Most of us were taught there are no stupid questions. If you don’t know something, ask. But sometimes the answer—rather the person providing the answer—can make you feel foolish for asking.
Question #1 – Food
Years ago, Mom and I left my dad with his cousins in Chattanooga. We were headed to Atlanta to meet up with a couple of Mom’s sisters and some of their children. It was already after 2 P.M. and, not having had lunch yet, we pulled off the interstate to grab a quick bite. We had three fast-food restaurant choices—one we didn’t like and two we’d never heard of.
We chose one of the two unknowns. Thankfully, the late lunch hour meant few customers, because after scanning the menu and seeing various types of “Krystals” (with no explanation), we asked the obvious: “What’s a Kristal?”
The girl behind the counter gave us a strange look but dutifully explained. “It’s like a White Castle.”
Mom and I looked at each other and then back at the girl. “What’s a White Castle?” (This happened to be our other unfamiliar restaurant choice.)
“You’ve never heard of Krystal or White Castle?” The girl appeared truly shocked. “Where are you from?” Her look said she was betting on Mars.
We explained that we were from Texas and didn’t have either restaurant there. She seemed mollified and resigned to walking us through their menu.
Did you know “Krystal” burgers are small, square meat patties topped with diced onions, mustard, and a slice of dill pickle on a roll-sized steamed bun? (I’ve never acquired a taste for them, but they’re very popular in Tennessee.)
Question #2 – Location
With our orders finally placed, Mom and I discussed the trip while we waited for our food. This was before GPS and smartphones, back when travelers were dependent on maps and road signs. (Neither of which is effective if you don’t know where you are.) Not having seen any signs identifying the community where we’d exited, we called the girl back and Mom asked, “Where are we?”
The girl blinked, gave me a sympathetic look, then turned to Mom and, in a very slow and precise—but polite—manner said, “You’re in Krystal’s, Ma’am.”
The Result
Our questions weren’t stupid, but in hindsight, it’s easy to see how they were both unexpected and misconstrued. At least they provided us with a funny story to share with friends and family.
Did You Know — Krystal Fun Facts
- The Krystal hamburger chain was founded in Chattanooga, TN, in the 1930s.
- The name came from the wife of one of the founders. Her husband and his partner were sticklers for cleanliness, including a crystal ball lawn ornament that was “crystal clean.” After playing around with several versions, the name Krystal
- In 1954, after Elvis Presley’s first time on the radio, he and renowned DJ “Daddy-O” Dewey Phillips ordered 100 sliders from a local Krystal restaurant to be handed out to Elvis’ new fans.
- A Krystal commercial in 1975 starred a young, just-starting-out Samuel L. Jackson.
- In 1987, on a visit to Chattanooga to deliver a graduation commencement speech, President Ronald Regan had a craving for Krystals. Krystal’s District and Area Managers grabbed the ingredients and two portable grills and headed to the airport. Setting up next to Air Force One, part of the group cooked and prepared the burgers while another group used the airport kitchen to prepare the French fries. They delivered the requested 120 cheese Krystals, 40 regular fries, and 35 shakes before the plane took off.
- In 2007 Joey Chestnut ate 103 Krystals in only 8 minutes, breaking the Krystal-Square-Off world record.
- In 2012, Krystal operated 350 restaurants in 11 states with 6,000 employees and had annual sales of $400 million.
- After 90 years in business, Krystal has sold over 10 billion Krystals.