Kopp's Frozen Custard

{{Infobox company

| name = Kopp's Frozen Custard

| logo = Kopps logo.png

| logo_size =

| image = Kopp's sign.jpg

| image_size =

| image_alt =

| image_caption =

| type = Private

| foundation = {{start date and age|1950}} in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

| founders = {{ublist |Elsa Kopp}}

| location = 7631 W Layton Ave
Greenfield, Wisconsin, U.S.

| key_people = Karl Kopp (son), owner of Greenfield and Glendale stores
Mac McGuire, owner of Brookfield store

| owner = Kopp and McGuire family

| area_served = Milwaukee metropolitan area

| locations = 3 (2021)

| products = fast casual restaurants specializing in frozen custard, jumbo burgers

| industry = Restaurant

| revenue =

| genre = fast-casual

| homepage = {{URL|https://kopps.com/}}

}}

Kopp's Frozen Custard is a restaurant chain located in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. It specializes in frozen custard and large "jumbo" hamburgers. Founded by Elsa Kopp in 1950, the restaurants continue to be heralded by local publications for their quality food.{{Cite news|url=http://www2.jsonline.com/onwisconsin/dining/best/custard.asp |title=Kopp's, Oscar's top our custard dream team |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210230357/http://www2.jsonline.com/onwisconsin/dining/best/custard.asp |archivedate=February 10, 2007 }} They have locations in three Milwaukee suburbs—Greenfield, Brookfield, and Glendale.{{Cite news|url=https://onmilwaukee.com/dining/articles/milwaukee-talks-karl-kopp.html|title=Milwaukee Talks: Karl Kopp|date=2017-01-03|work=OnMilwaukee.com|access-date=2020-04-06|language=en}}

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.{{Cite news |url=http://www2.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=147069&format=print |title=A peaches 'n' cream career |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}}{{Dead link|date=September 2013}}

History

=Founding=

File:Kopp's Frozen Custard machines.jpg founder and frozen custard machine expert Leon Schneider (Kopp's custard machines pictured).]]

Elsa Kopp opened the first Kopp's stand at 6005 W. Appleton Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin (now the site of JJ Fish & Chicken) in 1950.{{Cite web |url=http://milwaukee.about.com/od/MilwaukeeRestaurants/fr/Kopps-Frozen-Custard.htm |accessdate=2013-10-04 |title=Kopp's Frozen Custard |last=Trousil |first=Carrie |work=About.com Milwaukee |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928172812/http://milwaukee.about.com/od/MilwaukeeRestaurants/fr/Kopps-Frozen-Custard.htm |archive-date=2013-09-28 |url-status=dead }} A German 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 (the founder of Leon's Frozen Custard in 1942), whom Elsa Kopp had met while working at a bakery.

File:Kopp's Frozen Custard interior.jpg

{{multiple image

| total_width = 230

| image1 = Kopp's circa 1990.jpg

| image2 = Kopps Burger (cropped).jpg

| footer = Kopp's custard and burger

}}

The Kopp's frozen custard stand rose in popularity quickly during the 1950s and was soon seen as a Milwaukee staple.{{Cite news|url=http://www.shepherd-express.com/7_28_05/noize_eatdrink.htm |title=Custard Cool-Off |newspaper=Shepherd Express |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060320110403/http://www.shepherd-express.com/7_28_05/noize_eatdrink.htm |archivedate=March 20, 2006 }} 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, a controversial act in the early frozen custard community. After this, Kopp's began offering increasingly diverse concoctions which became their well known "flavor of the day" menu option. Kopp's offers two unique flavors every day and a featured shake and sundae of the month. The featured flavors are often related to events for that day or month.{{cite episode |title=Need a treat? Check the flavor forecast at Kopp's Frozen Custard |url=http://fox6now.com/2014/07/17/need-a-treat-check-the-flavor-forecast-at-kopps-frozen-custard/ |airdate=July 17, 2014 |at=Who Does That? |series=Studio A |network=Fox6 (WITI) |place=Milwaukee, Wisconsin |publisher=The Tribune Company}}

The Glendale location (5373 N. Port Washington Ave.) is on the site of the former Milky Way drive-in restaurant, the inspiration for the external look of the Happy Days diner, Arnold's Drive-In.

Kopp's is now owned by Elsa's son, Karl Kopp, who also owns Elsa's on the Park on Jefferson Street in downtown Milwaukee, which opened New Year's Eve of 1980.{{Cite news|url=https://onmilwaukee.com/dining/articles/milwaukee-talks-karl-kopp.html|title=Milwaukee Talks: Karl Kopp|date=2017-01-03|work=OnMilwaukee.com|access-date=2020-01-20|language=en}} He has also opened restaurants in Arizona and New York.{{Cite news |url=http://onmilwaukee.com/dining/articles/az88.html |title=Kopp's restaurant empire doesn't stop at state line |last=Tarnoff |first=Andy |date=April 14, 2004 |work=OnMilwaukee.com}}{{cite news |title=Milwaukee's Kopp continues westward expansion with Hanny's |first=Andy |last=Tarnoff |date=March 10, 2009 |url=http://onmilwaukee.com/visitors/articles/hannys.html |work=OnMilwaukee.com}} Each location prominently displays a portrait of Elsa Kopp.{{cite web|last=Muszynski|first=Lacey|title=Milwaukee's Top Burgers|date=September 16, 2016|work=Shepherd Express|url=https://shepherdexpress.com/food/brew-city-booze/milwaukee-s-top-burgers/}}

In 2024, Florida Panthers general manager and former Kopp's employee Bill Zito visited a Kopp's restaurant and used the Stanley Cup as a bowl for his custard.{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/panthers-general-manager-bill-zito-day-with-stanley-cup-in-milwaukee |title=Zito gives Stanley Cup full Milwaukee experience, including frozen custard |last=Myers |first=Tracy |date=August 14, 2024 |website=NHL.com |publisher= |access-date=September 11, 2024 |quote=}}{{cite web |url=https://floridahockeynow.com/bill-zito-stanley-cup-home-to-milwaukee-brewers/ |title=Bill Zito Brings Stanley Cup Home to Milwaukee, Visits the Brewers |last=Richards |first=George |date=August 15, 2024 |website=FloridaHockeyNow |publisher= |access-date=September 11, 2024 |quote=}}

=Vice Presidential visits=

In September during his 2004 campaign for reelection, Vice President Dick Cheney made an unannounced visit to a Kopp's Frozen Custard location at the suggestion of Bart Starr. After Cheney ordered coffee, store manager Scott Borkin met him outside and additionally offered him a cup of custard, which Cheney accepted.{{cite news |date=September 12, 2004 |title=Manager wouldn't let Cheney pass up some good custard |url= |work=The Modesto Bee |agency=Associated Press |page=A-1, A-11*}}{{cite web|last=Applemann|first=Eric|publisher=Democracy in Action|work=P2004: The 2004 Presidential Campaign|title=The Travels of Vice President Dick Cheney -- September 2004|url=http://p2004.org/bush/cheneycal0904.html}}

In June 2010, Vice President Joe Biden visited a Kopp's Frozen Custard location while campaigning for Democratic senator Russ Feingold. When Biden asked Borkin what he owed for his custard, he said that it was on the house and suggested Biden "lower our taxes and we’ll call it even." Biden responded, "Why don’t you say something nice instead of being a smartass all the time?" He later apologized to Borkin, saying his response was meant as a joke.{{Cite news |last=Christopher |first=Tommy |date=29 June 2010 |title=Joe Biden Custard Store 'Smartass' Speaks Out |work=Mediaite |url=https://www.mediaite.com/online/exclusive-joe-biden-custard-store-smartass-speaks-out/ |access-date=1 December 2022}} Borkin appeared on Fox & Friends to discuss the incident, which was covered by local and other national news agencies.{{cite news |url=http://www.wisn.com/V-P-Joe-Biden-Visits-Kopp-s-Custard-Banters-With-Manager/8829668#!bBzC8d |title=V.P. Joe Biden Visits Kopp's Custard; Banters With Manager |date=June 26, 2010 |publisher=WISN-TV |location=Milwaukee, Wisconsin}}