The bombing has begun

Don't tell a White Castle junkie that it's just another burger joint

Suddenly, it's hip to be square.

Last Tuesday, Cape Girardeau joined the offbeat world of White Castle, meaning the fast-food chain's almost cult-like following can now get their fix of those tiny two-and-a-half-inch-square, onion-topped belly bombers.

"They're awesome," said 17-year-old Jackie Conklin of Cape Girardeau as he held up his third cheeseburger. "I crave the White Castle. We've been waiting for these for a long time."

Conklin was among a crowd of customers who showed up before the White Castle opened at 4:40 p.m. Tuesday. Conklin came with several of his friends from Central High School, some who even had written "White Castle" on their white T-shirts in black magic marker.

Before the doors opened, 15 cars idled impatiently in the drive-through and a crowd waited outside, peering in through the glass. When the doors finally did swing open, the restaurant quickly was packed with customers with fists full of cash. In fact, managers say the Cape Girardeau restaurant set a store record for a first full day -- $18,000.

For some, it may seem like a lot of fuss over a simple cheeseburger. But don't tell a White Castle junkie that it's just another burger joint. For them -- many who have been clamoring for a White Castle to come here for years -- eating a White Castle burger is a near-religious experience.

"They're just so good," said Brent Seyer, 17, who was piling up his empty belly bomber boxes with friends. "I haven't had them in two years. It's just a nice change from other burgers. Nothing tastes like a White Castle."

White Castle bills itself as "America's first hamburger chain." The privately held chain -- there are no franchises -- has been selling burgers since the 1920s, about 30 years before McDonald's began to spread its golden arches to almost every street corner in the country.

Brad Arnold, area supervisor for White Castle, was on hand for the Cape Girardeau opening. Arnold said this is White Castle's 396th location in the country. There are 35 White Castles in St. Louis, and Cape Girardeau is the smallest market in the state to have one.

He attributes the popularity of the burger, which is steam grilled and cooked on a bed of onions, to its taste.

"It's a unique flavor that you just can't get anywhere else," he said.

Arnold also acknowledged that communities do get excited when a White Castle comes. People "affectionately" call the burgers belly bombers or sliders, he said.

And people will come from all over the region to get one.

'I called everybody'

Amy Imparato showed up Tuesday from Cairo, Ill. She said she often would drive to St. Louis to get White Castle burgers.

Before White Castle opened, Imparato wrote letters to the company and even phoned to see if the area could get one here.

"Oh, honey, I called everybody in the vicinity," she said, as she and her three children made a dent in a "crave case," which is a box of 30 burgers. "They're just the perfect little cheeseburgers. Who doesn't love them?"

For one, her husband.

"I don't like them at all," said Michael Imparato. "I like their cheesy onion rings better. But those cheeseburgers hurt my stomach."

"That's why they call them belly bombers," replied his wife.

There are others, too, who aren't so impressed that White Castle is here. Shannon Davis is the owner of McDonald's in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Sikeston, Marble Hill, Advance, Minor, Dexter and Malden. He also owns the McDonald's that is across the street from White Castle on Route K.

Davis even jokes that the White Castle should be called "Tan Castle." That's because, unlike most White Castles, the Cape Girardeau spot is in a modified tan building. Normally, White Castle builds all their all-white restaurants from the ground up.

"But I don't mind it being here," he said. "It's a free market. We encourage competition. We thrive on it to a degree."

They are, after all, McDonald's, which has 30,000 restaurants worldwide. The McDonald's near White Castle in Cape Girardeau survived while two other restaurants -- Hardee's and Lion's Choice -- came and went at White Castle's current location.

But Davis acknowledged that there is a fascination with White Castle.

"It's faddish," he said. "But I don't think people can eat there every day. Their menu is limited. Whatever happens, we're going to be here. We've been here since 1967, so I'm not too worried about it."

'Do most people stop at two?'

What some people may want to worry about is their new White Castle waistlines. Registered dietitian Lee Ann Lambert said that two White Castle cheeseburgers have 320 calories and 18 grams of fat.

"That's in just those two tiny cheeseburgers," she said. "But the question is: Do most people stop at two?"

McDonald's Big Mac, by the way, has 530 calories.

"Sometimes I don't think people realize how bad some of these fast-food places are for them," Lambert said. "And then there are others who just don't care."

Put Josh Middleton in that category.

"There are a lot of things that aren't good for you," said the 17-year old White Castle lover. "But these are White Castles. These burgers are just top-notch. That's all that matters."

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137