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Some people think a slider is a slider. They can’t see or taste the difference between White Castle and Krystal Sliders.
There are slight differences between them, and consistency is another factor to consider. Let’s start by looking at the descriptions on their respective websites.
Krystal Description: The original flavor bomb that made Krystal famous is grilled to absolute perfection and topped with diced onions, mustard, and a slice of dill pickle—all On Krystal’s signature steamed bun.
White Castle Description: The Original Slider®, made with 100% beef, steam grilled on a bed of onions, and served with a slice of pickle on our signature bun.
For this versus challenge, I will exclude the White Castle 1921 Slider since it is fresh beef and an altogether different animal than these fellas.
Who came first, Krystal or White Castle?
Krystal History
Krystal was founded on October 24, 1932, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
My post about my visit to Krystal Headquarters includes the entire history.
White Castle History
White Castle was founded on September 13, 1921, in Wichita, Kansas.
White Castle architecture, aesthetics, food, and catchphrases inspired many restaurants. The best known were Kewpee Hotel Hamburgs (Flint, Michigan), The Krystal (Chattanooga, Tennessee), Little Tavern (Louisville, Kentucky), Maid-Rite (Muscatine, Iowa), Royal Castle (Miami, Florida), and White Tower (Milwaukee, Wisconsin).
White Castle’s entire history can be found in the post about the White Castle 1921 Slider.
Krystal vs White Castle: Which Tastes Better?
In some ways, the battle of Krystal vs. White Castle is similar to the battles of enemy sports teams. White Castle is predominantly located in northern states, while Krystal has stuck to the South.
Both are cooked in the same manner. A bed of rehydrated minced onions covers the flat-top grill. Then, frozen square patties are placed on the onions, followed by the buns.
Everything is cooked via steaming, which is why the slider patties never achieve any sear.
Krystal Slider Taste
The Original Krystal slider comes standard with pickle, minced onions, and yellow mustard. Cheese, bacon, mayo, and ketchup are possible add-ons.
When assembled, all of the toppings sit on the slider patty. While I’ve eaten them a few times without cheese, they are better with it.
The pickle, onion, and mustard are triggers for real burger fans. Many, myself included, consider them to be the ideal topping combination.
White Castle Slider Taste
The Original Slider® by White Castle comes standard with pickles and minced onions. I’ve heard but have not confirmed that, depending on which state you’re located in, it might also include ketchup (East Coast), mustard, or both. American cheese, cheddar cheese, jalapeño cheese, bacon, ketchup, mustard, and mayo are possible add-ons.
All the toppings happily sit on the square patty, which weighs just shy of an ounce. The patty has five holes, which help with the cooking process.
I prefer the jalapeño cheese, but good ol’ American cheese will do for this comparison.
I Choose…
I tried Krystal and White Castle sliders with American cheese, pickles, mustard, and onions.
After eating two sliders from each Bowling Green and Nashville location, I have to give White Castle the edge. But, when the sliders are correctly executed, they are almost identical.
If there were a tie, I still would have chosen White Castle. Why? Well, they were the original, which has to count for something!
Which Cities have both Krystal and White Castle?
There are four cities in the United States where you can try your own Krystal vs. White Castle challenge. You don’t have to google it cause I’ve listed them below.
- Bowling Green, Kentucky: Krystal (1) and White Castle (1)
- London, Kentucky: Krystal (1) and White Castle (1)
- Nashville, Tennessee: Krystal (4) and White Castle (2)
- Orlando, Florida: Krystal (2) and White Castle (2)
Krystal and White Castle in Grocery Stores?
There was a time when both Krystal and White Castle sliders were available in grocery stores nationwide. It’s been about two decades since then.
White Castle is the undisputed champion when it comes to burgers in supermarkets. They’ve been doing longer than anyone else, and if you follow the instructions on the box, you will have a delicious Original Slider® by White Castle.
- White Castle The Original Sliders (16 Count)
- White Castle Classic Cheese Sliders (16 Count)
- White Castle The Original Sliders (6 Count)
- White Castle Classic Cheese Sliders (6 Count)
- White Castle Jalapeño Cheese Sliders (6 Count)
(Please note this article contains affiliate links. Your purchase will support Burger Beast by providing me with a small commission, but it will not affect your pricing or user experience.)
Well written, on point, informative, not overly verbose, objective, all in all, you did a fine job. I’m from the Deep South, but have traveled some in the mid-west. I’ve had both. For my taste, Krystal edges out White Castle, but I grew up on Krystal, and actually remember when they were 15 cents. Just had some today, in fact. I did not know that there are a few places with both, that is very interesting. Comparing sales at each in the towns that have both would be very interesting. So, good job.