The LTO
Culver's is deploying its latest limited-time offer across more than 1,050 franchise locations, launching the Fried Pickle Pub Burger system-wide Aug. 3 through Sept. 27, while supplies last. The build leans into Wisconsin supper-club tradition: fresh, never-frozen beef, real cheddar cheese, crispy fried pickles and a proprietary Brewpub Sauce on a soft pretzel bun. Fried Pickles are also available as a standalone side during the same window, giving operators a secondary attach-sale opportunity at the counter.
The burger is the latest entry in a Pub Burger series the Prairie du Sac, Wis.-based chain mapped out for 2026 — a structured LTO cadence designed to maintain traffic frequency among guests who respond to bold flavor pivots on familiar formats. "A fried pickle on a burger only works if the pickle stays crisp and the brine balances the richness of the beef," said Kasey McDonald, Culver's head of culinary. "Like the burgers that came before it in our Pub Burger lineup, it's innovative, crafted and unmistakably Culver's."
Custard Counter
The chain is simultaneously expanding its Fresh Frozen Custard Flavor of the Day rotation — a program that already cycles through more than 30 varieties and functions as a key franchise traffic driver in the Midwest QSR daypart. Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie arrives systemwide Aug. 5, combining chocolate custard with brownie pieces, REESE'S Peanut Butter ribbons and fudge. OREO REESE'S Cheesecake follows Sept. 2, folding OREO cookie pieces, REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups and cheesecake into vanilla custard. Both flavors were developed through the same research-driven process the brand uses across its existing flavor library.
Fall seasonal items round out the Q3 push. Beginning Sept. 8, the new Pumpkin S'mores Concrete Mixer joins the returning Pumpkin Spice Shake and Salted Caramel Pumpkin Concrete Mixer — all made with real pumpkin spice and Culver's Fresh Frozen Custard. The pumpkin lineup gives the franchise system a defined fall daypart hook as back-to-school traffic normalizes heading into October.
Franchise Context
The back-to-school window is a meaningful unit-economics moment for family-dining and fast-casual operators: weeknight dinner occasions compress, off-premise and drive-thru mix typically rises, and LTOs that emphasize convenience and novelty tend to lift average check. For Culver's, whose 1,050-plus locations are family-owned and operated across 26 states, a well-timed system-wide rollout keeps franchisees competitive against larger QSR chains running comparable seasonal promotions. The dual-track approach — savory LTO burger plus custard innovation — gives individual units multiple upsell vectors without requiring significant back-of-house changes, an important consideration for a franchise system that prizes made-to-order execution as a brand differentiator.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
