Texas entrepreneur Harmon Dobson opened a small burger stand in Corpus Christi 60 years ago. He called it "Whataburger" because he believed that is what customers would say when they tried one of his made-to-order hamburgers.
This year, the Whataburger chain marks 60 years in business.
The Whataburger is the exact same as it was when Dobson sold his for 25 cents. It features an all-American fresh beef patty with four dill pickle slices, three fresh tomatoes, lettuce and mustard served on a baked 5-inch bun.
Customers can also customize their burgers by adding cheese, jalapenos, bacon, extra patties and more. There are more than 36,800 possible combinations.
There are now more than 700 locations in 10 southern states, and most are open 24 hours a day, 364 days a year.
"In 1950, when our dad opened the first Whataburger in Corpus Christi, he served over 400 customers that first day. Here we are, 60 years later, and on any given day, we serve over 460,000 customers. We are thankful for the success our family-owned company has achieved and eager to continue serving our customers for many more years," said Whataburger Chairman and CEO Tom Dobson.
The Whataburger chain will officially mark its 60th anniversary on Aug. 3 with an "Orange Night Out" from 5 to 8 p.m. At that time, every dine-in customer wearing the company's signature orange will receive a free Whataburger.
The company will also search for its biggest fan with an online contest beginning Aug. 4. Customers can submit photos, videos or essays displaying their love for Whataburger, and be entered for a chance to win 60 years of free Whataburger, a trip to the Whataburger convention in Dallas and other prizes.
