How To Get A Free Burger Upgrade At Culver's That Packs Unforgettable Flavor

Culver's is known for its ButterBurgers, which are burgers with smashed patties and well-buttered toasted buns, an homage to Wisconsin's style of burger. There's plenty of toppings available, including fresh lettuce, tomato, sauces, and more. One ingredient that comes on many of them is raw red onion, but there's a free upgrade you can ask for that makes the burger more flavorful, and that's to ask for the onions to be grilled instead.

Culver's allows for grilled onions as a free swap, and this is good to note because most fast food chains don't actually serve grilled onions. (Try asking for it at McDonald's and see how quickly you get denied.) Raw onion haters will rejoice at finding grilled onions at Culver's, which soften that sharp onion bite and texture. One of the reasons why this is an easy swap is because grilled onions are an ingredient on two burgers by default, the Sourdough Melt and the Wisconsin Swiss Melt, which are plays on the classic patty melt. So if you're feeling guilty about asking for this swap, this isn't a custom hack that'll secretly frustrate the cashier or the line cook.

Almost every burger on Culver's menu already features raw or grilled onions; there's only one burger that doesn't, so adding grilled red onions to this one would be a great upgrade. That would be the Mushroom & Swiss Burger, which only features those items as toppings. If we're going nerdy on the food science, grilled onions have a nice umami tone, and though Culver's version won't be nearly as far done as homemade caramelized onions there'll still be some umami to add to the savoriness of the mushrooms. Of course, if you really want to go nuts on the umami, you can also add bacon at an additional price ($1.70 extra at my location in Chicago), which can improve nearly anything, including a humble grilled cheese sandwich (though Spam makes for a good substitute). 

The pot roast sandwich is a bit ho-hum with only plain pot roast on it, so it could use the addition of grilled onions as well. Grilled onions pair perfectly with beef and would amplify the savory flavors in the sandwich while also adding a touch of natural sweetness. Not only does the addition of grilled onions add a ton of great flavor, remember that they're also free, which is nearly as good.