White Castle slider called 'most influential'

Time magazine says White Castle's small, square "sliders" are "the most influential burger of all time." (AP/ White Castle)

Time magazine says White Castle's small, square "sliders" are "the most influential burger of all time."

The magazine notes the "now-iconic square patty" that debuted in 1921 in Wichita, Kan. was the first burger to spawn a fast-food empire. White Castle has been based in Columbus since 1934.

The Time story — http://ti.me/1eWFs19 — puts the White Castle burger at the top of the list of the 17 most influential burgers of all time, beating out burgers from McDonald's and In-N-Out.

White Castle vice president Jamie Richardson tells The Columbus Dispatch that "slider" has been a term of endearment for the delectable little burgers since the 1950s.