White Castle Hall Of Fame: Georgia Man Inducted

GEORGIA — White Castle, the family-owned fast-food hamburger chain, inducted 10 of its most loyal and passionate customers into its Cravers Hall of Fame earlier this month. A Marietta man made the list.

Ten of White Castle's most loyal fans were inducted into the Cravers Hall of Fame on Thursday, May 19. The inductees, who come from eight states, were chosen from a large number of entries that all showed just how far some people will go to satisfy their White Castle "Crave," according to a news release. Ken Oberle of Marietta said he’s had the crave for as long as he can remember.

When he was a young boy in St. Louis, his dad would stop almost daily at White Castle on his way home from the late shift and pick up one slider and a small shake for him. As a teen, Ken landed his first job at White Castle and became known as the "White Castle guy."

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Oberle, 52, loves White Castle so much that he proposed to his wife, Elena, in 2003 with one of the restaurant’s chicken rings. Since Georgia doesn't have any White Castle locations, only the separately owned Krystal chain, Oberle makes sure to educate his co-workers at Kennestone Hospital, where he works as a radiographer, reported the AJC.

Oberle’s grandparents were fans, too, and had White Castle-branded items all around their house, according to the news release. Generations of family members were big-time Cravers, but Oberle took it to another level. Now a resident of Marietta, he wears his White Castle socks and PUMA sneakers with his hospital scrubs, burns a White Castle candle in the breakroom and shares White Castle condiments with his co-workers. He preaches the White Castle gospel down south and makes treks to the north to satisfy his family's crave.

The Cravers Hall of Fame is an exclusive club that White Castle created in 2001 to recognize its most zealous fans, who are affectionately referred to as Cravers, according to the release. Each year, hundreds of Cravers submit their White Castle stories in hopes of being chosen for the Cravers Hall of Fame.

While some of the stories are funny, some are poignant and some are remarkable, all of them are very personal, heartfelt testaments to the ways in which White Castle has touched lives and created lasting memories.

The 10 members of the 21st class of the Cravers Hall of Fame were formally inducted during an in-person ceremony at White Castle's home office in Columbus. White Castle provided the inductees with complimentary travel, dining and hotel accommodations as well as a reception in their honor. Each one received a plaque commemorating their special place in the Cravers Hall of Fame. In addition, their individual stories will be featured on the restaurant's iconic slider box packaging.

"Yesterday was a very special day for White Castle, with 10 more incredible fans joining our Cravers Hall of Fame," said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle in a statement. "They all have such unique and interesting stories about the ways in which White Castle has played a significant role in their lives. As a family-owned business, we're really touched to hear about their personal connection with White Castle."

Since the Hall of Fame's start in 2001, a total of 272 inductees have been honored with this distinguished award. Nominations for the next class of Cravers Hall of Famers can be submitted now through White Castle's website here.