ORLANDO, Fla. (May 3, 2021) – The wait is over, Orlando residents and visitors! White Castle®, home of The Original Slider® and America’s first fast-food hamburger chain, opened its Orlando Castle with fanfare and a ribbon cutting at 8 a.m. this morning. The Orlando Castle – the largest free-standing White Castle in the world – marks the beloved brand’s return to Florida since operating four restaurants in Miami in the 1960s.
The Opening marks the beloved brand’s return to Florida since the 1960s
Located in southwest Orlando at Unicorp’s $1 billion The Village at O-Town West mixed-use development, White Castle has been long-anticipated by “Cravers” throughout the Central Florida region and beyond. This newest Castle has hired 140 team members and managers.
The family-owned business, founded in 1921, has been satisfying cravings for 100 years. VIPs joining the grand opening festivities included White Castle President and CEO Lisa Ingram – a fourth-generation family member – along with other third- and fourth-generation family members and company leaders, White Castle Hall of Famers, local elected officials, development partners, invited guests, and notably, craving fans hungry for a taste of their beloved White Castle.
“You could say our Orlando Castle has been 100 years in the making,” remarked Ingram. “We have been humbled and honored by the warm welcome we have received to date from the Central Florida community. Our vision at White Castle is to ‘feed the souls of craver generations everywhere’ and our mission is to ‘create memorable moments every day’. We can’t wait to meet our new neighbors, whether long-time Cravers or new to the Castle.”
To ensure a tasty, fun and memorable experience for all during its Orlando Castle grand opening and every day, White Castle has implemented health and safety measures consistent with Orange County’s COVID-19 guidelines, including mask requirements for all team members and guests, social distancing, ongoing cleaning, and hand sanitizers and wipes.
The Orlando Castle is open for take-out, dine-in and drive-through service today until 1 a.m. Starting tomorrow, Tuesday, the Orlando Castle begins regular operating hours, 9 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days per week. At some point in the future, White Castle will operate 24 hours per day. Guests can “crave on” with a maximum order of 60 sliders per visit. White Castle expects to increase that maximum order as well as launch online ordering in the months ahead.
Since its beginning 100 years ago, White Castle has held fast to its founder’s belief that families everywhere should be able to enjoy an evening at a restaurant with tasty food at a great value. Based in Columbus, Ohio, White Castle is excited to venture south to become part of the Central Florida community, providing a place where morning, noon and night, fans can satisfy their cravings and create memorable moments.
About White Castle®
White Castle, America’s first fast-food hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty Sliders as a family-owned business for 100 years. Based in Columbus, Ohio, White Castle started serving The Original Slider® in 1921. Today White Castle owns and operates more than 360 restaurants dedicated to satisfying customers’ cravings morning, noon and night and sells its famous fare in retail stores nationwide.
The Original Slider, named in 2014 as Time Magazine’s most influential burger of all time, is served alongside a menu of creatively crafted sliders and other mouthwatering food options, including White Castle’s Impossible™ Slider, named by Thrillist in 2019 as the “Best Plant-Based Fast Food Burger.”
White Castle’s commitment to maintaining the highest quality products extends to the company owning and operating its own meat processing plants, bakeries and frozen-food processing plants. White Castle is known for its faithful fans, affectionately referred to as Cravers, many of whom compete each year for entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame. For more information on White Castle, visit whitecastle.com.
About Unicorp
Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Unicorp is a passionate developer creating unique destinations that transcend time. From luxury resorts and communities, comprehensive mixed-use village centers, the finest apartments, and unparalleled retail centers to grand-scale master-planned communities, Unicorp National Developments, Inc., continues to be a trusted leader in selecting, securing, and developing exceptional properties that not only endure but build stronger and more beautiful communities.