Local officials, brand leaders and development partners alike gathered in Daytona Beach May 12 for the groundbreaking of this legendary burger chain’s first Volusia County restaurant.
After months of anticipation, construction commenced this morning at the site of the area’s new White Castle, located at 1944 LPGA Blvd. in Daytona Beach.
Known as America’s first fast-food hamburger chain, the iconic castle-style restaurant, founded in 1921, operates just three other locations within the state, including one in Clermont, Kissimmee and Orlando — the largest free-standing White Castle in the world, according to a recent release.
“When we think about White Castle as a family-owned business and what we can mean for community, for one thing, we mean more jobs. We’ll be hiring 70 new team members to join the White Castle family,” said White Castle Chief Marketing Officer Jamie Richardson in video from the groundbreaking, provided to The News-Journal.
”… This is going to be our fourth free-standing White Castle in the state of Florida. We just announced the fifth in St. Augustine, so we’re very excited to continue to grow here and to satisfy cravings from all over,” he continued.
Slated to open in late fall, the 3,430-square-foot restaurant will embrace the chain’s “sleek, modern industrial-style architectural design,” featuring indoor and outdoor seating and two drive-thru lanes, where guests can order their signature square-cut sliders and sides of choice — whether it’s a bacon-cheese slider, a breakfast slider or box of chicken rings.
“This investment means growth for Daytona Beach, and that has been the goal for the past five to six years, especially for Zone Five. We want to see it grow … We want to see people have opportunities to live here, work and play,” said Daytona Beach Commissioner Dannette Henry in the same video.
“So, it is an exciting time for Daytona Beach.”
In true White Castle spirit, the groundbreaking featured a “sprinkling of the onions” in the same location where a future grill will stand, signifying the brand’s “devotion to Central Florida” and its continued expansion.
The Columbus, Ohio-based business operates at least 336 locations in the U.S., primarily within the Midwest.
“This iconic brand has a loyal following, and its arrival adds to the variety of dining options that make our community such a diverse place to live, work, learn, play and visit,” said Daytona Beach City Manager Deric C. Feacher in a news release — a sentiment Richardson echoed.
“Bringing hot, tasty, affordable food available around the clock to more people in new places is the reason we exist,” Richardson added.
“Today’s groundbreaking event means we can officially begin our countdown to opening day, and we can’t wait.”
For information, visit whitecastle.com.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Iconic burger chain breaks ground at long-awaited Daytona Beach site
Reporting by Helena Perray, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
