Krystal is the burger chain founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1932.
The company was established during the Great Depression by Rody Davenport Jr. and J. Glenn Sherrill. Its small square hamburgers reflected the compact, inexpensive style that had become influential in American fast food. Krystal restaurants also became known for steamed buns and small hamburgers served with onions.
Krystal’s name and menu can cause confusion with White Castle, another chain famous for small square burgers. White Castle began earlier, in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921, whereas Krystal was founded in Chattanooga more than a decade later. The two companies are separate businesses.
Krystal expanded primarily across the southeastern United States. Its regional identity is especially associated with Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and nearby states, making it an important example of a distinctly Southern fast-food chain.