6 Fun Facts About A Texas Tradition – Whataburger

The iconic brand has been around for over 70 years now and, while born in Texas, it has spread way beyond the lone star state.

Whataburger was the brainchild of Harmon Dobson who got the "what-a-wheel" rolling in 1950.

Here are some fun facts to impress your fellow Whataburger loving friends and family with.

According to the Whataburger website, Dobson's initial concept was pretty simple:

More than seven decades ago, an adventurous and determined entrepreneur named Harmon Dobson had a bold idea: to serve 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!” He named his humble burger stand, located on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, “Whataburger.”

The burgers were way bigger than others. In fact, they were so big that Dobson and a partner had to have custom pans made so bakeries could bake the needed 5 inch buns.

Whataburger history by the decade:

• The first Whataburger opened in August 8th, 1950, in Corpus Christi, Texas.
• The first of the iconic, orange and white A frame Whataburger stands was built in 1960.
• 1971 saw Whataburger build it's first drive through location
• In 1982, 3 Corpus Christi Whataburger locations became the first to operate 24 hours a day.
• In 1996, 24 couples got hitched at a Whataburger restaurant on Valentine's Day, sparking a trend that continues to this day.
• In 2001, the Texas Legislature classified Whataburger as a “Texas Treasure.”

Whataburger currently has restaurants in 372 cities, spread over 13 states.

Most of them, 284, are in Texas.