White Castle was one of the popular eatery companies back in the last century that was closest to the present day fast food chains. It managed to survive the Depression, World War II, the Korean War and all the later uncertainties of the business world. And it seems to be thriving today.
As a little kid in the 1930’s my mouth watered at the mention of a White Castle five-cent hamburger and its fabulously delectable dill pickle. I figured then that five cents was its forever price or why else would they permanently include it embossed on every White Castle tower?
And there it was, a very large black “5 CENTS” on a white background. Even as a grade school boy I thought, “If you think you might have to raise the price someday, don’t make it a part of your building.”
When I was eight years old I had my “White Castle Escape Plan” in case life became too boring or too demanding. My “One-dollar getaway fund” would provide me with 20 White Castle hamburgers when I ran away to join a circus or become a cowboy.
I figured the burgers would get me through a week or so until I was working as a clown for Barnum and Bailey or herding cattle someplace out west. The plan seemed quite reasonable at the time.
Fortunately, my life turned out to be quite active and enjoyable so I spent the fund on ten comic books. If I’d saved those first edition Superman and Batman comics, I’d be a rich man today, but I most likely traded them for bubble gum or Hershey Bars.
Imagine That 