important events and milestones. The spatula shovels and town crier make regular appearances at groundbreakings, including for the Scottsdale and Orlando restaurants and the expanded retail manufacturing plant in Vandalia, Ohio. Other rituals include a triumphal procession with a custom-made scepter and the pouring of steamed onions on the ground at the site of development.

Anyone who has information should contact Jamie Richardson by phone at 614-559-2687 or by e-mail at [email protected].

White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty Sliders since 1921. Based in Columbus, Ohio, the family-owned business owns and operates more than 350 restaurants as well as a retail division providing its famous fare in freezer aisles of retail stores nationwide. As part of its commitment to offering the highest quality products, White Castle owns and operates its own Slider Provider meat plants, bakeries and frozen-Slider retail plants. White Castle has earned numerous accolades over the years including Time magazine's "Most Influential Burger of All Time" (2014, The Original Slider®) and Thrillist's "Best Plant-Based Fast-Food Burger" (2019, Impossible^™ Slider). In 2021, Fast Company named the fast-food pioneer one of the "10 Most Innovative Dining Companies." White Castle, which earned the Great Place to Work^® Certification™ in 2021 and 2022, is known for the legendary engagement of its team members, more than 1 in 4 of whom have worked for the business for at least 10 years. White Castle is beloved by its passionate fans ("Cravers"), many of whom compete each year for entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame. The official White Castle app makes it easy for Cravers to sign up for the Craver Nation^® loyalty program, access sweet deals and place pickup orders at any time. They can also have their orders delivered using one of White Castle's delivery partners. For more information on White Castle, visit whitecastle.com. 

SOURCE White Castle