Posted on 08/08/2025 7:10:33 AM PDT by Red Badger
Founded in 2023 by National Day Calendar® and Whataburger.
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
1. Whataburger is the first restaurant to serve the quarter-pound hamburger patty.
2. In July 1999, the Space Shuttle Columbia STS 93 crew brought Whataburger cookies on their space mission.
3. Whataburger ketchup, mustard, and mayo are proprietary, meaning you can only get their famous flavor by eating at Whataburger.
4. There are nearly 38,000 ways to order your Whataburger.
5. Whataburger is one of the only restaurants to sell its ketchup in stores.
6. 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
1. Show your Whataburger love by wearing the iconic Whataburger orange.
2. Wish Whataburger employees happy National Whataburger Day.
3. Discover a new Whataburger favorite by ordering something you’ve never tried before or customizing a tried and true in a new way.
4. Be the trivia hero of your group and learn about Whataburger’s rich history and fun facts.
5. 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.
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Notable Birthdays for August 8
Charles Bulfinch (1763-1844) - Recognized as the first professional architect in the U.S.
Henry Fairfield Osborn (1857-1935) - Paleontologist and geologist who founded the U.S. Eugenics Society.
Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863-1930) - Painter who created The Pageant of a Nation, one of the most historical paintings in America.
Bob Smith (1879-1950) - Co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Josephine Holt Bay (1900-1962) - The first woman to head a firm on the NY Stock Exchange.
Benny Carter (1907-2003) - Considered a leading pioneer on the alto saxophone.
Dustin Hoffman (1937-Still Living) - Critically acclaimed actor and director (Kramer vs. Kramer, Rain Man, Tootsie, Little Big Man, and Meet the Fockers).
Sheila Varian (1937-2016) - Champion Arabian horse breeder.
Dennis Tito (1940-Still Living) - Founder of the investment firm Wilshire Associates who also was the first space tourist to fund his own visit to space.
Larry Wilcox (1947-Still Living) - Actor best known for his role as Jon Baker in the t.v. series CHiPs.
Willie Hall (1950-Still Living) - Drummer for the Blues Brothers Band.
Don Most (1953-Still Living) - Actor who played Ralph Malph on Happy Days.
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Memorable Events for August 8
1786 - Congress chooses the dollar as the monetary unit for the U.S.
1854 - Smith & Wesson patents metal bullet cartridges.
1876 - Thomas Edison receives a patent for his mimeograph.
1945 - President Truman signs the United Nations Charter.
1974 - President Nixon announces his resignation as President.
My favorite Whataburger combo is Combo Number 5.
It’s so great, there is even a song about it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px6evA4tESs
I was expecting a parody of Mambo #5................
So, to summarize:
Harmon Dobson began Whataburger more than 70 years ago with the intention of serving a burger big enough for two hands.
Harmon Dobson began Whataburger more than 70 years ago with the intention of serving a burger big enough for two hands.
Harmon Dobson began Whataburger more than 70 years ago with the intention of serving a burger big enough for two hands.
Harmon Dobson began Whataburger more than 70 years ago with the intention of serving a burger big enough for two hands.
Harmon Dobson began Whataburger more than 70 years ago with the intention of serving a burger big enough for two hands.
Did I repeat the same info enough times?
None where we live. And I don’t have the means to open one. 😭
NEVER order the “LARGE FRIES” at Five Guys.................
*smack smack* I could really go for a 5 Guys burger right about now.
But I’d have to take out a loan against my house to pay for it.
It takes 5 Guys just to pay for the burger.
What have we got now, National Progressive Insurance Day? National United Healthcare Day?
Burgers are nothing special. More Bun than anything else. Meat that looks like it was run over by a Pavement machine. Makes Smashburger look like a steak.
The fries have ALWAYS been, COLD, SQUISHY, with enough oil soaked in them that you could squeeze them and have enough oil to change the oil in a 350 Chevy engine.
Not going to happen again for Me. If Y'All like them have at.
This is not good.
We have a Five Guys, but I hardly ever see anybody in it.............
Whenever I go to the redneck Riviera, I go to Whataburger.
I really flipped when I got your ping.
Would you like fries with that?..........
Never have lived anywhere near one. I hear they are pretty good, though!
They are big, greasy and delicious!................
-PJ
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