There is nothin' like the taste of a Krystal Burger served hot off the grill!

If you’re familiar with Krystal, then you might have also heard of the fast food eatery White Castle. And although Krystal is a Southern brand and White Castle is located primarily in the Northeast, the two burger joints are frequently compared to one another because of their small, square-shaped menu items. Hence, the burger poll featured recently on A Hamburger Today.

However, any true Krystal Lover can tell you that there is in fact no comparison to the Famous Krystal Burger served hot off the grill with an all-beef burger patty and steamed-in onion flavor that just can’t be found anywhere else. And we know you agree, which is why we’re asking you to share your opinion on A Hamburger Today’s Poll.

To vote, simply sign-in on A Hamburger Today, visit this LINK and vote for Krystal! We thank you for it.

Thanks to all the Krystal guests who've helped make Krystal a southern tradition since 1932.

As the saying goes, “There’s a first time for everything,” and for Krystal Lovers in the South that something is eating at Krystal for the very first time. So Krystal asked its online communities to share tales of some of their best first experiences and memories with the brand. Krystal heard stories ranging from one guest who thought the Krystal Burger’s small, square shape was made specially just to fit in his hands as a boy to another Krystal Lover who shared the Krystal tradition with his grandfather for many years.

But don’t just take our word for it, read below to hear from Krystal’s Facebook Fans first hand…

Debbie Whitworth Webb
“My first experience with Krystal was back in the 1960’s. We lived in Murfreesboro, TN and the nearest Krystal was in Nashville. So a few times during the year, we would go to Nashville, to visit the stamp store and then to Krystal for lunch. It was always a special treat for us. And for those who are wondering what the stamp store was, you would save stamps you would get from grocery shopping and go spend them on really nice items.”

Tim Dewey
“I remember distinctly when I was a wee lad and the family came “to town” for some shopping and they stopped at a Krystals and I was amazed that they had hamburgers made especially for me! They fit right into my hands and were OH so yummy and I haven’t looked back since. Rock on with your bad selves!”

Jessica Viscariello
“The first time I remember eating Krystals was on a family vacation to Florida when I was about 10 years old. My parents would clip coupons from the paper, you could get 10 Krystals for $2.50 at the time. We always looked forward to it, couldn’t get them where we lived back then! Now I am lucky enough to have a Krystals about 4 minutes away. ”

Constance Susan Dawkins Lucas
Hapeville, Ga. around 1965. My grandfather used to take me and my sister there when we visited . We sat on the stools at the counter and were served Krystals and fries on glass plates. We were taken there at an earlier age, but I can only remember from around 5 years old. My granddad died in 1967, but I will/ have always treasure the memories we had at Krystal. It was “our spot”. In 2004 we took our granddaughter to Krystals for the first time. She was hooked. We drive an hour and a half to get our Krystal fix at least once a month!!

Paul Ylee
“I was six years old when I enjoyed my first of many Krystals. My Grandfather worked 3rd shift, his shift ended at 6:00 AM. My brother, sister and I were eating breakfast before going to school. My Grandfather arrived and inside his jacket was a Sack Full of Krystals… That was a Great 1st Graders school lunch…. Chattanooga, TN 1961… ( Pap Paw, George Pearson is my Favorite Grandfather)

Ron W. Hamilton
“When I was young, I would often spend the weekend at my grandfather’s and most Friday nights we could be found sitting in his favorite booth eating chili and Krystals. He was not only known by all, but expected every night as was I every weekend.
I am now past 40 and my grandfather has been gone for 10+ years. The Krystal that we went to in Columbus, GA is gone. There are others but there will never be another like the one we always called “Granddaddy’s Krystal”.
Thanks for the stroll down Memory Lane!

Buddy Justineau
“I was seven years old in 1963, and I remember going to the Krystal Diner on Vineville Avenue in Macon, GA. Krystals were 5¢ each, and my Grandparents were amazed at how many I could eat!! Mustard AND ketchup were standard back then… Very fond memory of sittin’ on those tall red counter stools with my feet a’danglin’….. d;-))”

Enjoy 10 Krystal Burgers for only $4.99 this Super Bowl Sunday!

Krystal Lovers already know which team they will be rooting for come February 7 (The New Orleans Saints!), but do these football fans already have their game day menus planned out? Well no need to stress because Krystal has done the work for you!

Introducing Krystal’s special offer for Super Bowl Sunday: 10 Famous Krystal Burgers for $4.99. That’s right – you can get 10 all-beef, steamy Krystals hot off the grill for less than five bucks on February 7, 2010 with no coupon necessary.

Depending on your party size, you can pick up one, two, three (or more!) orders only hours before the game and be ready to serve in minutes. It’s easy, quick and a steal! And the best part is, if you run out of burgers at half time, you can make a quick trip back to Krystal for a few more orders because the offer lasts all day long!

So start a new game day tradition with Krystal for Super Bowl XLIV and take advantage of this limited time offer available one day only on February 7. GEAUX SAINTS!

A hungry group of new and veteran Krystal Lovers all take a bite of their Krystal Burgers at once!

We think most Krystal Lovers would agree that when you get a Krystal craving, you want to satisfy it right then and there. And apparently this school of thought is no exception to Krystal Lover and Facebook Fan Valorie Spencer of the Palm Harbor, Fla. area.

On this fine Friday afternoon, Spencer was home with her kids and a few of their friends who had the day off from school, when they all decided it was time for Spencer to deliver on a long-time promise: a road trip to Krystal. With the nearest Krystal restaurant located 45 minutes away in Tampa, it was a rare treat for the group. According to Spencer, “Three of the boys had never eaten a Krystal before and in fact, two of them had only experienced White Castle (frozen) at my house once before. They were really excited about the trip to a genuine Krystal location.”

Spencer continued, “The kids now want to make the trip a regular thing.” And how could we blame them! The group consumed a total of 40 Krystal Burgers, an order of chili cheese fries and a number of MilkQuakes. They also left with an additional 24 Burgers – a full Steamer Pack – and stopped at a friends house to slide a few to a fellow friend who wasn’t able to make the trek. I guess you could say that Spencer, with the help of her daughter, is like the Santa Claus of Krystal.

For this dedication and loyalty to the Krystal brand, we want to say thank you and show our appreciation with a little feature here on Krystalist. To see photos of the Spencer family and friends enjoying their Krystal Burgers, see below. It looks like one young gentleman might even have a future in the art of Krystal Box Stacking.

Banana Pudding is a favorite among dessert eaters in the South. Just ask all of the Krystal Lovers who were introduced to the Banana Pudding MilkQuake last summer. It was so good, it’s making a comeback. And, it’s not the only new flavor being featured this summer. Say hello to it’s little friend,  The Caramel Oreo Brownie MilkQuake.

Made to order with premium vanilla ice cream, real banana pudding and Vanilla Wafers, The Banana Pudding MilkQuake is blended fresh on the spot and topped off with the perfect portion of whipped cream. When you drink this ice cream delight, the only difference your mouth will notice between the MilkQuake and some good ‘ole Southern banana pudding is the fact that it is icy cold and you’re sippin’ it through a straw.

The Caramel Oreo Brownie MilkQuake is also a nice cold alternative during the hot summer months. Say goodbye to the simple, plain brownie you’ve always known because once you taste this Quake made with real chocolate ice cream and premium caramel blended with chunks of Oreo cookie and brownie, you’ll never go back. It’s guaranteed to satisfy even the strongest sweet tooth and chocolate cravings.

So don’t delay, both the Banana Pudding and Caramel Oreo Brownie MilkQuakes are available for a limited time only and you don’t want to miss out. And for all you fast drinkers, check out our recent post with tips on how to help relieve brain freeze. It could save your life or prevent a head ache. Same thing.

It’s Breakfast Time at Krystal and they’re giving away (10) $25 Krystal Gift Cards per week for four weeks, starting now through the end of June – with NO purchase necessary! To enter the contest, visit ItsBreakfastTime.com and include your name and email. And viola, you’re done!

We’re sure you don’t need any help deciding which great Krystal breakfast items to order, but it doesn’t hurt to see all your options. Did you know there are over 15 different breakfast choices, and that doesn’t even include their tasty side items. From the Pancake Breakfast Scrambler to The Express Breakfast Plate to the Omelet Toast Sandwich and even Krystal’s new Sweet Bites, you could order a new Breakfast menu item for two weeks straight and still not have tried them all.

That’s right, Krystal has done it again! More great prizes, with absolutely no catch. It’s just another way for the folks at Krystal to say thanks to their loyal Krystal Lovers.

We’re counting down the days until May 27, The Official Krystal Hamburger Day where Krystal is giving away more than $1,500 in prizes on The Krystal Giveaway Show. Hear that? $1,500 in prizes on just one day! Who doesn’t want the chance to win a $100 Krystal Gift Card or cool Krystal memorabilia? You don’t have to ask us twice.

The Live Streaming Video Event will broadcast live from the Krystal “3D” (Drive-In, Dine-In, Drive-Thru) restaurant in Chattanooga and guests will be able to watch every minute of the action on NationalHamburgerMonth.com via Ustream.tv. We’ll be there with the Krystal team talking, sharing and interacting with fellow Krystal Lovers and friends, so be sure and join us.

Confirm your participation by visiting The Official Krystal Lover Community on Facebook and clicking on the “Events” tab, and remember to mark your calendars now as there are only 19 days to go.  Check back with us next week as the countdown continues. Have a great weekend!

Say what you will about the new Facebook design, there’s no denying it has enhanced the daily conversation between Krystal and its fans. With the ability for people to comment directly to status updates just as they can on their own personal pages or click the always fun “like” button, we’re getting great feedback, stories and suggestions from Krystal fans from all over the world, even as far as Iraq. If you’re not already a fan, we encourage you to stop on by the Krystal Facebook page and join the dialogue today.

Read below for a taste of a few fun and interesting tidbits you can expect to see…

Bill Gabbard posted a great picture of the Krystal located inside the Hartsfield-Atlanta International Airport – the closest location he can find to Annapolis, MD without driving to South Carolina or Virginia. Gabbard’s tip of the day: To make eating on a flight easier, double wrap your steamers in plastic. Everyone on your plane ride will thank you for it.

Krystal fans everywhere are also becoming fans of Chris Swan, who is craving Krystals like crazy while serving in Iraq. Have any tips on how to send food to soldiers in Iraq?

Dewey Moore captured a photo of “Bigfoot” trekking across the grounds at the Krystal Square Off last year. Ever spotted Bigfoot yourself?

We could go on and on, but why do that when you can check it out yourself on Krystal’s Facebook Page. You’ll be chatting with other fellow Krystal Lovers in no time.

According to Nashville’s The Tennessean, almost every Southerner has a Krystal Story and we agree!

The Tennessean’s recent hunt for Krystal stories started after Krystal announced its 2008 Krystal Lovers Hall of Fame Inductees this winter. On Feb. 10, Tennessean food writer Samuel M. Simpkins wrote a short article titled “Craving Krystal?” and asked readers to send in their original Krystal stories.

After reading today’s Tennessean article, “Almost Every Southerner Has a Krystal Story”, it’s pretty clear that the paper was on to something. Just ask local Southerners Margaret Shutt, Denise Volz, Aimee Jackson Fortney or Alice Hernandez who are among the many Krystal Lovers quoted in the editorial. Or check out Elizabeth Scanlon Thomas’ blog, which picked up the story and sparked her to reminisce about personal tales of Krystal comfort as well.

Don’t worry – as the article states, you still have a chance to share your Krystal Story and unite with fellow Krystal Lovers. Just click here to visit The Tennessean’s forum and start chatting. You can also visit Krystal.com to learn more about the Krystal Hall of Fame and how to be considered for induction next year.

For Ruby Hall of Jackson, Miss., breakfast at Krystal is more than just a great meal to start her day. It’s a near-daily tradition that has now spanned more than a quarter of a century.

Hall, whose Krystal story is profiled in today’s The Jackson Sun, started her ritual of visiting Krystal for breakfast more than 25 years ago while her husband Jerry was away at work. Once he retired in 1992, Jerry joined her, and together they’ve kept the tradition going, starting every day of the week except Sunday at Krystal with anywhere between 10 to 20 others who “join them to greet the day with a cup of coffee, a biscuit and lots of laughs – especially the laughs.”

As Ruby tells it, “Something old people can do is eat. But we do more chatting than anything. It gets you going in the mornings, and it’s a lot of fun.”

Read the rest of Ruby’s heartwarming Krystal story, including how her and Jerry spent their 60-year wedding anniversary, on the The Jackson Sun website here.