Burgers rule

White Castle begins Texas reign with groundbreaking in The Colony

White Castle Burgers are coming soon.

White Castle

Cult-favorite burger chain White Castle took the next big step toward conquering the realm of Dallas, Texas: The Ohio-based chain known for its small, slider-size burgers broke ground on a new restaurant at Grandscape in The Colony on Tuesday, June 2.

The Colony will mark the 105-year-old restaurant's debut in Texas. According to a release, the shop will open in late fall 2026.

The groundbreaking was executed with fanfare befitting of a restaurant with "Castle" in its name: Five White Castle officials - two of whom are fourth-generation members of White Castle’s founding family - led the festivities alongside The Colony mayor Richard Boyer, elected officials, development partners "and no shortage of enthusiastic Cravers ready to welcome the brand to North Texas," the release says.

The dirt was turned using spatula-shovels and a ceremonial “sprinkling of the onions” took place on the very spot where a future grill will one day sizzle.

“As a family-owned business, we’ve wanted to get to Texas for a long time, and today we’re making it official. The Crave is here to stay,” says chief marketing officer Jamie Richardson in the release. “Grandscape in The Colony is exactly the kind of community we love being a part of, and we can’t wait to start serving hot, tasty Sliders to our newest Cravers in the Lone Star State.”

First announced in August 2025, the 3,430-square-foot Colony Castle will feature a double drive-thru with both canopy and patio seating, offering guests multiple ways to enjoy their Sliders, the company says. The new location is expected to create 70 jobs for local residents.

Founded in 1921 and based in Columbus, Ohio, the family-owned business owns and operates 335 restaurants as well as a retail division which provides frozen burgers to grocery stores nationwide.

White Castle burgers are known for their unique squared-off shape and small size: about two inches wide and 1.5 ounces — an anomoly in the bigger-the-better burger world where patties start at three ounces, with some purveyors bragging about doing half-pound burgers. Their small size used to be a signature quirk but now fall under the trendy category of "sliders.

"Another distinction: Their burgers are steamed, which also bucks current trends of cooking on a flat-top or grill, and are cooked on a bed of onions; and are served on matching small square buns.

In addition to burgers, they have crinkle-cut fries, a crispy chicken slider, a panko-breaded fish slider, and breakfast sliders available 24/7. Plus mini waffles, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, fish bites, hash brown bites, shakes, smoothies, and three desserts, all on a stick.

Fans who grew up in the Northeast eating White Castle burgers have longed to fulfill their nostalgic cravings.

White Castle is not the first chain to make its debut at The Grandscape at The Colony: Portillo's chose it for its Texas debut, as well.

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Teresa Gubbins contributed to this story.

burgers white castle the colony grandscape openings

Tex-Mex News

Dallas Tex-Mex chain Uncle Julio's closes short-lived Frisco location

Uncle Julio's

Tex-Mex spread at Uncle Julio's

An ill-fated restaurant in Frisco has pulled the plug: Uncle Julio's, the Dallas-based Tex-Mex chain, closed its location by Stonebriar Center at 2401 Preston Rd. in mid-May, after only two years.

According to a release, the location closed due to lease issues.

"While the company explored every opportunity to continue operating at the location, the closure ultimately follows unresolved lease-related matters with the property," their statement said. "The decision was not made lightly, and the brand remains deeply appreciative of the loyal guest base that made the restaurant part of their traditions for so many years."

Their PR representative did not respond to a query for further comment.

The closure marked the final chapter in a prolonged journey that began in 2022 when plans for the location were first revealed. The opening date was originally targeted to be the second half of 2022 but construction dragged, and the restaurant did not open until April 2024.

Their menu features prototypical Tex-Mex favorites including fajitas, tacos, carne asada, enchiladas, quesadillas, tamales, nachos, and queso, plus specialties such as their bacon-wrapped shrimp. There are margaritas in varieties that include frozen, swirl, and special-edition fruity flavors such as strawberry.

In more recent years, they became known for their chocolate pinata, an interactive dish they introduced in 2016 featuring a hanging chocolate globe filled with churros and fruit that diners crack open with a hammer.

Uncle Julio's was founded in 1986 by a trio that included Rusty Fenton, who went on to open the Rusty Taco chain before passing away in 2013. Uncle Julio's experienced another tragedy when its president, Harper Caron, died in 2021 at age 45; he'd worked for the company for 25 years, moving up the ranks to become president in September 2019. The company called his passing "a profound loss."

The chain was acquired in 2017 by private equity firm L. Catterton, who subsequently sold it in December 2024 in a foreclosure auction to Sun Holdings, a Dallas-based company that owns Taco Bueno and Freebirds, and who more recently acquired the Bar Louie chain in October 2025, also in bankruptcy proceedings.

There are currently 33 Uncle Julio's locations, with six in the DFW area including the original location on Lemmon Avenue, plus Keller Springs, Allen, Arlington, Grapevine, and Fort Worth.

In a statement, Uncle Julio's VP John Herrera said that the company was grateful to the Frisco community for their loyalty and support.

"This location has meant so much to our team, and we are proud of the relationships built here," Herrera said. "While this chapter is coming to a close, our commitment to serving the DFW community remains as strong as ever.”

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