Today is August 8 on the National Day Calendar and we are celebrating the rich history of fresh, made-to-order burgers on National Whataburger Day. This National Day celebrates Whataburger’s food, fans and employees, otherwise known as Family Members, who are the heart and soul of the brand.
For seven decades, Whataburger has been serving up bold flavors, extraordinary hospitality, meaningful community celebrations, charitable efforts, and passionate fan recognition. It’s a place where families gather, memories are made, and strangers become friends as they bond over great food. Whataburger is known for its 100% fresh, made-to-order burgers that millions of customers love to customize, just like they like it.
National Whataburger Day celebrates the employees, customers, and many contributions Whataburger makes to the communities it serves.
Whataburger Beginnings
Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger restaurant on August 8, 1950, in Corpus Christi, Texas. His goal was to simply serve a burger so big it took two hands to hold, and so good, customers would say, “What a burger!” after one bite.
Harmon did succeed on both counts and his little burger stand became a legend throughout Texas and the South. A second Whataburger location was opened in Kingsville, Texas in 1952. Joe Andrews Sr. became the first Whataburger franchise owner in 1953. Between 1953 and 1967, Whataburger began expanding restaurants across Texas, Florida, and Tennessee.
Founder Dobson was more than just an entrepreneur. He was also an oil driller, a diamond courier, and an avid pilot. His love for flying would be the inspiration to design the iconic A-frame restaurant we know today. In fact, Dobson specifically designed the bright orange-and-white A-frame so it would be visible from both the air and the ground.
Whataburger Buns
Dobson’s goal was to not only create an amazing restaurant, he also wanted to create a delicious burger, too. He had a vision to create a burger large enough it required two hands to hold it. In order to do this, Dobson would work with a local Corpus Christi bakery to make a five-inch hamburger bun. However, the bakery did not have baking pans big enough to make the five-inch buns. Determined to serve a large burger, Dobson would then seek a manufacturer to have baking pans specially made.
Dobson’s determination to invent the 5-inch hamburger bun yielded a one-of-a-kind product that created a fandom that spans generations and lives on to this day.
6 Facts on National Whataburger Day
- Whataburger is the first restaurant to serve the quarter-pound hamburger patty.
- In July 1999, the Space Shuttle Columbia STS 93 crew brought Whataburger cookies on their space mission.
- Whataburger ketchup, mustard, and mayo are proprietary, meaning you can only get their famous flavor by eating at Whataburger.
- There are nearly 38,000 ways to order your Whataburger.
- Whataburger is one of the only restaurants to sell its ketchup in stores.
- The first Whataburger “all the way” sold for 25¢ in 1950. Whataburger made $50 on its first day of operation.
Whataburger knows their greatest assets are its Family Members and passionate fans. Every day they make extraordinary moments with Whataburger, creating a cult-like following that is rivaled by no other burger brand. Many customers wrap their babies in Whataburger taquito paper, propose marriage over fries, bring their prom dates for after-prom shakes, and even create beautiful art inspired by their orange-and-white stripes.
Harmon Dobson had a bold idea: to provide a burger so big that it took two hands to hold, and so good that after a single bite customers couldn’t help but exclaim, “What a burger!”
Brief Whataburger History
Harmon Dobson began Whataburger more than 70 years ago with the intention of serving a burger big enough for two hands. Dobson opened his first burger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas and named it “Whataburger.”
Today, Dobson’s original vision still inspires everything Whataburger does. Each and every Whataburger® is still made to order. In fact, they use 100% pure, never-frozen beef and serve it on a big, toasted five-inch bun. They still greet their customers with a smile 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They serve hot, fresh food at every Whataburger restaurant across the country. However, the original burger stand in Corpus Christi is never far from their hearts.
Visit the Whataburger website to learn more about the history of the company.
How to Observe #NationalWhataburgerDay
- Show your Whataburger love by wearing the iconic Whataburger orange.
- Wish Whataburger employees happy National Whataburger Day.
- Discover a new Whataburger favorite by ordering something you’ve never tried before or customizing a tried and true in a new way.
- Be the trivia hero of your group and learn about Whataburger’s rich history and fun facts.
- Grab your family and friends and snap a picture at Whataburger and share it on social media tagging #NationalWhataburgerDay.
