Series SpongeBob SquarePants First appearance "Help Wanted" Owner Mr. Krabs | Type Restaurant Location Bikini Bottom | |
 | ||
Employees Mr. Krabs
SpongeBob SquarePants
Squidward Tentacles | ||
The Krusty Krab is a fictional fast food restaurant in the American animated comedy TV series SpongeBob SquarePants. It was founded by Mr. Krabs (who is also the owner), and is famous for its Krabby Patty burgers. The restaurant first appears in the pilot episode, "Help Wanted" and has since become a common setting in the series. Aside from SpongeBob SquarePants, the Krusty Krab has also appeared in the show's two film adaptations, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004) and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015), and in other related media.
Contents
Role in SpongeBob SquarePants
The Krusty Krab is a restaurant that sells various fast food products at extraordinarily high prices, including the popular Krabby Patty burgers. Typical of the series, there are inconsistencies in the origin of the restaurant's name; in one episode, it is stated that the Krusty Krab took its name from the Rusty Krab, a retirement home in Bikini Bottom acquired by Mr. Krabs and converted into a restaurant. but in another, the restaurant got its name from a pirate ship named the Krusty Krab, which Mr. Krabs also owned. The Krusty Krab is one of the most successful restaurants in Bikini Bottom. The Krabby Patty formula is a closely guarded trade secret, and rival restaurateur Plankton's futile attempts at acquiring the secret formula (as well as the often absurd lengths Mr. Krabs will go to protect it) is a major recurring theme throughout the series. The Krusty Krab usually attracts customers from Bikini Bottom because of the Krabby Patty's renowned taste and the fact that Plankton's restaurant, the Chum Bucket, has a menu consisting of mostly inedible chum. Because of this lack of viable competition, Mr. Krabs is free to engage in price gouging, which he usually does. It was noted that the Krusty Krab is clean and disease-free.
Aside from Krabs (who spends most of his time at the restaurant counting money in his office), the Krusty Krab has two full-time employees: SpongeBob SquarePants, the fry cook and janitor; and Squidward Tentacles, the restaurant's cashier. On rare occasions, Krabs will hire Patrick Star for various spot gigs.
Development
Stephen Hillenburg's original name for the Krusty Krab was the "Crusty Crab," but he thought the K's were funnier. The building's design is based on a New England lobster trap.
Cultural influence
The Krusty Krab has appeared in Robot Chicken in its episode "Major League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" where the Krusty Krab serves Krabby Patties which are made of crab, calamari rings, and chicken of the sea salad which is tuna. In an episode of Red Sox Small Talk, John Ferrell was featured and was fielded with "tough" questions like "What is your favorite musician?" and "Is managing the Red Sox like managing the Krusty Krab on SpongeBob SquarePants?" He replied that "managing the Krusty Krab and the Red Sox are similar in some ways." In 2016, Time magazine included the Krusty Krab into the list of the most influential fictional companies of all time.
Real-life replica
A replica of the Krusty Krab was built in Ramallah, Palestine. In January 2016, Nickelodeon's parent company Viacom filed a lawsuit against the operators of an unaffiliated, for-profit "Krusty Krab" restaurant to be opened in Texas. A Texas federal judge ruled in January 2017 that the planned restaurant violated Viacom's rights to the SpongeBob property, thus halting its construction.
Merchandising
In 2006, Lego released the Lego SpongeBob SquarePants set based on the Krusty Krab. The second Krusty Krab based Lego set called the "Krusty Krab Adventures" was released in 2009.