Whataburger Inc.

Whataburger Inc., the Texas-based burger brand known for its orange and white color scheme and iconic A-frame older units, is in its seventh decade.

Whataburger was founded in 1950 in Corpus Christi, Texas, by Harmon Dobson, who wanted to offer a sandwich that would make customers exclaim, “What a burger!”

The brand still offers fresh-beef burgers on a five-inch toasted bun. Whataburger is open all day and, between 11 p.m. and 11 a.m., offers a line of egg-based breakfast taquitos and hash browns.

The company moved its headquarters from Corpus Christi to San Antonio, Texas, in 2009.

The Dobson family in 2019 sold a majority interest in Whataburger to Chicago-based BDT Capital Partners. The investment led to an expansion of the brand into the Midwest from its South and Southeast beginnings.

https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/whataburger-sells-majority-interest-bdt-capital-partners

Whataburger, in relaunching its franchise program in 2020, introduced a new building design that relied less on the original’s A-frame construction.

Key Data: Whataburger

Headquarters: San Antonio, Texas

Segment: Quick Service

Restaurant Segment: LSR Burger

Number of Locations: 841

2020 Sales: $2,456,321,000

Annual Growth:

Source: Datassential Firefly 500

CEO: Ed Nelson

Parent/Group: BDT Capital Partners