White Castle Heads to Phoenix After a Decade of Customer Demand

White Castle has seen a series of ups and downs as it relates to expansion and development into new markets over its 98-year history. The brand has grown from its Columbus, Ohio roots to become a force in the quick-service restaurant industry, but has cautiously kept its presence a regional one, dominating the Midwest and selectively expanding to areas along the East Coast—until now.

A recent QSR Magazine article explored White Castle’s foray in westward expansion—first, with a location in Las Vegas in 2015 and now as it expands into the Phoenix market for the first time. According to the article, a growing fan base that became increasingly vocal on social media over the span of a decade led to the brand’s arrival in Phoenix, its inaugural restaurant in Arizona having broke ground in mid-April. White Castle plans to open its doors this fall, when the restaurant will become the first family-owned White Castle west of the Mississippi River.

“The fact that our sandwiches are known and loved [in Arizona] already helps a lot,” White Castle VP Jamie Richardson told QSR. “There’s a built in-base and loyal following. We also see it as a high growth area with lots of potential.”