Del Taco to open new central Ohio location in former White Castle

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- While Del Taco closed one central Ohio location last year after less than three years of business, the Mexican chain is now opening a new Columbus-area eatery inside a shuttered White Castle.

Del Taco will open at 8787 Owenfield Drive between Powell and Lewis Center, inside a former White Castle that closed in June of last year. The property is currently home to a "coming soon" banner while the building is being repainted to match Del Taco's grey, green and white aesthetic.

The nation's second-largest Mexican chain, Del Taco is launching a new central Ohio eatery after closing the U.S. 23 South location in Circleville in December of last year. That location, which had opened in March of 2021, became the new restaurant earlier this year for a southern chain boasted as the "filet mignon of chicken."

"We are gearing up to grow the Del Taco footprint in Ohio over the next few years," Brandi Joseph, operating partner for the local Ohio franchisee, had said at the time of the Circleville location's opening.

Del Taco also operates a restaurant in Whitehall and opened a location in Marion last year. Founded in 1964, the chain operates nearly 600 restaurants across 15 states. Menu items include burritos, tacos, burgers, and crinkle-cut fries.