I ordered the same meal at Freddy's and Culver's. Both offered value, but only one Midwest favorite dominated every category.

Like football teams, Midwesterners take burger joints seriously.

Your favorite says something about your character.

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs meant eating at Wisconsin-born Culver’s, which started in 1984 and now operates over 1,000 locations across 26 states, including more than 100 in Illinois.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is another Midwest favorite, founded nearly two decades later in 2002.

Today, the Kansas-based chain has 500 stores in 37 states (plus Canada), though there aren’t any in Chicago anymore.

Throughout 2024 and 2025, Freddy’s closed all 11 Chicagoland locations, citing financial reasons.

Still, Freddy’s is growing rapidly in other regions, nearly doubling its stores over the past eight years.

Both are known for their burgers and custard, so I knew I had to compare.

To keep things fair, I spent the same Saturday evening at each restaurant near my current home in Indianapolis.

I ordered the combo meal, consisting of the chain’s most basic but iconic burger (sans pickles), a side of fries, and concrete custard to wash it down.