What is the name of the square-patty burger chain founded in Wichita in 1921?

White Castle is the square-patty burger chain founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921. Billy Ingram and Walter Anderson established the company, which is widely regarded as the first fast-food hamburger chain in the United States.

White Castle restaurants became known for small square hamburgers called sliders. The patties are steamed on a bed of onions, and the cooking process allows the onion flavor and moisture to penetrate the meat. The chain’s distinctive white buildings were designed to suggest cleanliness and stability at a time when ground-beef restaurants often faced public suspicion.

White Castle is sometimes confused with Krystal, another chain famous for small square burgers. Krystal began in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1932, while White Castle predates it by more than a decade.

White Castle’s small burgers also helped establish the modern fast-food model: limited menus, standardized preparation, recognizable restaurant design, and quick service.