
Midwest Favorite Set to Take Over America in 2026
Stop me if you have heard this before: we are lucky to have this fast-food restaurant in our midst.
That's because apparently it's on the cusp of blowing up nationwide again.
The Culver’s Expansion Story Never Seems to End
Not that I don't believe what Mashed is saying; it's just that I have been reading the same story about Culver's for a few years now.
Don't get me wrong, I love Culver's as much as the next red-blooded cheese curd-loving Midwesterner, but these foodie sites have been claiming Culver's world domination for years now. I guess right now, at the end of 2025, would be another good time to make that proclamation again:
Mashed called Culver's the #1 Booming Chain Restaurant You're Going to See Everywhere in 2026.
Midwest burger spot Culver's ranked on the Mashed list of regional fast food chains we wish were everywhere in 2023. At that time, the footprint of the Culver's chain technically encompassed 24 states, but its presence was considerably greater in the Midwest than any other region of the U.S. That was still generally the case in 2025, but less so than just two years prior — its reach had expanded to 26 states, and new locations for the year included restaurants in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
READ MORE: Culver’s is quietly becoming a fast-food powerhouse
More States Getting Their First Taste of Butterburgers
Culver's plans to open restaurants in Arizona, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Texas in 2026.
READ MORE: Culver’s has 3 new flavors of its most beloved menu item
America Is Finally Catching On to Culver’s Greatness
Looks like the rest of America is finally finding out what we’ve known all along, those Butterburgers from Culver’s just hit different.
Illinois' 5 Most Iconic Foods All Visitors Must Try
Gallery Credit: Steve Shannon
Best Rockford Food Joints for Spaghetti
Gallery Credit: Johnny Vincent
More From Rockford's New Country Q98.5









