Valentine's Day, and love is in the air — or is that mustard?
Romance is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. While candy and flowers, jewelry and lingerie, champagne and fine dining are standard issue Valentine's Day favorites, for some couples there is no more personal, intimate gesture than a double cheeseburger and a sack of fries.
Hundreds of couples will have the opportunity to steam things up with a romantic dinner at their nearest White Castle. From 5 to 8 p.m. Valentine's Day, Detroit-area White Castle restaurants will offer candlelit dining and tableside service. Seating is by reservation, and while it may sound campy to some, those reservations are filling up quickly.
"This is the second year we have offered reserved seating for Valentine's Day dinners," said Bob Harrison, regional director of restaurant operations in Detroit for White Castle. "It was a huge hit last year."
The Valentine's Day event is something the company has been experimenting with and expanding for over 10 years, Harrison said. Last year, 11 Detroit-area White Castles participated, and demand was so high that people had to be turned away.
"We really hated to do that," Harrison said.
That's what prompted the company to expand the event this year to 37 area White Castles, including locations in Melvindale, Taylor, Lincoln Park, Woodhaven, Southgate and Dearborn.
Dining room guests will be shown to tables adorned with tablecloths, candles, flowers and other decorations. They will be waited on at their tables, ordering off specially printed menus they can take home as keepsakes.
Harrison said at many of the restaurants, staff members who will be acting as wait staff will trade in their usual uniforms for the evening for more elegant attire.
Despite the change in atmosphere, Harrison said, the food will be the same White Castle fare customers have known and loved for years. While there is a certain self-conscious silliness to the concept, there also is a genuine element of romance to it. After all, White Castle has been a part of the Detroit area since 1929, and, for many, the path to true romance has included a stop or two at a White Castle.
"It seems that so many of our loyal customers either met in a White Castle or have a fond childhood memory that continues to bring them back into the restaurants time and time again." Harrison said.
Last year, he and his wife went to one of the participating restaurants, and heard so many couples reminiscing. Valentine's dinner at White Castle was a heartfelt trip down memory lane. In one particular case that stood out, he said, he and his wife watched as a Cadillac pulled up and two couples got out. It seems the husbands cooked up the idea to surprise their wives by bringing them back to where it all began. The way the women were beaming when they came in, he said, it looked like the sentimental gesture was a winner.
For those who would like to re-create their own memories or make some new ones, White Castle Valentine's Day dinner reservations can be made by calling 1-248-477-1450, ext. 10, between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekdays.
For those planning a more private Valentine's Day, White Castle is offering the "Cupid's Crave Kit," a handy dinner-to-go package priced at $20 that includes eight cheeseburgers, one sack of fries, two regular soft drinks, a custom candy tin and magnet photo frame, a customizable greeting card and a special Valentine's Day coupon book.
The kits are not available at all locations and must be ordered in advance. They can be ordered by calling the same number.
GO
Generalinfo
