White Castle's first Arizona location opened in Scottsdale in October 2019 to much acclaim — over 200 hungry people waited in line for an 8 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony to get their hands on the legendary sliders. The new location is expected to create 60 new jobs, according to a press release.
The 2,800-square-foot space will debut with a drive-thru at the Emerald Center off Warner Road at I-10 near Main Event Tempe and Texas Roadhouse. Emerald Center is the developer while Cuhaci Peterson, which has worked with brands like Curaleaf, Mellow Mushroom, and Panda Express, is the architect behind the project.
White Castle has been around since 1921, when it sold small square burgers for just five cents as the "first fast food hamburger chain in the world," according to its website.
The generally 24-hour restaurant garnered lots of pop culture recognition since its debut over a century ago. The Beastie Boys referenced White Castle in multiple songs, Harold and Kumar went on a New Jersey stoner adventure to obtain some beloved burgers, and Time Magazine even named the slider the most influential burger of all time in 2014.
White Castle locations are scattered throughout the East Coast and Midwest, though the sliders are harder to come by in the Southwest. But soon, Harold and Kumar will have a new road trip to complete. White Castle, complete with its itty bitty hamburgers, crinkle fries, and castle tower exterior, is coming to Tempe.
White Castle
Opening in 2023 8755 South Jewel Street, Tempe
www.whitecastle.com
