PRAIRIE DU SAC, Wis. — Culver's Restaurants has released results of its 2008 Custard Election, which seem to be on track with the presumptive outcome of next week's presidential election.
Culver's guests participated in the Custard Election by purchasing their favorite candidate's sundae in-store or by voting online at www.votecustard.com. Results from in-store purchases made up the electoral college vote, and online ballots were tracked as the popular vote. Votes were collected from Sept. 29 through Oct. 26 with a record-setting 103,000 online voters —99,500 more votes than were cast in the 2004 Custard Election.
Just two weeks after the polls opened on Sept. 29, nearly 73,000 votes had been cast online. In-store votes were up as well, especially with Culver's attempt to "buy votes" during its second annual $1 ButterBurger Customer Appreciation Day held on Oct. 7.
Heath Toffeebits, the Democratic sundae candidate, clinched the popular vote with 51 percent of total online votes. In-store electoral college votes took a different turn. Reese E. Buttercup, the Republican sundae candidate, out-sold and therefore won the in-store vote with 53 percent of the 70,700 total votes.
The outcome begs the question — are guests voting for flavor or political party?
"The disparity between the winner of the popular vote and electoral college proves that anything can happen," said Chris Contino, vice president of marketing for Culver's.
The limited time sundae flavors, available at all participating Culver's restaurants through Nov. 4, include:
- Republican Reese E. Buttercup — Vanilla Custard with the traditional toppings of hot fudge and Reese's peanut butter cup chunks.
- Democratic Heath Toffeebits — Vanilla Custard with the alternative toppings caramel and Heath bar.
Culver's has posted Heath Toffeebits "acceptance speech," online results, weekly opinion polls, and the custard debates, including "The Fudge Crisis," "Global Custard Warming," and "Pecan-Cashew Conflict," at www.votecustard.com.
