White Castle's 35-Year Valentine's Tradition: Fast Food Transformed for Love
For three and a half decades, White Castle has invited lovers, family members, and those seeking romance to enjoy an intimate meal at its restaurants every Valentine's Day. This year marks the 35th anniversary of this unique promotion, with 325 White Castle locations across the United States participating in the transformation from fast-food outlet to "love castle."
A Treasured Family Tradition
Krystal Gray and her mother, Cornelia Murphy, cherished their Valentine's Day dinners at White Castle, complete with candles, attentive wait staff, and white tablecloths. Following her mother's passing last spring at age 80, Gray will bring a photograph of her mother to place on the table she has reserved at a White Castle in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb.
"It wouldn't be the same without her," Gray explained. "I wanted something to make me feel better about her not physically being able to come."
From Quirky Experiment to National Phenomenon
The promotion began modestly in 1991, initially offered only at White Castle locations in St. Louis and Minneapolis. Jamie Richardson, chief marketing officer of the Columbus, Ohio-based restaurant chain, described the original goal as offering "something kind of fun and quirky and see if anyone wants to come out have a fancy Valentine's Day dinner at White Castle."
Today, the event has grown into a nationwide tradition that Richardson says customers eagerly anticipate. "That one day White Castle becomes love castle," he noted. "It's something our customers look forward to. Many are repeat visitors on Valentine's Day."
Creating Memorable Moments
Each participating restaurant receives a budget for decorations including red balloons, garland, and flowers. Reservations, which open in early January, are required for the special dinners. Approximately 32,000 people celebrated Valentine's Day at White Castle in 2025, with projections exceeding 35,000 for this year.
The experience goes far beyond ordinary fast food dining. Richardson reported that some guests arrive in limousines, while others dress as if attending their wedding. Over the years, White Castle has hosted more than 200 weddings at its locations.
Affordable Ambiance and Family-Friendly Atmosphere
The menu features White Castle's signature sliders—thin slices of steam-grilled beef with mustard, ketchup, diced onions, cheese, and pickles on dinner rolls—alongside crinkle-cut French fries, soft drinks, onion chips, and chicken rings.
"It's all the ambiance, all the love and all the great memories for a fraction of the price," Richardson emphasized. "For a couple, if they are really splurging, it's right around $20, or $25 if you're getting dessert on a stick."
Ann Tubbs, district supervisor for nine White Castle locations in Detroit and mid-Michigan, confirmed that while the affordable pricing helps, customers return primarily for the tradition and memories created. "I've had a couple who announced their pregnancy," Tubbs shared. "We've had people come in with their children just to make those moments, and others who have gotten engaged."
Generational Traditions and New Beginnings
Amy Richardson, 41, of Lincoln Park near Detroit, has celebrated Valentine's Day at White Castle every year since 2012. She ensures her three children and significant other dress in pink or red, sometimes coordinating their outfits.
"I had just gotten into a new relationship and I had a 3-year-old daughter," she recalled of their first visit. "We wanted to make it somewhere kid-friendly. All three of us packed up and went out on our date."
The family, now expanded to five members, spends approximately $30 on their Valentine's Day meal. "We usually get the sliders and the chicken rings and the mozzarella cheese sticks," Amy Richardson added. "It's more of a nostalgia thing. It may be fancied up, but it's not a fancy restaurant where people frown on you bringing a young child or children."
National Recognition and Continuing Legacy
Gray, who has participated in the White Castle Valentine's tradition about ten times, will be among 14 fans inducted into the White Castle "Craver's Hall of Fame" in May. This year, she will share the experience with her two young daughters as a tribute to her mother's memory.
"I just like the simplicity of it all—sit there and spend time with each other," Gray reflected. "Sometimes, we can do too much and it goes overboard to the point where you can't really enjoy it—spending so much money."
Meanwhile, Waffle House, another national restaurant chain, will mark its 18th year offering special Valentine's Day dinners. This year marked the first time online reservations were accepted, with many of the 218 participating locations booked by the end of last week according to spokesperson Kelly Bruner.
