Culver’s Original 1984 Menu Is Giving Us Serious FOMO

With its classic vibe and menu, Culver’s has the feel of having been around forever – so it’s a bit of a surprise that it’s only been in operation since 1984. Over the last four decades or so, the chain has certainly modernized, and it’s not afraid to jump on some very current trends, but in some ways, its menu feels like it did when it first opened its doors: ButterBurgers and frozen custard still reign supreme.

Videos by Sporked

In other ways, though, things have changed – and along the way, it’s left some once-very-attractive prices behind. Here’s what we mean. 

1984 Vs. Now

Finding an original menu from the first Culver’s is nigh-on impossible, and when publications like Mashed have reached out to the chain to see if they could provide one, they’ve been told that it’s unavailable. We do know, however, that a lot of the staples you’ll find today are still there. Culver’s launched with its ButterBurgers and frozen custard, and it also offered fried fish and pot roast sandwiches. 

That said, the 1984 experience would likely feel worlds away from how it does now. First off, if you ate at the first restaurant in Sauk City, Wisconsin, you’d have likely been served by the Culver family itself; back then, it was an unfranchised operation, with that changing in 1990. The ButterBurgers would also have been made differently: As the Culver’s website says, “The first ButterBurgers were made with an ice cream scoop. That’s right — fresh beef for the first ButterBurgers was “scooped” into perfect portions, then pressed into the grill to achieve the sear we know and love today.” ButterBurgers are still squashed onto the flat top, but the ice cream scoop is a thing of the past. 

2000 Vs. Now

An image from 2000 showing the Culver’s menu from that year gives us a little more detail on how the menu has changed over time. Back at the turn of the century, Culver’s was serving such delights as Philly Ribeye Steak sandwiches, Turkey Sourdough BLTs, and Chili Cheese Dogs. Nowadays, it’s focused way more on its burgers (specifically, its pub burgers), which could be considered a streamlining; maybe it overstretched itself slightly with these other choices.

Where it wasn’t overstretching itself was on price. Back in 2000, a jumbo Bacon ButterBurger Deluxe would cost you $3.99; its equivalent today, the Triple Bacon Deluxe, comes in at around $11.19, depending on where you get it. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI Inflation Calculator, $3.99 in January 2000 was equivalent to around $7.69 in January 2026…so its price rises have outpaced standard inflation rates.

It’s the same story for a standard ButterBurger, which would have cost $1.69 in 2000, equivalent to around $3.26 in today’s money. In actuality, though, in some places it’ll set you back around $4.39. Hey, we still love you, Culver’s.