White Castle, America’s first fast-food hamburger chain and home of The Original Slider, opened its Daytona Beach Castle today with a celebratory ribbon cutting, fanfare and first-day Craver excitement. The opening marks the brand’s fourth freestanding Central Florida Castle and the newest chapter in a Florida expansion that has been building since 2021.
Located at 1944 LPGA Boulevard just west of the I-95 interchange, the 3,430-square-foot Daytona Beach Castle features indoor and outdoor seating, two drive-through lanes and an iconic tower design with a sleek, modern-industrial flair. In place of traditional drive-through windows, hospitality doors let team members step outside and hand orders directly to guests in their cars, a hallmark of the modern Castle. On opening day, White Castle welcomed hundreds of excited fans — known as Cravers — with Sliders and smiles, and the first 105 guests through the doors received White Castle swag, a nod to the company’s 105 years in business.
Opening day drew enthusiastic Cravers from across Central Florida and beyond, eager to be among the first to experience the highly anticipated location. VIPs attending the ribbon cutting included White Castle President Anthony Joseph, who was joined by family members and company leaders, local elected officials, community partners and invited guests.
A White Castle grand opening is marked by lighthearted festivities, and the Daytona opening was no exception. The royal celebration began with a ceremonial processional, as the Daytona Beach team marched in bearing the Castle’s Scepter to the tune of the Entrance March from Act III of Johann Strauss II’s The Gypsy Baron. Next came The Passing of the Golden Scissors Ceremony, followed by the official ribbon cutting, a burst of confetti cannons and the long-awaited proclamation: “It’s a Castle!”
“There is no better feeling than handing over the very first Sliders in a new community,” said Joseph. “A Castle truly becomes a Castle when neighbors walk through the doors, and Daytona Beach showed up for us today. We are grateful for such a warm welcome and look forward to being part of this community for generations to come.”
Chief Marketing Officer Jamie T. Richardson added, “Every Castle takes on the personality of the place it calls home, and you could feel Daytona Beach’s spirit the moment the doors opened. From our hospitality doors to the Crave Case built for beach days, this Castle was designed to meet Cravers right where they are. Today’s turnout is a reminder of why we choose each new location so thoughtfully.”
The Daytona Beach Castle brings more than 60 new jobs to Volusia County, continuing White Castle’s commitment to investing in the communities where it does business and cultivating talent from within. The restaurant is led by General Manager Kenneth Espinal, a dedicated member of the White Castle family since 2021.
Community leaders welcomed the investment and the boost it brings to the LPGA Boulevard corridor.
“It’s exciting for me to see another nationally recognized brand choose to grow in our community. White Castle’s investment reflects confidence in Daytona Beach, home to more than 91,000 residents. White Castle will offer another dining option to an already diverse restaurant scene,” said City of Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick L. Henry. (As a dedicated high school teacher in addition to his Mayoral duties, Mayor Henry was unable to attend; he was represented by Volusia County Commissioner Dannette Henry during the festivities).
The Daytona Beach Castle joins the Orlando flagship, the largest White Castle in the world and the site of the brand’s celebrated 2021 return to the Sunshine State; the Clermont Castle, which opened in 2025; and the Kissimmee Castle, which opened in May 2026. Two additional Florida Castles are planned for St. Augustine and Lake Nona.
Operating hours at the Daytona Beach Castle are 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Guests can dine in, take out or pull through the drive-through for the classic lineup of Sliders and sides, including the Crave Case, a 30-Slider haul built for family gatherings, beach days and everything in between. Known for turning openings into fan celebrations, White Castle once again delivered a memorable first day filled with excitement, nostalgia and, of course, plenty of Sliders.
