Kopp's Frozen Custard
Encyclopedia
Kopp's Frozen Custard is a restaurant chain located in the Milwaukee
, Wisconsin
area. It specializes in frozen custard
and large "jumbo" hamburger
s. Founded by Elsa Kopp in 1950, the restaurants continue to be heralded by local publications for their quality food. They have locations in three Milwaukee suburbs.
Kopp's was the first custard stand to offer a special "flavor of the day" in addition to the more traditional chocolate
and vanilla
flavors.
immigrant with no prior business experience, Kopp started the stand after her husband, Karl Kopp, developed Parkinson's disease
.
Some support in starting the business came from Leon Schneider, a custard machine repairman (later the founder of Leon's Frozen Custard
), whom Elsa Kopp had met while working at a bakery.
The Kopp's frozen custard stand rose in popularity quickly during the 1950s and was soon seen as a Milwaukee staple.
The Glendale location (5373 N. Port Washington Ave.) is on the site of the former Milky Way drive-in restaurant; the inspiration for the Happy Days
diner, Arnold's Drive-In.
. After this, Kopp's began offering increasingly diverse concoctions which became their well known "flavor of the day" menu option.
On Thursdays, the locations offer a second flavor of the day, as a "Thursday's Child" option. Part of the profits from the sales of this flavor are contributed to UNICEF.
Joe Biden
was widely reported in the media, after the vice president was rude to Glendale location manager Scott Borkin, saying "Why don't you say something nice instead of being a smartass all the time?"
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
area. It specializes in frozen custard
Frozen custard
Frozen custard is a cold dessert similar to ice cream, made with eggs in addition to cream and sugar.In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration requires products marketed as frozen custard to contain at least 10 percent milkfat and 1.4 percent egg yolk solids. If it has fewer egg yolk...
and large "jumbo" hamburger
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
s. Founded by Elsa Kopp in 1950, the restaurants continue to be heralded by local publications for their quality food. They have locations in three Milwaukee suburbs.
Kopp's was the first custard stand to offer a special "flavor of the day" in addition to the more traditional chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
and vanilla
Vanilla
Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, Flat-leaved Vanilla . The word vanilla derives from the Spanish word "", little pod...
flavors.
Founding
Elsa Kopp opened the first Kopp's stand at 6005 W. Appleton Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin (now the site of Robert's Frozen Custard) in 1950. A GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
immigrant with no prior business experience, Kopp started the stand after her husband, Karl Kopp, developed Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
.
Some support in starting the business came from Leon Schneider, a custard machine repairman (later the founder of Leon's Frozen Custard
Leon's Frozen Custard
Leon's Frozen Custard is a classic 1950s-style family owned drive-in, specializing in frozen custard, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It opened in 1942 and is considered a landmark in the city of Milwaukee....
), whom Elsa Kopp had met while working at a bakery.
The Kopp's frozen custard stand rose in popularity quickly during the 1950s and was soon seen as a Milwaukee staple.
The Glendale location (5373 N. Port Washington Ave.) is on the site of the former Milky Way drive-in restaurant; the inspiration for the Happy Days
Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
diner, Arnold's Drive-In.
Flavor of the day
By 1960 the Kopp's stand was successful enough that Elsa felt comfortable experimenting with more exotic frozen custard recipes. Initially she mixed chocolate and vanilla, in the process committing what many in the early frozen custard community considered a heretical actHeresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
. After this, Kopp's began offering increasingly diverse concoctions which became their well known "flavor of the day" menu option.
On Thursdays, the locations offer a second flavor of the day, as a "Thursday's Child" option. Part of the profits from the sales of this flavor are contributed to UNICEF.
Joe Biden Visit
A visit from Vice President of the United StatesVice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
was widely reported in the media, after the vice president was rude to Glendale location manager Scott Borkin, saying "Why don't you say something nice instead of being a smartass all the time?"