Posted on 08/08/2023 6:41:51 AM PDT by Red Badger
(Last Updated On: August 7, 2023)
NATIONAL WHATABURGER DAY
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.
#WHATABURGERDAY
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!”
5 WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL WHATABURGER DAY
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.
NATIONAL WHATABURGERDAY
In 2023, National Day Calendar and Whataburger formed a collaboration to create National Whataburger Day. Each year on August 8, we spotlight the legacy of Whataburger and honor the employees and fans of this iconic food destination.
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.
Related National Days on the National Day Calendar:
NATIONAL BEEF BURGER DAY | May 28
NATIONAL HAMBURGER DAY | May 28
NATIONAL VEGGIE BURGER DAY | June 5
NATIONAL DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER DAY | September 15
NATIONAL CHEESEBURGER DAY | SEPTEMBER 18
I get Whataburger at least once every trip I take to the Florida Panhandle.
My youngest son and I ate at the Gulf Breeze Florida location after visiting Gulf Shores Nat’l Seashore/Fort Pickens this summer. Hit the spot after touring the old fort and other sites (lots of steps).
We go to Okaloosa Island every summer. Have been going for 10 years now. Head there in a couple of weeks. Would love to pick your collective brains about favorite food places. I love fresh seafood, fish especially. We finally discovered Stewby’s last year when I got tired of doing most of the cooking while on vacation. Anything local plus as far as Pensacola on the west and Seaside on the East. I guess we could go a little further East if need be.
*** NATIONAL CHEESEBURGER DAY | SEPTEMBER 18***
I just put this on the family calendar as a reminder.
They just opened 3 in N Atl suburbs. Not bad.
I’m with you. I never understand the hype. The fries are ok but only when they’re fresh and hot. My kids think they’re great. Gross.
Stewby’s is good. We eat there fairly regular.
There’s ‘Ocean’ on US 98/Miracle Strip Parkway that is a Seafood/Asian buffet.
Has AYCE fish, mussels, salmon, shrimp (Boiled and Fried), sushi, octopus, clams, stuffed crab, Crawfish, plus all the regular Chinese, Korean, Japanese foods. Also has a Mongolian BBQ.
We always go to The Gulf on Okaloosa Island. This year, we went to Dewey Destin’s Harborside in Destin. It was decent, and we’ve been to the other location, as well. Also on the isalnd, we’ve enjoyed AJ’s at the pier, and the Crab Trap. I’ve not been disappointed!
If you can make it to Destin, there is a small local place that is off the main road:
Dewey Destin’s
9 Calhoun Ave, FL 32541-1501
Opening hours 11:00 - 20:00
Not the one on the main highway! That place is for touristas.
This where the locals eat.
It’s hard to find, bad parking on dirt road, no air conditioning, open air dining (Al Fresco!), just good food......................
See post #48!.....................
ALSO TRY OUT:
Rick’s Crab Trap
178 Eglin Pkwy NE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548-4445
Most of the seafood restaurants in the area are good—the main difference is atmosphere and price. For example, Beauchamps in Destin has really good food and the view is awesome but it’s pricey and you can expect a long wait—anytime of the year.
Yeah, the Dewey’s on the main drag has gone downhill over the years. I’m glad to hear about the other one. Will try it, I think. That is if I can herd my family to trying them again. I appreciate the address.
Rick’s is a great alternative—the food’s good, usually not a long wait for a table and the prices are reasonable.
Beauchamps has been good several times. Not always consistent except for the long waits. Unless you get there early and hit the right window.
Thanks!
We just made our dinner plans!
:-)
It’s hard to find. Turn down the first road, Calhoun, after the bridge and go about a couple hundred feet down and there’s a dirt road. Dewey’s is at the end of it.......
Haven’t tried Ocean. Always looking for something different. Thanks.
There’s a Whataburger about a mile from my house. Been there too many times. It has gone downhill since the ownership change and the help is spotty at best.
I would also recommend trying the Hightide on Okaloosa Island or Sealand in Ft Walton Beach if they have trigger fish as ‘the catch of day’ the on the menu.
Have been to AJ’s, it was ok. Not the greatest, not the worst, though that was years ago. DD Harborside has been good, and if you get the view, very nice. Haven’t been to Crab Trap or The Gulf, so I appreciate the recommendations!
We have often done a lot of the cooking on our own, in part to keep the costs down, but also because we are decent chefs. A few years ago, I got tired of being on kitchen duty while others were on the balcony having fun, so I’ve opened up to letting others (ie. restaurants) do the cooking now.
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