Culver's is finally crossing into Oklahoma, and the Wisconsin-born ButterBurger chain has picked a corner of far west Oklahoma City to do it. Building permits show the company plans a $3 million, 4,504-square-foot restaurant along S. Mustang Road near S.W. 15th Street and the John Kilpatrick Turnpike interchange.
The Oklahoman reported the planned restaurant on Oklahoma City's western edge. Separately, KOCO reported that Erickson Enterprises LLC filed the building permit application for the restaurant at 1300 S. Mustang Road, with the paperwork also listing new city water and sewer service for the site. KOCO noted that an opening date was not yet known.
Culver's Oklahoma Debut
The restaurant will mark Culver's entry into the state.
Separately, a 2022 Central Oklahoma Weeklies article described Mustang Creek Crossing as a 300-acre development spanning both sides of the Kilpatrick Turnpike between S.W. 15th Street and I-40, while another description put it at 260 acres. The reported acreage figures differ.
Retail Neighbors Near the Culver's Site
The Culver's site sits near a new Walmart Neighborhood Market under construction; Starbucks and Wendy's locations are already nearby.
That retail buildout builds on momentum the corridor has had for years. Back in 2022, Central Oklahoma Weeklies reported that Mustang Creek Crossing was already home to Wendy's, OnCue and Okie Express Auto Wash, and that a Starbucks pad-site deal had closed nearby — a sign the stretch along the Kilpatrick Turnpike has been steadily filling in well before Culver's decided to join it.
Butter, Custard, and a Showdown With Braum's
Culver's first opened in 1984 as a family business in Sauk City, Wisconsin, according to KOCO. The chain has since opened several locations nationwide, per KOCO, and is known for ButterBurgers. Its menu includes chicken, seafood, sides, cheese curds and frozen custard.
That lineup sets up a direct rivalry with Oklahoma's own Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Stores. A Z94 piece frames the matchup bluntly, noting that Culver's and Braum's “live in the same neighborhood” with burgers, fries, ice cream and a family-friendly vibe, while also acknowledging that Braum's has “extremely deep roots” baked into Oklahoma's rural communities after decades of operating in the state.
Oklahoma City Is the First Stop
The Oklahoma City restaurant is positioned as Culver's first in the state. For now, attention is on S. Mustang Road, where Walmart construction and the Culver's permit are adding to activity along the corridor.
