Marin man achieves White Castle glory

Scott Kempf likes White Castle burgers. He likes them so a lot, he estimates he has eaten hundreds of them.

“You determine immediately after all these several years, they’ve bought to insert up,” explained Kempf, a Novato resident.

His dedication has not gone unnoticed.

The cafe chain has installed Kempf in its “Cravers Hall of Fame” for a one of a kind accomplishment: traveling the most miles to the biggest number of White Castles in the shortest sum of time.

Kempf, who embarked to the task to mark his 60th birthday and White Castle’s 100th, visited 165 White Castle locations in 21 days.

“Our Cravers Hall of Famers are the most passionate of our supporters. The best of the finest,” said Jamie Richardson, a vice president at White Castle. “It was our honor to induct Scott Kempf, not only for a life time of exhibiting wonderful style, but also for vividly demonstrating an intense appreciate of the Castle.”

White Castle, which sells mini-burgers regarded as sliders, operates in 15 states. Kempf went to all 15, touring 16,500 miles by auto or flight and keeping in 14 hotel rooms.

He consumed 88 double sliders all through the tour.

“Move above, Harold and Kumar. You have absolutely nothing on Scott Kempf,” the cafe chain explained in its induction announcement.

Kempf grew up in St. Louis and was released to White Castle when he was 5 decades old. His family went there frequently, on Friday or Saturday evenings, right before or soon after Cardinals baseball games, and anytime for a brief bite.

“There was generally a White Castle nearby,” Kempf said. “White Castle turned a part of my loved ones.”

He moved to California in 1984 and now depends on the frozen edition to satisfy his craving. There are no White Castles in California, and the closest one particular to Marin is in Nevada.

So when Kempf leaves to pay a visit to pals or family members, he normally strategies to stop by White Castle at minimum once.

Kempf explained he visits a site a mile from the St. Louis airport and arranges with the manager to cook dinner 100 sliders, box them and freeze them. When he flies dwelling, he checks the frozen box as a result of as baggage and has sliders in his freezer to “last him for weeks.”

Kempf also enjoys introducing the sliders to company friends. When he traveled as a complex expert services contractor, he stated, he would consider coworkers to nearby White Castles.

“I was very pleased of making the most of White Castle and I desired to introduce as a lot of folks as probable to it,” he mentioned.

Kempf’s purchase is generally the exact same when he eats at a restaurant: four double sliders with no cheese, onion chips and a Diet Coke.

White Castle expenses itself as America’s oldest quick-food stuff hamburger chain. It is based mostly in Columbus, Ohio, and served “The Original Slider” –– a copyrighted title –– considering the fact that 1921. The chain has additional than 350 locations and has expanded to selling frozen products in retail suppliers.

It phone calls its faithful and most passionate followers “Cravers,” with lots of competing every single 12 months for entry into the “Cravers Hall of Fame.”

Kempf was among the 10 customers inducted into the hall of fame this 12 months. White Castle supplied the inductees with complimentary journey, dining and hotel lodging to attend a reception in Columbus. The inductees gained plaques, and their stories will be highlighted on the sides of their renowned slider boxes.

“I truly needed to make the story general public, and distributing to the corridor of fame would give me that possibility,” Kempf stated. “I am passionate about White Castle and what it intended for me and my lifetime.”

The company has inducted 272 individuals because generating the honor in 2001.

“They all have these types of special and intriguing tales about the approaches in which White Castle has performed a significant purpose in their lives,” Richardson mentioned. “As a relatives-owned enterprise, we’re truly touched to hear about their own link with White Castle.”

Kempf just lately mounted customized, White-Castle impressed license plates on his car that say “CRVRHOF.” He claimed that for the foreseeable long run, he will continue to symbolize the hall of famers and take in his sliders when he can.

“It’s great to have a crave and very good to crave White Castle and I’m happy to be a Craver,” he claimed.