White Castle Breaks Ground on Second Restaurant in Arizona

The new Tempe Castle, scheduled to open in the first half of 2023, follows the successful openings of destination restaurants in Scottsdale and Orlando

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- White Castle broke ground yesterday on its second restaurant in Arizona. The new castle, which will open in the first half of 2023, will be located at 8755 South Jewel Street in south Tempe, just outside of Phoenix.

White Castle officials from the company's home office in Columbus, Ohio, and team members from the Phoenix region, along with Tempe Mayor Corey Woods and locally based Cravers Hall of Fame members, took part in the groundbreaking ceremony. The Cravers Hall of Fame inductees kicked off the event with a fun processional. White Castle's own Town Crier added to the festivities by christening the ground with an overflowing ladle of chopped onions — a groundbreaking tradition — in recognition of their role in flavoring White Castle's iconic Sliders.

"We can't wait to open our second Arizona Castle next year and serve up hot-and-tasty food to even more White Castle Cravers," said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle. "Our fans in the Valley of the Sun have warmly and enthusiastically embraced White Castle's Scottsdale location. We know they're going to love having another Castle right here in Tempe to satisfy their Crave!"

The new Tempe castle will be approximately 3,000 square feet with a 50-seat dining room and a hospitality door for drive-thru service. The exterior will feature an 880-square-foot patio with 50 seats and the distinctive White Castle tower. The restaurant will create about 60 full- and part-time jobs, including eight at the supervisory level. White Castle expects to begin hiring in early 2023. The Tempe Castle will feature the full White Castle menu of hot-and-tasty Sliders and sides to satisfy the crave of White Castle fans morning, noon and night.

White Castle opened its Scottsdale Castle to much fanfare in October 2019. More than three years later, the excitement continues, as the restaurant remains one of the chain's top performers. It even features an "Alice Cooper Corner" booth in honor of the local resident and White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame member.

In May 2021, White Castle opened a Castle in Orlando. The opening of that Castle — the largest free-standing White Castle in the world — marked the return of the beloved brand to Florida since operating four restaurants in Miami in the 1960s. Last month, White Castle opened its inaugural "Crave & Go" location in Orlando. The first of its kind in the White Castle system, Crave & Go is a stand-alone store meant specifically for pickup orders made through the official White Castle app or through White Castle's delivery partners.

White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty Sliders since 1921. Based in Columbus, Ohio, the family-owned business owns and operates more than 350 restaurants as well as a retail division providing its famous fare in freezer aisles of retail stores nationwide. As part of its commitment to offering the highest quality products, White Castle owns and operates its own Slider Provider meat plants, bakeries and frozen-Slider retail plants. White Castle has earned numerous accolades over the years including Time magazine's "Most Influential Burger of All Time" (2014, The Original Slider®) and Thrillist's "Best Plant-Based Fast-Food Burger" (2019, Impossible^™ Slider). In 2021, Fast Company named the fast-food pioneer one of the "10 Most Innovative Dining Companies." White Castle, which earned the Great Place to Work^® Certification™ in 2021 and 2022, is known for the legendary engagement of its team members, more than 1 in 4 of whom have worked for the business for at least 10 years. White Castle is beloved by its passionate fans ("Cravers"), many of whom compete each year for entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame. The official White Castle app makes it easy for Cravers to sign up for the Craver Nation^® loyalty program, access sweet deals and place pickup orders at any time. They can also have their orders delivered using one of White Castle's delivery partners. For more information on White Castle, visit whitecastle.com. 

SOURCE White Castle