5 Ordering Tips To Get The Best Culver's Burger

Culver's, the iconic fast food brand that originated in Sauk City, Wisconsin, is famous for its decadent ButterBurgers, rich custard, and made-to-order meals. The chain boasts that its meat is never frozen and sources the majority of its milk products from Wisconsin dairy farms — one of those important yet unexpected Culver's facts that fans might not be aware of. The restaurant consistently receives high praise for its burgers and its signature buttered, toasted buns, but with some fine-tuning, you can enhance your experience.

Among the available choices are the original ButterBurger and the classic ButterBurger Cheese, plus more involved offerings like the Mushroom & Swiss Burger and the Wisconsin Swiss Melt. Many of the chain's more than 1,000 locations also sell a rotating limited-edition option. (As of April 2026, it was the Colby Jack Pub Burger, featuring the namesake cheese, crispy onions, an everything-flavored bun, and spicy mayo infused with A1 steak sauce.) With so many choices (not to mention the option to add more than 10 different kinds of toppings), ordering at Culver's can be tricky. Luckily, there are lots of ways to tweak your burger for an even better bite the next time you visit the chain — and some won't even cost you anything extra.

The standard ButterBurger from Culver's comes on a kaiser roll, which has a pillowy texture that nicely complements the richness of the savory beef patties. For a more decadent bite, however, you can eschew the bun entirely and opt for a grilled cheese burger instead. It's similar to the Culver's grilled cheese hack that adds a crispy twist with chicken tenders.

To give it a try, order a standard grilled cheese and add a burger patty. The beef is prepared separately, then slipped inside the sandwich, transforming it into a richer, meltier spin on the ButterBurger. This hack thankfully won't put too much strain on your wallet and could cost around $4 for the grilled cheese, plus an additional $2 or so for the beef. You can also add grilled onions and swap the standard, mild American stuff for sharper cheddar to make a cheesier version of Culver's sourdough patty melt.

Among the many options Culver's offers for topping your ButterBurger, there's "The Works." While some customers have expressed confusion about this customization online, it's simply a classic combination of pickles, ketchup, mustard, and raw onions. Refreshingly, it comes at no extra charge. Neither does asking for your bottom bun to be buttered along with the traditionally slathered top half.

For a more substantially garnished burger, there's the Culver's Deluxe and Bacon Deluxe (topped with two strips of the porky stuff), which feature lettuce, tomato, and onion, plus mayo and pickles — but no ketchup or mustard. However, for an even more layered dining experience, you can add The Works to either Deluxe burger. Enhance your order further by adding cheese curds and DIY yourself a CurderBurger. This dish, which was a special menu item that started as an April Fool's joke and became a bestseller, brings two of Culver's most iconic dishes (Deluxe burgers and cheese curds) together in one serious sandwich.

This burger option isn't necessarily going to get you better flavor than the other options on the menu. But it may taste that much nicer knowing you got it for a solid discount (in some cases, around $2 less than a similar Value Basket). Importantly, it also seems that the kids' meal ButterBurger, which you can also customize, is the same size as an adult single-patty burger. Some toppings will incur an upcharge, like cheese, tomatoes, or mushrooms. But others, like lettuce, onion, mayo, mustard, and ketchup, are free. You can even add extra helpings, and the price will remain the same. 

The kids' menu comes with a small order of fries or apple sauce, though you can also choose other sides for a fee. Culver's also offers the option to upgrade to a larger size of fries if you so choose. And because you can order any other side, you might consider using your cup of George's Chili or even chili cheese fries to fashion yourself a chili cheeseburger. The kids' meals also include a small drink and dessert. Additionally, the bag the order comes in is printed with various coupons, ready for your next visit.

Although Culver's offers a Sourdough Melt, not everyone knows that the tangy bread is available as a bun substitute for any burger. And it doesn't cost much to make the switch (depending on your location, it could be around 80 cents). Try it with the Culver's Bacon Deluxe, which seems to be a popular choice among fans on social media for the sourdough's welcome crispness, its golden-brown hue, and toasty, buttery flavor. Customers have also recommended this substitution for the Mushroom & Swiss burger. Compared to the kaiser roll's softness, your burger gets a nice bit of crunch. Swapping your bun is a simple change you can also make right in the Culver's app.

Beyond sourdough, you could also try replacing the classic kaiser roll with a brioche option that was introduced in 2025 as part of Culver's updated chicken sandwich lineup. One customer on Reddit noted they actually prefer brioche over the typical kaiser roll. The great news is you can order any burger or sandwich on any of the different bread or bun options that Culver's offers. And as usual, with Culver's, you can incorporate any number of toppings to transform burgers into a melt or upgraded sandwich with extra add-ons. Multiple customers noted that this swap may become their newest go-to Culver's order, because it's just that good.

You can upgrade your Culver's ButterBurger experience with built-in menu upgrades, sure. But you can also snag some rather interesting items by ordering from the secret menu. So long as you've got a bit of a DIY spirit, these hacks may be for you, since some of them require you to assemble the burger yourself. But the excitement shared amongst customers makes the few extra steps seem well worth it.

Culver's doesn't have a barbecue-flavored option on the menu. But you can easily make your own. You can build this sandwich by ordering a side of barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's) and onion rings. Add these ingredients to a burger with cheddar cheese for a tangy, smoky-sweet sandwich. When combined, you'll get a secret menu item: the BBQ Cheddar ButterBurger. This option combines crunchy, honeyed, decadent layers of flavor. Others enjoy burgers with a cup of Wisconsin cheddar cheese sauce. You can enjoy it as a dipping sauce, adding another layer of rich cheesy flavor.

Another secret menu burger is called the "land and air" burger. This option combines a Culver's Double Deluxe ButterBurger and a crispy chicken patty. The juxtaposition of flavors and textures makes for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. For even more adventurous diners, there's a social media popularized secret menu hack that first gained fame via McDonald's. Called the "land, air, and sea" burger, it's a triple-stacked sandwich that adds a fried fish filet to the equation.