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Whataburger redesigns menu, adds healthful itemsWhataburger redesigns menu, adds healthful items

The burger chain’s new offerings include two salads and a Grilled Chicken Melt

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

July 3, 2012

2 Min Read
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Ron Ruggless

Whataburger debuted Monday new menus and redesigned menu boards with a section that corrals “550 Calories or Less” items into their own section.

San Antonio, Texas-based Whataburger Restaurants LLC said the menu has been rearranged and simplified into the categories of Burgers, Chicken and Breakfast. The company has been foreshadowing the menu changes with in-store tri-fold, heavy cardstock menus that customers can take with them.

The menu retains its “All-Time Favorites” burgers, including the A-1 Thick & Hearty Burger and Chop House Cheddar Burger, and adds some new chicken items.

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Rich Scheffler, Whataburger’s director of marketing and innovation, said in a statement: “We think our customers will be extremely pleased with the new menu items we’ve added, and we redesigned our menu boards to accommodate these additions.

“The new menu is easier to navigate and provides more variety for our customers,” Scheffler added.

New items include two salads: an Apple & Cranberry Chicken Salad with romaine lettuce, dried cranberries, fresh apples and shredded Cheddar cheese, topped with grilled chicken or a Whatachick’n Filet; and a classic Garden Salad. The regional burger chain is adding two lower-fat dressings as well: Low-Fat Honey Pepper Vinaigrette and Low-Fat Herb Vinaigrette.

Another new item is the Grilled Chicken Melt with grilled onions, poblano and red bell peppers, and Monterey Jack cheese, which at 460 calories will occupy space in the lower-calorie section of the menu.

“We understand many of our customers want to make lighter choices when they eat out, and we strive to provide the highest quality, freshest ingredients to make their selection easy,” Sheffler said.

The chain is also adding as a kid’s meal option a new Grilled Cheese on Texas Toast.

Whataburger has more than 700 restaurants in 10 states.

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless
 

About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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