Culver Franchising System, LLC

What does Culver Franchising System own?

It owns the Culver's brand and administers a franchise system of more than 1,000 restaurants across 26-plus US states. It operates no other restaurant brands.

Is Culver's publicly traded?

No. Culver Franchising System, LLC is privately held and majority owned by the Culver family. Roark Capital holds a minority stake.

Who founded Culver's?

George and Ruth Culver and their son Craig founded the restaurant in Sauk City, Wisconsin in 1984. The family had operated restaurants in the area since 1961.

Where is Culver's headquartered?

The company is headquartered in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, adjacent to Sauk City where the first restaurant opened.

Does Roark Capital own Culver's?

Partially. Roark Capital bought a minority stake in 2017, but the Culver family retains majority ownership and control of the company and board.

How much does a Culver's franchise cost?

Franchise disclosure data puts total initial investment roughly between $2.5 million and $5 million-plus per restaurant, depending on real estate and build-out, with owner-operator requirements.

The Culver family's restaurant history began in 1961, when George and Ruth Culver bought an A&W root beer stand in Sauk City, Wisconsin, followed by a supper club called the Farm Kitchen. Son Craig grew up working in both. In 1984 the family repurchased the original A&W building and opened the first Culver's on July 18, built around the ButterBurger and fresh frozen custard.

Franchising started in 1987 and stumbled immediately: the first franchisee failed within a year, teaching the family that passive investors would not work. The rebuilt model required owner-operators who trained at headquarters and ran their restaurants personally, a standard the company never abandoned.

Growth stayed deliberately regional through the 1990s and 2000s, filling in the Midwest before stepping south and west. The 500-restaurant mark passed in the early 2010s. Craig Culver retired as CEO in 2015, handing operations to Phil Keiser and then Joseph Koss while keeping a board seat.

The 2017 Roark Capital minority investment marked a new phase, funding infrastructure and expansion without a control change. The system crossed 1,000 restaurants in the early 2020s, added states including Utah and expanded Florida and Texas development, and named Rick Silva CEO in 2025. George Culver died in 2020 and Ruth Culver in 2023, leaving Craig as the surviving founder-generation leader on the board.

The company's signature initiative is Thank You Farmers, supporting agricultural education, FFA chapters, and farm communities that supply its beef and dairy. The program has raised millions of dollars since launch and anchors the brand's public identity. No third-party sustainability certifications are held, and the company does not publish a formal ESG report; environmental and sourcing standards are managed through supply-chain partnerships and communicated in marketing terms such as fresh, never frozen beef.

Culver's has maintained an unusually clean public record for a chain of its size. No major food safety recalls, franchise litigation waves, or regulatory actions are on record in recent years. Standard franchise-disclosure items and occasional local disputes exist, but none have become material controversies. The family's community standing in Wisconsin, reinforced by the Thank You Farmers program and the founders' charitable legacy, has insulated the brand from the reputational pressures hitting larger competitors.