According to a recent online survey, a majority of adults in the U.S. crave fast food after late-night activities.
White Castle, America’s first fast-food hamburger chain, has long been known as the place where people go to satisfy their nocturnal cravings — a reputation it wants to bolster. So, the home of The Original Slider is renewing its efforts to strengthen its Night Castle brand as the premier fast-food restaurant for late-night food and fun and an oasis for people craving delicious food, great value and memorable moments late into the night.
The Data Is In
In April, White Castle conducted a survey through a third-party online survey platform and found that 83% of respondents like to eat fast-food following a night out. In a separate survey of Cravers conducted a month later, 80% of respondents said that White Castle is the best fast-food brand for making late-night memories and is worth going the extra mile to satisfy their late-night cravings.
“The survey results confirm that we’re making the right decision to strengthen White Castle’s standing as the go-to after-hours scene for great food,” said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle. “We want to be the place where people go at night to satisfy their late-night cravings.”
Investments in Night Castle
Toward this end, White Castles are staying open later. Nearly 70% of the restaurants are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Many of the remaining ones are open well past midnight on weekdays and 24/7 on the weekends. White Castle has ramped up its hiring to accommodate the longer hours.
White Castle also is offering more deals and specials valid during evening and early morning hours to encourage more late-night visits. For example, members of Craver Nation, White Castle’s customer loyalty program, can get a six-piece Chicken Rings between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. for just $2.
For those Cravers who prefer to end their night at home, White Castle’s in-app delivery option gives them the convenience of having their favorite menu items delivered to their door at the same low pricing available at their local Castle plus a flat $4.99 delivery fee.
Cravers with a late-night hankering for White Castle also can indulge in a variety of Sliders available in the freezer aisles of retail and grocery stores across the U.S. They’re easy to make at home and just as delicious as Sliders made in White Castle restaurants. If you have a microwave, you have a White Castle!
In addition, White Castle will continue touting itself as “Night Castle” in marketing initiatives involving late-night offers and activations. The family-owned company offers plenty of Night Castle merchandise at its House of Crave online store. And it’s gearing up for a partnership later this summer to help promote a major movie release using “Night Castle” as a tie-in.
A significant and growing percent of White Castle’s restaurant sales happen between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m., and a large portion of its delivery orders take place in the same time frame. White Castle is hoping a renewed emphasis on its late-night business will bolster those numbers even more.
“Our nighttime sales are strong, which confirms our customers crave White Castle at all times, but especially at night,” Richardson said. “We’re making investments to ensure we can meet the demand of our nocturnal Cravers, giving them the high-quality, tasty and affordable food they want and deserve, even late at night and into the wee hours of the morning.”
