A journey of 1,000 restaurants begins with a single burger. From a roadside stand in Corpus Christi, Texas, to a cultural phenomenon, Whataburger has experienced more than seven decades of achievements. The latest milestone is the brand’s 1,000th restaurant, which will be shared between new corporate-owned Atlanta, Georgia, and franchise-owned Yukon, Oklahoma, locations, both opening on Tuesday, January 16.
The achievement will be marked with a celebration at both locations with incredible rewards and prizes for Guests including Whataburger-for-a-Year for the first two Guests and branded merchandise for the first 100 Guests.
“I want to offer a big thank you to our incredible Guests and dedicated Family Members for helping us get to this historic moment. Their unwavering loyalty and enthusiasm are the reason for our long-lasting success,” says Whataburger President and CEO Ed Nelson. “It is also through the dedication of Whataburger’s franchise partners that we have experienced such incredible growth. This is why we chose to honor not just one — but two – restaurants, a corporate and franchise-owned location, as the 1,000th location. Side by side, we are stepping into the future of this great brand together, and I’m already starting the countdown for 2,000.”
The Yukon location is owned and operated by Vibe Restaurants, a Whataburger franchise partner since 2023. This restaurant is Vibe’s second location in Oklahoma following the opening in Weatherford, Oklahoma, in the Fall of 2023. The co-location celebration represents a symbolic move recognizing the contributions of all our Franchise partners that have helped fuel recent growth that has led to the 1,000th restaurant milestone.
For those in the brand’s 14-state footprint, which will soon grow to 16 states with planned expansions in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Greenville, South Carolina, Whataburger has always been more than its signature made-to-order meals – it’s a community pillar, cooking up positive change that goes far beyond the kitchen.
“With this milestone, we are donating $100,000 to local food banks through the Whataburger Feeding Student Success program to continue our mission of spreading goodness 24/7. We are committed to providing nutritious meals to those in need but to also empower young minds, fostering their academic success and helping pave the way for a brighter, more prosperous future,” adds Nelson.
Ten $10,000 donations totaling $100,000 will be made to food banks across Whataburger’s 14-state footprint, including:
- United Food Bank – Mesa, Arizona
- Northwest Arkansas Food Bank – Springdale, Arkansas
- Manna Pantries – Pensacola, Florida
- Atlanta Community Food Bank – Atlanta, Georgia
- Baton Rouge Food Bank – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee – Nashville, Tennessee
- Central Texas Food Bank – Austin, Texas
- Coastal Bend Food Bank – Corpus Christi, Texas
- South Plains Food Bank – Lubbock, Texas
- East Texas Food Bank – Tyler, Texas
The Atlanta restaurant, which will employ 100 Family Members, initially will open with 24/7 drive-thru service only, with dining room service to follow in the weeks to come. The Yukon restaurant, which will employ 100 Family Members, will open with 24/7 drive-thru and dining room service.
In the following weeks, both restaurants will extend their services to include mobile ordering, curbside pickup and delivery.
