White Castle ‘marching forward’ on restaurant near Disney World despite coronavirus

White Castle is opening a restaurant near Disney in Orlando.

White Castle’s hamburger sliders are still coming to Orlando even with the impact coronavirus is having on the restaurant industry.

The Columbus-based company said it is working to submit plans to local officials in the next couple of weeks to bring the chain back to Florida after leaving the state in the 1960s.

“Long-term we are looking forward to marching forward and opening our first White Castle in Florida and Orlando sometime in the first few months of next year,” said Jamie Richardson, White Castle’s vice president of government and shareholder relations.

The 4,500-square-foot restaurant is planned for the O-Town West development on Daryl Carter Parkway near Disney World. Developer Chuck Whittall confirmed that both White Castle and popular Chicago restaurant Portillo’s are going ahead at the site.

“White Castle is pushing us along,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Portillo’s said the restaurant “is excited to come to Lake Buena Vista, but we do not have an update at this time.”