White Castle Opens 3rd FL Location, Eyes Tampa Bay Expansion: Report

As the 105-year-old brand focuses on its growth in the Sunshine State, White Castle opened its third freestanding Central Florida location on Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting at its Kissimmee restaurant, according to a news release.

That location at 5828 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway joins those already open at 1595 Daryl Carter Pkwy. in Orlando and 4551 Colina Terrace in Clermont.

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Up next for the Ohio-based family-owned business are restaurants in Northeast Florida. A May 12 groundbreaking is planned for a Daytona Beach White Castle and a fifth is planned for St. Augustine, the news release said.

“This commitment marks the next exciting step in our Florida growth,” Jamie T. Richardson, the company’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “Our Orlando and Clermont Castles have been embraced with open arms, and we look forward to bringing our beloved sliders to St. Augustine.”

White Castle also recently rolled out a plan for 1,000 automated vending kiosks across the U.S., including one at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, allowing travelers to order freshly heated, ready-to-eat beef and chicken sliders on demand, the company said in a news release. The company already has a kiosk at Boston Logan International Airport and plans to expand at other airports in the country.

But what about the Tampa Bay area?

The fast food chain told The Tampa Bay Business Journal that it’s actively looking for real estate in the region and having a difficult time finding properties that fit the brand’s needs.

White Castles generally open in visible sites in densely populated neighborhoods and are around 3,500 and 4,000 square feet.

“We’re constantly looking for sites throughout Florida and major populated areas,” Richardson said.

Founded in 1921, White Castle owns and operates more than 330 restaurants across the U.S., as well as a retail division that provides freezer items to stores nationwide.

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