Renovation approved for 40-year-old White Castle in Hoffman Estates

A 40-year-old White Castle in Hoffman Estates will be renovated inside and out this year, with a particular emphasis on expanding the capacity of the drive-through where business has been more concentrated since the pandemic.

The addition of a bypass lane to the drive-through at the northeast corner of Golf Road and Gannon Drive will result in the loss of 27 parking spaces, while the entire upgrade will cause some interruptions to operations during construction.

When it's all done, the White Castle will be a 24-hour business with additional green space on the 1.25-acre lot and improved handicapped accessibility.

The project's architect described the scope and reasons for the work before Hoffman Estates' planning & zoning commission recommended its approval last week. Village board members approved the requested changes Monday.

The project is estimated to begin in April and be completed by October.

Sometime during the work, the dining room will be closed for four weeks, then the drive-through will be closed for four weeks, and finally the entire business for another four weeks.

The White Castle has been operating round-the-clock on weekends, but closes from about 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. during the week.

The footprint of the building won't be changing, but the outside will be refaced with exterior insulation and finish systems with a new stone veneer around the base.

Along with the interior remodeling, the estimated value of the construction is just under $1.1 million.

The property will retain 42 parking spaces and the eight trees along the perimeter of the lot. But four more trees will be added, along with a new pedestrian walkway and crosswalk to connect to the sidewalk along Golf Road.

The seating capacity inside will remain the same after the remodel. A daily average of 395 customers is estimated between the dining room and drive-through.

The current site plan was approved in 1983, and has operated as a White Castle ever since.