Burgers, cheese curds and frozen custard anyone? Culver’s menu a hit in St. Augustine.

Wherever and whenever a new Culver’s opens, a buzz is sure to follow. 

Monday’s official launch in St. Augustine was no exception: The “fast-casual” restaurant known for its ButterBurgers, cheese curds and frozen custard desserts processed nearly 900 orders at the location at 3433 U.S. 1 South from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

The fact that it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day and many had off from work and school didn’t hurt, but the first-day crowds were “well above average,” according to Garth Darton, who owns the local franchise with wife Lisa.

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Darton, who is originally from Wisconsin, where the brand was founded in 1984, said some of the appeal is certainly due to the novelty of the addition of a new eatery in town.

But Darton believes Culver’s reputation for making items fresh to order and its Midwestern homestyle menu has as much to do with its popularity. 

“People find our food comforting and warm, and our hospitality the same way,” Darton said in a sit-down interview with The Record Thursday.

And that friendly service was something he and his team of 78 local employees had to emphasize on Monday when cars were backed up in a wait for drive-thru service for nearly an hour during the lunch and dinner rush.

The restaurant also has an indoor seating area, but it is at just 50% capacity currently due to COVID-19.

Darton said he chose the location for his franchise purposely because U.S. 1 South doesn’t have as many restaurants as further up near the intersection of State Road 312 or in downtown St. Augustine. The store has access from two roads: U.S. 1 South, where about 44,000 cars drive past every day, according to Darton, and Old Moultrie Road, with about 17,000 vehicles daily.

According to Josh Kornatz, general manager of the St. Augustine location, feedback from customers has been really positive.

“Our popularity? I think it’s curiosity, and a lot of word-of-mouth,” Kornatz said.

Best-selling items at the St. Augustine location so far are the fresh-dipped cod; custard (a richer, thicker form of ice cream) — especially the mint favor; and those ButterBurgers, which feature a classic beef burger on a toasted buttered bun with a variety of toppings.

Jammie Knight, who stood in line to receive her order at around 11:30 a.m. Thursday said she’d tried the brand while on a vacation in Asheville, North Carolina, and loved it; so when she’d heard there was opening in her hometown of St. Augustine, she had to come out for a mushroom Swiss burger.

Tommy Bennett, owner of B & B Trailers just up the road from Culver’s, said he’d heard from his employees that “it was really good,” and he agreed with that assessment as he sat on the outside patio for lunch Thursday.

When will the hubbub calm down?

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Darton responded. “I don’t think it will end for quite a while.”

Darton has plans to launch a second local Culver’s franchise on State Road 16, near the outlet malls, within the next year.

Another location of the chain, owned by a different franchise owner, is set to open on County Road 210 this Monday.

Culver’s of St. Augustine

Location: 2433 U.S. 1 S.

Hours: Open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Menu: Fast-casual, known for original ButterBurgers, cheese curds and custards

Contact: 904-217-4859

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Video courtesy of April Masterson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel