The Fast Food Chain That's Been Family-Owned Since 1921

McDonald's receives a lot of acclaim for its long and storied history, and why shouldn't it? There's betrayal between business partners, the original french fry was a happy accident, and breakfast has been served at this chain for over 50 years. Still, if you're interested in fast food with a side of historic chronicles, it's important not to let those big golden arches blind you from what is right in front of you. There's another, equally fascinating chain that has been around since the 1920s, and this one has remained under family ownership for the entire 100-plus years it's been around: It's none other than White Castle.

It all started with Walt Anderson, who opened his first non-White Castle restaurant when he was 36 in 1916. As the popularity of his special burgers began to grow, so did the number of locations he operated; he was aided in his real estate transactions by Billy Ingram. By the early 1920s, Anderson and Ingram had settled on a name and concept for the restaurants. Soon, though, Anderson checked out of the business, and Ingram bought out his share of the company.

White Castle stayed in the family throughout the years, with Ingram's son taking over, and then his grandson serving at the helm for 35 years. When Bill Ingram retired in 2015, his daughter Lisa took over as CEO, a position she still holds today.

It seems the Ingram family was born to lead, as three of the four members who served as CEO have navigated the uncertain waters of the food industry with aplomb, making their mark on the over 100-year-old chain. It all started with Billy Ingram, who faced an uncertain public after the publication of Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle," which revealed the horrors of the meat-packing industry. Ingram, then with business partner Walt Anderson, spearheaded the concept that White Castle restaurants would be models of cleanliness and safety. From the pristine uniforms that employees would wear, to the sparkling-clean restaurant interiors where workers ground meat fresh, to the open-view kitchens, everything emphasized that these burgers were wholesome and healthy to eat. And it worked; the business continued to grow throughout the 20th century.

When Ingram's grandson, Bill Ingram, stepped into his father's shoes as CEO, he did so during a time of great change in the food landscape in America — namely, the advent of microwavable frozen meals. And he met that challenge; under the third Ingram, White Castle began selling its sliders from freezers in supermarkets. They would go on to account for a fourth of total sales overall.

Bill Ingram's daughter, Lisa, not only became the first person not named "Bill Ingram" to wear the CEO hat, but she occupies a rarefied space as a woman leading a company. And she has been vocal in her support of uplifting other women into positions of leadership, too, both within White Castle and in general.