White Castle tries wine, beer and barbecue

U.S. fast-food purveyor White Castle said it is studying new menu concepts, including Asian food, barbecue, and beer and wine sales. The chain known for its little square hamburgers has added beer and wine to the menu at a Lafayette, Ind., outlet The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reported Wednesday. The same location has combined White Castle's offerings with that of Blaze Modern BBQ. In other locations, the restaurant chain is experimenting with a combined White Castle/Laughing Noodle menu, the Dispatch said. "We're in the learning mode, so we haven't come to any absolute conclusions yet," said Jamie Richardson, White Castle System Inc.'s vice president of corporate relations. "But the [tests] are a good resource to consider when we're looking at new sites and seeing where we may grow next. "After all, the Grumpy Gourmet [former Dispatch food critic Doral Chenoweth] says nothing's better than a White Castle slider and a Bordeaux." Industry consultant Bonnie Riggs of the NPD Group said as restaurants compete for customers in a struggling economy, fast-food franchises are competing with sit-down restaurants and "fast-casual" outlets, such as Starbucks. "It's been a very challenging time in the restaurant industry in recent years, and folks are trying all kinds of ways of driving traffic into their restaurants and increasing sales," Riggs said. "Fast-casual restaurants have done well during these times as fast-food restaurants have struggled. So you're seeing fast-food companies trying to compete by raising the bar to meet a wider variety of needs."