The Burger Restaurant That Actually Makes Real Mashed Potatoes

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Look, y'all. You're never going to catch us disparaging time-saving hacks in the kitchen — especially since some of them yield truly fabulous results. Don't have the ingredients to make a dough from scratch? No worries. Toss your stand mixer aside and use lasagna sheets as a store-bought shortcut for delicious ravioli. In the mood for comfort, but cranky at the thought of chopping, peeling, and trimming an array of ingredients? We hear you. Make an easy pot pie filling with canned ingredients, and call it a day.

Of course, when we genuinely just aren't in the mood to cook, it can be nice to rely on a go-to dinner spot to deliver the goods. If you're craving mashed potatoes, for example, Culver's — a restaurant arguably more known for its burgers — has your back. The chain offers the creamy spuds in both medium and large sizes, and what's more, it makes them with bona fide russet potatoes, seasonings, and milk. Umami-fans, rejoice, because the side is served with a rich chicken gravy for a deeply cozy, savory experience. Crown off your meal with a cup of Culver's custard — it did, after all, take home top honors for Reddit's favorite fast-food frozen treat — and thank us later.

Don't get us wrong — there's nothing wrong with instant mashed potatoes. In fact, they're sort of the unsung heroes of the kitchen. Not only are they fantastic to have on hand for homemade soups and sauces, but they also boast a fantastic shelf-life — you could buy a 12-pack online and store them for years to come, if needed.

However, sometimes nothing really hits like the stuff made with real spuds, and Culver's is getting it right by using russets — one of the best varieties for mashed potatoes due to their high starch content. They won't resist you when you break them down and can get ultra fluffy, but their low-moisture content gives them some structural integrity — they're less likely to get overworked and transform into that dreaded gummy glop we all know and hate.

That said, every restaurant has an off-day. If, for some reason, you swing by Culver's and find its mashed potatoes taste a bit lackluster, the good news is that russets' relatively mild profile means that any flavorful ingredients you pair with them are primed to shine. Ask for a butter packet and some salt and pepper on the side; the fat will become delightfully rich and noticeable, and those simple seasonings will help the side truly sing. All that's left to do is tuck in and enjoy.