White Castle and Me

I recently wrote a letter to White Castle corporate and suggested that they build a White Castle in Springfield Illinois. This was their response.


January 10, 2007



Dear Kyle:

Thank you for your recent suggestion directed to our corporate office that
we locate a White Castle restaurant in your area. We appreciate hearing
from customers who enjoy our products. We have noted your suggestion and
have forwarded it to our real estate department for consideration.

In immediate response to your inquiry, however, White Castle prides itself
on growing slowly. White Castle and all its subsidiaries are privately
owned and operated. The company does not franchise or offer stock
options, and finances its expansion solely through retained earnings. For
these reasons, White Castle tends to operate within the existing Midwest
and Northeast regions where all our support facilities (meat plants,
bakeries, etc.) are located. We believe in this business practice so we
can provide a stable company for the more than 12,000+ employees it
supports.

Due to these factors, as well as advertising efficiencies, we add only
approximately fifteen to twenty new restaurants every year to our existing
market areas. Based on our current expansion plans, it will be a few
years before we open another new market area. A list of our current
locations can be sent to you via conventional mail upon request.

Thank you again for your interest in White Castle and its products.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Ingram
Director of Restaurant Operations

RE: 2514646