Whataburger is an American regional fast food restaurant chain, headquartered and based in San Antonio, Texas, that specializes in hamburgers. Founded by Harmon Dobson and Paul Burton, it opened its first restaurant in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1950. Family-owned by the Dobsons until 2019,[5] the chain is now managed by the private equity firm BDT & MSD Partners; the Dobson family still holds a small stake.[6]
When the company changed ownership in 2019, there were more than 670 locations in Texas and over 150 in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and the Southern United States,[7] of which 126 are franchised.[8]
Whataburger was known for many years for its distinct A-framed orange-and-white-stripe-roofed buildings. The first A-frame restaurant, the 24th Whataburger to open, was built in Odessa, Texas in 1961. Although the company highlighted the restaurant as an unofficial historical landmark,[9] it was demolished in 2019 and replaced by a new building.[10]
The company's focus is on ground beef burgers, and includes the Whataburger, the Whataburger Jr., the Triple Meat Whataburger, the Bacon & Cheese Whataburger, and the Justaburger. Non-beef options, such as the Whatachick'n, are also available. Breakfast is served during morning hours, including biscuits, pork sausage, bacon, and eggs.[11]
History
Early years
In 1950, Harmon Dobson and Paul Burton were looking to open a hamburger restaurant. Dobson's goal was to "make a better burger that took two hands to hold and tasted so good that when you took a bite you would say 'What a burger!'" In June 1950, Dobson was granted the Whataburger trademark. In August of that year they opened their first location on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, across from Del Mar College. The store's 25-cent hamburger, called simply the Whataburger, consisted of a quarter-pound hamburger patty on a wide bun with "fresh lettuce, three slices of tomato, four dill pickles, [and] chopped onions," as well as ketchup and mustard.[12] (The recipe would remain largely unchanged, although ketchup was later removed.)[13] Soft drinks and chips were also sold.
In 1951, Burton and Dobson ended their partnership after arguments concerning Dobson's price raise of the burger from 25 to 30 cents. Burton settled with owning the Whataburger franchises in San Antonio, Texas. Months later, prices for burgers were raised to 35 cents.[12]
Retail products
Due to the success of selling Whataburger sauces at H-E-B since 2014, the company announced it will offer 1-pound packages of bacon at H-E-B and Central Market stores.[30]
Whataburger sells its line of condiments in 14oz and 20oz squeeze bottles. It also sells jars of its picante sauce and salsa verde, as well as boxed pancake mix.[31]
Corporate affairs
Leadership and operations
Whataburger generated more than $3 billion in revenue in 2022 at more than 900 restaurant locations in 14 states, as well as from the sale of various retail products in grocery stores throughout the U.S.[32] It employed approximately 50,000 people as of 2022.[33] The company is led by president and CEO Ed Nelson, executive vice president and chief operating officer Debbie Stroud, executive vice president and chief marketing officer Rich Scheffler, executive vice president and chief legal officer Elena Kraus, executive vice president and chief financial officer Janelle Sykes, executive vice president and chief development officer James Turcotte, senior vice president and chief people officer Peggy Rubenzer, senior vice president and chief information officer Joe Shannon, and chief strategy and supply chain officer Alexander Ivannikov.[34]
Headquarters and offices
What-A-Burger and similar stores
Whataburger is sometimes confused with the What-A-Burger (hyphenated) chain of family-operated restaurants in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The first What-A-Burger store opened in 1950 by entrepreneur Jack Branch near Newport News, Virginia, at Newport News Circle (intersection of Jefferson Avenue and U.S. Route 258) in the former Warwick County. What-A-Burger and Whataburger were unaware of each other's existence several states apart until around 1970, when there was some correspondence. However, no legal actions took place until 2002–2003, when both companies sued each other over the alleged trademark infringement.[41] The Court of Appeals, in 2004, eventually decided the Texas Whataburger had a legitimate trademark; but the Virginia chain did not harm the much larger Texas-based chain in any way or cause any reasonable public confusion: "There is no evidence — nor can we imagine any — that consumers are currently likely to be confused about whether the burgers served by Virginia W-A-B come from Texas or Virginia."[42]
A second restaurant chain based in North Carolina, named What-A-Burger Drive-In, owned by Eb and Michael Bost, was not a party to the lawsuit, but under case law procedures, it would also retain its name. It visibly numbered their stores starting from #1 in Kannapolis, North Carolina, to #15 in Concord, North Carolina, six of which remain in operation as of March 2009.[43]
Sponsorships
Whataburger has sponsored a variety of music festivals.[47] The company has also sponsored sports through the Whataburger Sports Complex in Kilgore, Texas,[48] the Arizona Soccer Association,[49] and David Starr Racing,[50] among others.
In June 2024, Whataburger signed an endorsement deal with Bobby Witt Jr., the Texas-native shortstop for the Kansas City Royals; the 2024 MLB batting champion served as a prominent brand ambassador for Whataburger.[51][52]
Gallery
See also
- Whataburger Field, home of the Corpus Christi Hooks
- List of hamburger restaurants
Further reading
External links
References
- New Whataburger owners plan to expand popular fast-food chain Austin American-Statesman, June 14, 2019, retrieved March 8, 2020^
- Dom DiFurio, Orla McCaffrey. Whataburger's founding family sells controlling stake in iconic Texas chain Dallas News, June 14, 2019, retrieved June 15, 2019^
- Whataburger Hires Debbie Stroud as EVP and COO