Undercover Boss

In the television program, Undercover Boss, CEO's of companies that depend on the satisfaction of the public they serve, disguise themselves and work incognito along side employees to see for themselves just how well the company is doing.  After working in several  capacities and at various company locations for a week or more, they report back to the executives at the home office.  The CEO then invites the employees that he worked with to come to the home office where they learn about the deception.  Of course the employees are surprised.  After their conduct is discussed, the episode ends on a high note; some get compliments and a raise, some get bonuses, and some get an all expense paid vacation to a place of their choice. 

During the episode that highlighted White Castle hamburgers, I was reminded of the many vacation trips when the family  traveled from the Midwest thru southern states to visit relatives.  On one of the trips we discovered a White Castle.  It was a new experience for us.  The town we lived in did not have a hamburger stand. We did have two lunch cafes that listed hamburgers on the menu, but they primarily sold things like hot beef sandwiches.  One of the cafes did a big business selling milk shakes, fried ham sandwiches and coca cola.  This was long before McDonalds or Burger King. 

We were delighted to find White Castles and we looked for them as we drove from town to town.  Looking for them became a game second only to stamping white horses every time you saw one in a field as we drove by. To stamp a white horse, you moistened the tip of your thumb, tapped it on the palm of your hand, then tapped the palm with a closed fist to seal the stamp. 

It has been many years since I ate a White Castle burger.  I don't remember what towns they were in, but as Undercover Boss filmed the one in Covington, Kentucky, I like to think we might have stopped there for burgers on our way to Louisville, Kentucky, our primary vacation destination.