Whataburger’s “WhataGames”—an annual competition between restaurants to see who is best in class—is more than just a training event, says CEO Ed Nelson.
It’s a unique experience for employees, whom the brand refers to as family members. Initiated 30 years ago, WhataGames was designed to bring workers back to the basics by focusing on core principles like ensuring hot food is served hot, cold food is served cold, and providing courteous service with phrases like “please” and “thank you.”
The competition is meant to reinforce the fundamentals of Whataburger’s service and quality. The goal is to train employees to create a memorable experience, not just by following an operations manual, but by truly understanding and embracing the brand’s essence. This includes the bold flavors of food, the quality of ingredients, and the meticulous preparation that happens in-store—from the fresh bread to the hand-cut vegetables. Creating a Whataburger experience requires well-established systems and processes, teamwork, and high energy, especially during peak hours. According to Nelson, WhataGames showcases Whataburger’s commitment to extraordinary hospitality and the unique sense of pride and community among its employees.
COO Debbie Stroud calls it a “wonderful combination of tradition and competition.”
“It’s all done with the spirit of creating better engagement within a team as well as creating better engagement with our customers who we love,” she says. “It builds excitement because it helps us all sharpen our skills on operational excellence. And it’s also rooted in the pride, care, and love that’s been a tradition that ties to our promise today, which is creating goodness 24/7 for every customer.”
In previous years, Whataburger has recognized gold, silver, and bronze medal winners. In 2024, the chain is expanding that to the top 10 percent of restaurants. Employees of those winning stores will collectively earn significant cash prizes totaling more than $1 million. Workers will compete on brand standards, including speed of service, guest satisfaction, and order accuracy.
The competition is divided into three phases, the first being pre-game prep. During these eight weeks, Whataburger distributed training materials—covering leadership and communication, people management, production, and the customer experience—so restaurant teams could get “game ready,” Stroud says. The competition itself is seven weeks, which wraps up August 5. Whataburger will then host regional rallies in September where it will announce winners.
Stroud says the 2024 iteration of WhataGames was inspired by feedback from Whataburger’s employees. The company consulted with its Operating Partner Leadership Council, which includes top operating partners from various regions across the country. They asked these leaders what they thought would excite their teams and how to maintain spirit throughout the competition. This input helped shape the current format of WhataGames. She also notes that company growth played a significant role in the competition’s evolution. The chain now has more than 1,030 locations across 16 states, with a lot more on the way. With the brand expanding, there was a need to consider how to effectively reward and recognize a larger number of workers.
Instead of medal winners, restaurants will be designated as five-star caliber.
“We believe that we can be five star. We believe we can be the best QSR. We want to be that hometown burger in every community we serve and that means we have to earn that,” Nelson says.
Nelson points to the importance of the scorecard system in WhataGames, which provides clear visibility into key metrics. Stroud and her team developed it to track the performance of each store and market leader. The scorecard, which is the same tool used to measure overall business performance, allows teams to see their progress and achievements in real time.
The CEO has pride in bringing people together in a company that is deeply committed to the communities it serves. He says Whataburger strives to be both a beloved hometown favorite and an employer of choice and provide a meaningful career path for its employees. Over the past five years, the company has developed robust career advancement opportunities, allowing team members to start as trainees, become certified trainers in various roles, advance to team leaders, and eventually become managers or operational leaders.
The financial rewards and confidence gained at each stage are life-changing. With 51,000 employees at these restaurants, the majority being corporately owned and operated, Whataburger places a strong focus on career development and offers opportunities similar to vocational programs. This pathway helps employees grow within the company. The WhataGames competition plays a crucial role, Nelson says, because it builds confidence in current roles and showcases potential future opportunities.
The CEO is optimistic that the accountability and momentum created during WhataGames will persist beyond the competition window. The contest is structured as a way to perpetually drive the Whataburger experience. Nelson also mentions the importance of maintaining energy and commitment in the restaurant business, with every transaction and interaction contributing to success. Stroud often reminds him, “We’re only as good today as we start the day.”
Stroud says Whataburger has “incredibly high standards of excellence” and by no means is WhataGames a “finish line” of what they hope to accomplish in restaurants every day.
“The metrics that we’re using to help with the competition are not new to our restaurant leaders,” Stroud says. “And it is focused clearly on our customer experience. Whataburger when done at the highest level of excellence is just an incredible experience. And it begins certainly with the family member interaction with our guests. We call it extraordinary hospitality. It continues with delivering bold flavors just like you like it. There’s a lot of customization, and we love doing that for our customers. I love to see the creations that are made through our menu, and it certainly is around speed of service and accuracy and cleanliness as well. Those are foundational to who we are as a brand. So we hope that this is fun and engaging and it should create better service. It should create stronger team bonds of how they work together. And ultimately, it helps us reinforce our commitment to excellence for our customers and communities.”