Culver's Customers Say This Sandwich Is Slept On

Culver's menu has its fair share of atypical fast-food items. There are the brand's made-from-scratch mashed potatoes — something you don't normally find at a quick-bite restaurant.  They also offer a Beef Pot Roast sandwich featuring slow-braised premium chuck roast (note the word "slow" — the antithesis of fast food).

Another Culver's creation that veers outside the norm is its Pork Loin Sandwich, and it's a culinary delight fans say far too many diners are sleeping on. "I have no idea why this is not more popular," a self-identified former Culver's team member posted on Reddit. The meaty sandwich has many admirers. "It is AMAZING," a Facebook poster enthused. "It's actually my go-to order, since I'm not a huge burger person," a Reddit user stated. 

Thought to have originated in Indiana, pork tenderloin is noted as that state's unofficial sandwich. Even from folks in that neck of the woods, where much is expected of a tenderloin sando, Culver's creation gets a stamp of approval. "As a born and raised Hoosier who now lives in Chicago, this tenderloin gets me through until I get back home again," a Facebook commenter praised.

Somehow, though, the Pork Loin isn't a sandwich that gets much fanfare. "[It's] not advertised/talked about a whole lot," one Redditor observed. Another poster, self-identified as a Culver's shift leader, commented that the sandwich is "very rarely ordered." 

Culver's Pork Loin Sandwich features premium, center-cut pork loin that is hand-breaded with seasoned cracker crumbs, fried, and then sandwiched between the halves of a lightly buttered, toasted bun. It sounds like a promising meal option, especially for a fast-food sammich. 

One possible reason more people aren't flocking to Culver's to gobble up Pork Loin Sandwiches is the fact that it's a regionally popular dish, not a nationally popular one. Being more of a Midwest thing — in addition to Indiana, states like Iowa lay territorial claim to pork tenderloin sammies — it's something many people aren't accustomed to. 

An exchange among several self-identified restaurant workers on a Culver's subreddit highlights the vast difference between the sando's popularity in the Midwest and in other areas of the country. "Pork loin is one of our most popular items. People love pork loins in Indiana[,] though," one Redditor commented, to which a self-ID'd assistant manager affirmed, "I just sold [seven] before 12:30." But several others report different sales."As soon as you said that[,] I knew you were from Indiana," a self-ID'd Culver's manager replied to the first poster. "My store sells at most [five] a day."

One repeated criticism of the Pork Loin Sandwich — even from fans — is that it can be on the dry side. Experiencing a bland, dry PLS has soured many against ever ordering it again, further curbing its popularity. But a likely reason is the sammie's lack of condiments. Like the standard Butter Burger and Beef Pot Roast Sandwich, the Pork Loin doesn't come standard with toppings — it's a bare-naked sando unless you request veggies and sauce.

Admirers of the sammich offer lots of suggestions for dressing it up, including saucing it generously to counteract any dryness. From Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Sauce to Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ, Culver's offers plenty of options. Be forewarned, though: The chain adds a sneaky upcharge for these condiments. Only ketchup, yellow mustard, mayonnaise, horseradish, hot sauce, and malt vinegar are free.

Other add-ons are available, too — some free, others with an upcharge. One Reddit user recommends adding cheddar cheese along with "deluxe toppings," which means saying the two-word request "the works" to your server so they'll load it with pickles, ketchup, mustard, and raw onions. A Facebook user recommends topping the sandwich with an order of coleslaw, proclaiming it a "delish!!!" combination. A commenter on Reddit recommends cheese sauce and double jalapenos, while another Redditor proclaims the Pork Loin "[slaps] by itself with some [Culver's] gravy and grilled onions. Yella mustard if you're feeling it."