Whether it’s food or something else, we all have cravings in life. When it comes to White Castle, no other place might create that feeling more than the City of Whiting.
Whiting became the first city to be inducted into the Craver’s Hall of Fame during the 2023 induction ceremony. Most of the inductees consisted of loyal fans who have cherished all that the restaurant has to offer for several years.
To celebrate the occasion, the White Castle in Whiting hosted a Community Day event on Tuesday, March 12. The party ran from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“At the end of January, our special events director traveled to Ohio and accepted this award on behalf of the city,” Whiting Mayor Steven Spebar said. “I’m very proud of this event and the honor White Castle has bestowed on the City of Whiting.”
The City of Whiting made a strong effort to prepare for this event.
“We’ve spread the word through social media, our local radio station WJOB and our local paper ‘The Write Stuff,’” Spebar said. “It’s a tremendous honor and exciting to be recognized as the first city in the Craver’s Hall of Fame.”
Ashley Keane, assistant general manager at the White Castle in Whiting, believes this all-day event will serve to make a positive impact on their customers.
“Today is all about bringing the community together,” Keane said. “It’s great to see everybody who has pitched in to let us know that we’re making things better for the people here.”
Another reason why Keane is excited for this event is that it’s an all-day function. While White Castle has hosted other events in the past, the restaurant has never done anything to this magnitude for Community Day.
“We’re giving out a free slider to every customer who requests one,” Keane said. “There’s a fun prize wheel and shirts to honor our induction into the Craver’s Hall of Fame.”
Whiting is known as the home of the oldest Chicago region White Castle, which lasted for 88 years until it was torn down in 2023. While it was a sad moment for many, it hasn’t taken long for people to embrace this new White Castle in a city where it has extensive roots.
“This is a huge milestone for the city of Whiting,” Keane said. “It shows that our community has been able to share stories and get together in a place where White Castle has a deep history.”
While the shirts cost $17 each, the money is being donated to Gigi’s Playhouse in Tinley Park for the Down Syndrome Achievement Center.
For those who missed out on this event, there is more fun in store for the Whiting White Castle very soon. Its next big event is its Easter event on Monday, March 25. Customers can stop by to have dinner with the Easter bunny, take pictures, color Easter pages, play games and receive treats. The event will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
To learn more about events in the City of Whiting, you can visit its website.
