On Aug. 8, 1950, an adventurous and determined entrepreneur named Harmon Dobson opened up the world’s first Whataburger on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas. He had a simple goal: to serve a burger so big it took two hands to hold and so good that after one bite customers would say, “What a burger!” He succeeded on both counts and turned that one little burger stand into a legend loved throughout Texas and the South.
Today, each and every Whataburger is made to order, right when it’s ordered. And they’re still made with 100 percent pure, never-frozen beef and served on a big toasted five-inch bun with all “the extras” to suit your taste. Grilled jalapeños, extra bacon, three slices of cheese, no tomatoes, extra pickles? No problem. Your Whataburger will be made just like you like it, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Whataburger’s following has grown exponentially in its more than 75-year history, thanks to a number of features, including its famous burgers and growing list of menu items, its iconic orange-and-white-striped restaurants and its famous Fancy Ketchup.
Whataburger is more than a burger chain. It’s a place that feels like home to more than 51,000 employees, called Family Members, and millions of customers. It’s a brand built on pride, care and love. It’s a place people count on in their communities. It’s a place where goodness lives. So now with more than 1,100 Whataburger restaurants across 16 states stretching from Las Vegas to the Carolinas, road-trippers and hometown folks alike continue gathering under the big orange-and-white roofs for fresh, made-to-order burgers and friendly service.
History:
*1986: The first Five Guys location opens in Arlington, VA.
*1986 - 2001: Five Guys opens five locations around the DC metro-area and perfected their business of making burgers… and starts to build a cult-like following.
* 2002: Five Guys decides DC metro-area residents shouldn't be the only ones to experience their burgers and start to franchise in Virginia and Maryland.
* 2003: Five Guys sells out of franchise territory within 18 months and starts to open the rest of the country for franchise rights.
* 2003 - 2012: Five Guys expands to over 1,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada.
* In July 2013, Five Guys opens the first location outside of North America in London, England.
* Our International HQ in Amsterdam, NL opened in 2016.
* Today, we have more than 1,900 locations open in North America, Canada, UK, Middle East, Europe, APAC and growing.