This Underrated Fast Food Chain Was The First To Sell 1 Billion Burgers

Think mind-blowing burger sale quantities, and more likely than not, Golden Arches comes to mind. Indeed, McDonald's sells an astounding 6.5 million burgers each day, cementing it as the largest burger chain worldwide. Yet despite such modern success, a different chain was the first to reach the one billion burgers mark — cult classic White Castle.

The achievement took place in 1961, exactly 40 years after opening what's often considered the first fast food chain. It's an impressive feat, considering White Castle has never spread nationwide, retaining primarily a Midwestern focus to this day. Not to mention, over half a century ago, the customer base was smaller: The population of the U.S was just shy of 180 million in 1960, per the United States Census Bureau.

White Castle kickstarted the sale of food at a pace unseen before. Catering to oil boom towns like Wichita, Kansas, the business aimed to sell burgers fast, innovating the first to-go containers, and even integrating holes into patties to speed up cooking. Come the 21st century, White Castle no longer even cracks the top 50 chains in the U.S. in sales. Still, its prominent burger-selling legacy remains.

White Castle got its start during a different era of American dining. The first locations came before the widespread arrival of highways and drive-throughs: The earliest White Castles operated as a stand. Outlets contained a bar counter blueprint, with visitors quickly receiving food after ordering. Takeout sales were also prominent: "Selling 'em by the Sack" became a slogan soon into the company's history. All the while, prices remained remarkably affordable, with the burgers priced only 5 cents upon release.

The chain was quick to find success, spreading to huge urban centers like New York City by the 1920s. Yet it was the 1930s that commenced massive expansion. Upheld by successful advertising campaigns and the innovative introduction of coupons, White Castle sales really started rolling, even despite the ongoing Great Depression. The chain kept innovating amidst WWII, serving items like hot dogs to circumvent rations. Marketing efforts didn't slow in the 1950s either; White Castle kept adding new demographics to its customer base. So, the sales accumulated and accumulated during the first half of the 20th century, eventually reaching the 1 billion figure. To this day, White Castle remains family owned; proof of the business's incredible savvy.