Culver's of Plainfield

I remember the first time I ate at this Culver's, and I can honestly say this place is still as good as it was when it opened.

For a fast-food restaurant, Culver's is several notches above the competition. When it comes to the service at this location, the cashiers are always friendly and extremely pleasant. A lot of them will make casual conversation with you and are willing to discuss their recommendations of items on the menu if the lines aren't too long. As always, after ordering at the counter, your food is delivered to your table by a Culver's employee.

For me, though, I always opt for the plain-old classic Butterburger with cheese and a few of my regular toppings. The burgers look pretty much the same as something you'd expect to receive at Steak 'n Shake, but the bun tastes better and the patties have a less-greasy, more grilled taste. I'm probably going against popular opinion here, but if someone could combine Steak 'n Shake's fries with Culver's burgers, that would create a super-restaurant that nobody in the fast-food world could match in terms of taste.

The ice cream--or frozen custard, as they call it--is also out-of-this-world. Remember what Ritter's tastes like? Culver's is even better. I also tend to go plain in the ice cream department--vanilla topped with Oreo crumbles--but the taste of the vanilla ice cream really is outstanding. I would even go so far as to put the taste above joints like Dairy Queen, which are known for their ice cream and desserts.

Overall, I would give this Culver's location four stars. The service is fantastic, the food will make you think you're somewhere other than a fast-food restaurant, the ice cream is wonderful, and the restaurant is usually clean. It's a solid choice for a quick snack.