Charla and Ian Yearwood aren’t royals but they enjoy dining in castles. White Castle restaurants, that is.
Sure, your typical White Castle isn’t Buckingham Palace by any means. However, on the most romantic day of the year, many will brave treacherous weather in search of the famed mini-burger delicacy fans refer to simply as “sliders.” For their part, the burger chain is reciprocating the love with a special marketing plan.
“Love is in the air here at White Castle, as we celebrate this joyous holiday with a special dinner for our most dedicated cravers,” said Jamie Richardson, White Castle vice president.
“This is a wonderful event for customers who have shared memorable moments at our restaurants, including those that have met or had their first date at a White Castle.” The fast-food chain has been offering the celebratory dinner to diners for over two decades. New to the menu this year are shrimp nibblers and veggie sliders.
The brand has also announced weddings will be taking place at restaurants in Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Louisville, St. Louis and New York, as well as two locations in Ohio, Columbus and Cincinnati.
Charla initially learned about White Castle’s Valentine’s Day Dinner from a co-worker who had attended before. “I thought it was funny,” said Charla. Two years ago, during a snowstorm Charla and her then boyfriend, Ian, decided to give Valentine’s Day dinner a shot.
“We didn’t have anywhere else to go and White Castle was within walking distance so we went and had Valentine’s Day dinner there,” she said. “It’s almost comical. There are plastic tablecloths on the table, fake flowers in a vase, a dish of chocolate candy for dessert and a pretzel appetizer. There were families there having dinner as well as single mothers with their children having a sit-down dinner with napkins in their laps,” she said.
Charla also added that they loved their White Castle experience because of its “homemade” non-pretentious, genuinely special quality, a hallmark of their eclectic relationship.
“We originally met at the Living Room Lounge one Friday during karaoke,” she said. The pair sang a couple songs that night and continued to hang out after that evening. That is also where Ian proposed.
“We don’t try to follow the rules – we just try to do what we like and what makes sense for us,” said Charla of the couple’s unorthodox approach to romance. For Valentine’s Day this year the two plan to continue the White Castle tradition. “This year we plan on going to the location on 86th and Michigan as opposed to 16th street – it’s a part of our story now.”
Interesting Valentine’s Alternatives
For the Pizza Lover:
Papa Murphy’s is offering their signature HeartBaker pizza again this year. “Valentine’s Day is about celebrating your sweetheart and for our core customer- moms- Valentine’s Day also becomes a day to celebrate love with their whole family, in the heart of the house – the kitchen. We believe that taking one of our pizzas out of your oven and serving it to your family is truly Love at 425°,” said Ken Calwell, president and CEO of Papa Murphy’s.
For the Brokenhearted:
93.9 The Beat will host the inaugural Bitter Ball this weekend at the Vogue Theatre in Broad Ripple. Partygoers are encouraged to bring old photos, cards, and letters from their ex to be shredded on stage. The event starts at 10:00 p.m. and costs just $5.00 at the door.
Get Saucy:
Qdoba is offering free burritos on Valentine’s Day smothered in their new signature sauce for customers willing to share a smooch in exchange for food. “We’ve been serving up free burritos on Valentine’s Day for the past few years and are amped to celebrate the day with our fans by bringing back this annual offer,” said David Craven, Vice President of Brand Marketing. “Smothered for a Smooch is meant to be fun and a bit over-the-top, and both our guests and our team members have a lot of fun sharing the love at this event.”
