White Castle debuts in Arizona, but limits hours after ‘record-setting’ demandWhite Castle debuts in Arizona, but limits hours after ‘record-setting’ demand

The White Castle burger brand opened its first store in Arizona on Wednesday, the largest unit for the 98-year-old company.

The unit had planned for 24-hour service, but it reportedly limited opening hours from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. after “record-setting” demand.

The new Scottsdale, Ariz., restaurant is the Columbus, Ohio-based brand’s first company-owned store west of the Mississippi River, and it covers 4,589 square feet and seating more than 200, including on a covered patio.

“We’re really excited to open our first Arizona location,” said Lisa Ingram, White Castle CEO and president as well as a fourth-generation member of the family-owned brand, in a statement. “We have so many loyal fans in the Scottsdale area who have been craving a Castle here. We look forward to serving them and to creating new friends and fans of our one-of-a kind, steam-grilled taste.”

One of those fans was rock musician Alice Cooper, a long-time Original Slider devotee who has a large photo in a corner of the restaurant. The Scottsdale-area resident attended the groundbreaking for the unit in April and was the first to dine with his family in his namesake booth at a pre-opening event Sunday.

The new restaurant, located in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s Talking Stick Entertainment District, features an open kitchen visible to the dining room, televisions, free WiFi and a soda center.

Related:White Castle keeps leadership in the family

White Castle, founded in 1921 in Wichita, Kan., has more than 370 restaurants in 13 states. The Scottsdale location will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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