Whataburger Celebrates 60 Years as a Burger Icon

SAN ANTONIO, July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Sixty years ago, Texas entrepreneur Harmon Dobson opened a small burger stand in Corpus Christi and called it Whataburger because he believed that's what customers would say when they took a bite of his big, fresh, made-to-order burgers.

On August 3, Whataburger celebrates its 60th anniversary as a southern burger icon and as one of the nation's largest burger chains, with more than 700 locations in 10 states. To mark the occasion and to thank its millions of loyal fans, the company will host "Orange Night Out" at most of its restaurants on Tuesday, August 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. Every dine-in customer who comes dressed in the company's signature orange will receive a free Whataburger.

"Whataburger has been blessed with 60 years of success thanks to the loyalty of our customers, the hard work of our employees and the commitment of our Franchisees," said Whataburger Chairman and CEO Tom Dobson. "In 1950, when our Dad opened the first Whataburger in Corpus Christi, he served over 400 customers that first day. Here we are, sixty 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."

Because Whataburger has inspired generations of fanatical fans, the company will also search for its biggest Whataburger fan with an online contest that begins August 4. Customers can submit pictures and essays or videos to show their love for Whataburger for a chance to win 60 years of free Whataburger, a trip to the Whataburger convention in Dallas, TX and other cool prizes.

The famous Whataburger that has earned all the love is exactly the same today as it was in 1950 - an all-American fresh beef patty with four dill pickle slices, three fresh tomatoes, crisp lettuce and mustard, served on a freshly baked 5-inch bun. Customers can customize their burgers with cheese, jalapenos, bacon, extra patties and much more - in fact, there are more than 36,864 possible combinations. In addition to lunch and dinner, the restaurants are a destination for late-night dining and breakfast, and most locations are open 24 hours a day, 364 days a year.

Family-owned Whataburger has restaurants in Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Oklahoma. In 2001, Whataburger was officially recognized as a "Texas Treasure" by the Texas Legislature.

About Whataburger Serves:

"Orange Night Out" is part of Whataburger Serves. The long term initiative includes events to build employee team spirit and morale, customer appreciation initiatives with fun moments and free food offers, and community initiatives that will support groups in need. To learn more about Whataburger Serves and coming plans, visit www.whataburger.com/whataburger_serves.

About Whataburger:

Whataburger has focused on its fresh, made-to-order burgers and friendly customer service since 1950 when Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger as a small roadside burger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas. Dobson gave his restaurant a name he hoped to hear customers say every time they took a bite of his made-to-order burgers: "What a burger!" Within the first week, people lined up around the block for his 25 cent, all-American beef burgers served on five-inch buns. Today, the company is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with more than 700 locations in 10 states with sales of more than $1 billion annually. Visit www.whataburger.com for more information on the company.

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SOURCE Whataburger