Tiny Burgers and WiFi

August 8, 2005

Krystal, the fast-food chain, today announces that it now offers Wi-Fi Internet access to guests. Many of the company’s 180-plus franchise-operated restaurant locations are now official “Krystal HotSpots,” with more to come.

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For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Southern fast-food chain, it is very similar to White Castle, offering small, square hamburgers for something like 30 of them for $3. If you’re into fast food, they are a great late-night post-party meal, especially around college campuses, wherein some of the locations offer late-hour walk-up windows (ideal for college students without cars or college students who, after a long night of partying, are in no shape to drive but are starving for itty-bitty burgers).

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Since launching its first “Krystal HotSpot” in early 2003, Krystal claims to be one of the restaurant industry’s pioneers in providing free wireless Internet access; and with today’s announcement, Krystal is now the largest provider of free Wi-Fi of any fast-food chain nationwide and the only chain that has extended Wi-Fi access to all company-owned locations.

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For the Wi-Fi equipped, the Krystal HotSpot goes like this: no special configurations necessary; no user name and password to enter; and no payments necessary to go online. Krystal HotSpots use a broadband Internet connection that allows up to 32 users at one time to access the 802.11b hot spot, and to gain access users have to search for “Krystal Hotspot” in the Service Set Identifier (SSID). That’s it. The company also notes in its announcement that, “in keeping with Krystal’s long-standing tradition of being a ‘family-friendly’ environment, steps have been taken to block certain types of potentially objectionable material.”

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All Krystal HotSpot restaurants are listed on the company’s Web site.

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The fast-food company also announced today that 243 of Krystal’s company-owned restaurants now accept payment by credit and debit card.

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Last — but certainly not least — the fast-food chain, along with the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE), today announced the 11 host cities and dates for the official qualifying circuit of the 2005 Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship. The winner of each regional qualifier will earn one of the coveted seats at the world championship final table on Nov. 19, 2005, in Chattanooga, TN, where they will compete for a share of the $22,500 cash purse.

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As last year’s champion — with 69 Krystal hamburgers in eight minutes — Takeru Kobayashi, the world’s No. 1-ranked eater, has received an automatic seat at the main event. 'Atta boy.

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The only world hamburger-eating championship officially sanctioned by the IFOCE, the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship will kick off once again with its first regional qualifier on Labor Day, Sept. 5, in Chattanooga, and will then crisscross six states, from Texas to Florida, pitting the world’s best competitive eaters against the lifelong Krystal lovers who took the sensational sport by storm last fall.

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People interested in competing can find the most up-to-date information at www.krystal.com. Participants must be 18 years or over (and have a very strong stomach, one presumes).

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DRB