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Whataburger! Whatarestaurant!? Fast Food Restaurant Review
By Max | March 30, 2007
Tonight Diana is out of town, so I decided I would try something different for dinner, something that I know she wouldn’t be interested in.
Typically when I decide to do something like this, I sit around for 20-30 minutes thinking, “What restaurant is going to really satisfy me this time?” Tonight was no different. I spent at least a half hour searching my soul trying to decide which fine establishment would be lucky enough to get $5 – $10 from me. Then it hit me. I decided to just drive around until something jumped out at me.
I typically drive around looking for a dinner idea when I want to branch out and eat something outside of the normal chainy places. Unfortunately, here in Tempe, almost every place is a chain. There seem to be very few mom-and-pop restaurants here. So what do you know? Tonight I wound up eating at a chain. All was not lost however.
Enter Whataburger!
I have never eaten at a Whataburger before. Until recently I haven’t ever lived in an area where they were prevalent. Whataburger is a chain that started in Texas in the 50s. Now they are spread across the Southeast and Southwest.
When I walked in the place was pretty dead except for a table full of high school students. That was nice. I enjoy having a little space to myself when I eat. I ordered a #2, double burger with jalapeños and cheese. The total came to $7.07 including fries, a drink, and tax. I must say that I really liked the cheeseburger. I was expecting it to be smaller which is why I ordered the double, but it was pretty big. The patties were a lot larger than the standard small patty you get at other places. I probably would have been ok with the single. The burger was pretty tasty. On a scale from Krystal to In-and-Out, I would put it right around Carl’s Jr., ahead of McDonalds and Wendys, but behind In-and-Out. I prefer the specialty burgers at Carl’s like the Jalapeño Cheese Burger and the Philly Cheesesteak Burger, but the Whataburger standard is better than Carl’s Famous Star. So if you like all the weird toppings, go to Carl’s, but if you like a standard burger with lettuce and tomato then go to Whataburger.
I have three complaints with Whataburger. The first is that value combos 1-6 all come with the medium (which is really large) sized drink and fries. You only get the smaller fries and drink with combo 7 or 8. Combo 7 and 8 are big sandwiches, so they are helping out the fatties by only giving them a small order of fries and drink. This leads straight into the second complaint I have which was the price. I haven’t spent more than $7 at a fast food restaurant in a long time. I liked the burger enough that $7 was no big deal. I am also a high roller, so I can afford these finer things in life. However, I feel they could offer a smaller fries and drink in the combo, and lower the price by 50 cents or more.
The only other thing wrong with Whataburger was the slow speed at which the staff operated. There were four customers in the restaurant, and I was the only one ordering. They had three people working back there, but it still took longer than usual to get my food. Maybe this is typical for Whataburger, maybe not. Maybe I confused them with my fancy jalapeno addition? I don’t know.
Bottomline: Great burger, don’t order the combo.
Share ThisTopics: Fast Food | 33 Comments »
March 30th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
I like Whataburger. We have them all over in Austin, yet I have never been to one here. I apperciate all of the great advice as now I will not bother with the combo meal. I do think that they have good milkshakes though.
March 30th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Oh, good suggestion. I should have tried the milkshakes instead of getting the fries.
March 31st, 2007 at 10:07 pm
Where is today’s update?
April 1st, 2007 at 5:05 pm
I’ll try to do better in the future. I got busy yesterday and didn’t make a post. I made a crappy one today though. I think I’ll do better during the workweek when I have nothing else to do but work.
April 5th, 2007 at 9:16 am
I was raised in Texas and Whataburger has always been one of our favorite stops to get your blood filled with that lovely grease. 3 words Double Meat w/Cheese. Yeah its expensive and they take longer but they do actually cook the burger when you order it rather than keeping them warm in the mic like McDonalds. My wife worked there for 6 or 8 months back in the day and I try to find the secret of their burger but she still will not tell me or perhaps its in the ingredients. We live near the Dallas area and I did find a burger joint better called Griffs, ofcourse not any healthier. Anyways nice site!
Patrick out
April 26th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
whataburgers too pricey. didnt enjoy it as much as expected it to be.
April 28th, 2007 at 5:52 am
I lived in Texas all my life. In 2004 I moved to Connecticut… I really miss Whataburger.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:07 am
I liked wataburger so much that I took a job there. Wataburger pays more than any other fast food place that I know of. I worked at Golden Corral, and Wataburger pays more than them. Aside from better quality food, I’m sure that the higher price is also paying for the added pay rate for the staff. I always thought that Carl Jr.’s was a bit expensive myself.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:12 am
Hey Patrick, I like Griff’s too.
May 12th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Hey jim, yeah although I can feel my blood pressure rise after eating there, Griffs is pretty awesome. I asked one of the cooks, they said all they do is fry them on the grill. I wish I could get my burgers at home to taste this good.
June 9th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
The slow time is typical of almost every Whataburger I have ever eaten at. But their 24-hour (most places) business hours, delicious burgers and large menu more than make up for the other stuff.
June 21st, 2007 at 7:21 pm
I love Whataburger, and out of all the fast food places I’ve been to, Whataburger has NEVER messed up on my order!
July 19th, 2007 at 8:49 am
Max, I have discovered that Whataburger is on the whole slower than other fast food restaurants. This is most likely because they make everything to order right then, so I can live with that.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:29 am
Max,
You can get almost as “Crazy” with your Burger as Carl’s Jr. They don’t have “high end” meat like Angus or PHIL IN THE BLANK. Believe me Jalapeños and many other ingredients can be added to your burger at your fancy.
August 26th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
The reason it takes longer for an order at WB, is because each order is a ‘custom order’. They make it fresh, unlike the ‘assembly line burgers’ such as McDonald’s who have their burgers sitting out for who-knows-how-long, under a heat lamp.
So yeah, it may take longer, than say ordering a Big Mac, but if you’re gonna do something, you may as well take the extra time and do it right.
Damn, I’m hungry for a Whataburger, now.
September 2nd, 2007 at 1:55 am
I have worked at “Whataburger By The Bay” for quite some time and am currently working in Whataburger Field. I have loved Whataburger since the first time I tasted one. We make our burgers fresh with freshly cut lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. It may take a little longer to make one, but it is all worth the wait, especially in Whataburger Field. I got so accustomed to eating them that when I decided to visit McDonald’s and order a “Big Mac” , a found out a “Big Mac” does not really deserve that name compared to a Whataburger. I highly recommend dining out at Whataburger when going out to eat.
September 10th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
Whataburger will never fail you. It always satisfies, and it’s always open.
September 15th, 2007 at 11:13 am
WB always takes a while to cook a burger. Sometimes at lunchrush they have them stockpiled and have you rolling out just as fast as you rolled in.
November 1st, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Hey is there anyone out there that is in the fast food hamburger idustry that is LISTENING??? I have always thought that one of the best burgers is the USA has always been WHATABURGER. I live within 10 minutes of Memphis,Tn a city with apx a million folks or close to it. I have written WHATABURGER to see if they would create some burger places nearest FedEx’s World HQ and The Collierville,tn WTC (FedEx’s other campus) But it is apparently going to deaf ears (Upper Management) Is there anyone else (IN and Out) that is interested in serving the Multitudes of employees of which is thousands not to include the regular population which is in the tens of thousands? Who has the Jewels to step up to the plate and bring a great Burger place to Memphis?????? WHATABURGER HAS FAILED US.
December 9th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Whataburger is an institution! I remember being a kid in Austin in the 1970’s and seeing that funky A-frame striped building. My grandmother loved the burgers.
When I was in Oklahoma City about 20 years ago, I saw a Whataburger, and stopped in for one. I live in the East, so that was the last time I had one…Until yesterday.
I am in the Dallas area on business, and have alreday eaten there twice in less than 24 hours! Those burgers are so good, it’s amazing. There is nothing like it in Virginia. I don’t know if they’re fried or flame cooked, but they have a distinctive freshly grilled taste that is absent from the other chains. Also, the cut lettuce and onions really give it a unique texture.
I hope the family keeps this business in the family, and doesn’t sell out. Things always go downhill fast when they are bought out by a big corporation (see Pizza Hut…It’s awful compared to 30 years ago)…
I just finished my burger and feel full ! Thank you Whataburger !
January 20th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
“Combo 7 and 8 are big sandwiches, so they are helping out the fatties by only giving them a small order of fries and drink.”
helping out the fatties…amazing.
I’m glad im not a fattie.
April 25th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I LOVE Whataburger. I have lived in TX all my life until last year, and of course there is no Whataburger in IL. I try to eat it every time I am home, though.
Their fancy ketchup is awesome.
May 18th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
First time for me at whataburger®. Great Burger, Great Fries. But having to wait 5 minutes because there was only a manager(in drive thru, who could not see the counter and another employee behind the line who didn’t see me or didn’t care while another employee was on break…not so great. Whataburger, Whataboutservice, Whataboutafewmoreemployees?
June 16th, 2008 at 2:27 am
@Freddie: There was a Whataburger in Memphis when I lived there. It was at Frasier Blvd. and Watkins. Maybe it’s still there.
July 20th, 2008 at 9:38 am
you will eat the shit out of my ass.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I ate at Whataburger in Pensacola, FL and Clearwater, FL. I love there burgers over Hardee’s (Carl’s Jr.) The price is high, the taste is good, and I think is worth the price, but that’s just me.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I forgot to add that I wish they’d have them here in Virginia!
September 28th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
I grew up in Texas and always took Whataburger for granted. In my hometown near DFW (Duncanville), we had this thing called “Whatawednesdays” where a Whataburger was 2 for 1. I used to go in there and get 6 Whataburgers at a time. It made for a nice inexpensive break for the family from cooking dinner at home.
This summer I worked in Northern Virginia. To me, that place is a black hole when it comes to decent restaurants (i.e. good LOCAL restaurants, not the horde of chain establishments stretching from horizon to horizon), and fast food is no exception – not a Whataburger for thousands of miles. I was so glad to be near one when I came back. In their defense, they do have Five Guys, which whips up a pretty good grease burger, and the kind of greasy fries that can turn an ordinary paper bag into something suitable to display a newly bought goldfish in.
Unfortunately now that I live in Austin near UT campus, there isn’t a Whataburger for miles, and I have to drive ~5 miles north, or 3 miles into the ghetto to get to one. It makes the late night whataburger runs a little more difficult compared to being within 1 mile back in DFW.
Reading this post makes me want to drive out there right now even though I’ve already eaten
I wish Whataburger would open a franchise on campus. They would clean up! There are 2 Wendy’s franchises at the union and one of the dorms, and one of them has continually set records for the highest volume of business each day. We Texans would much rather be eating Whataburger than Wendy’s!
September 28th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
I worked for whataburger for 5.5 years and I still eat there fairly often. I prefer there breakfast. The absolute best burger they have ever put out has been the A-1 Thick and hearty burger. I was there when they showed us how to make them I got to try one that was cooked man I have been hooked ever since and that was at least 98 99. I only wish they would do the promotion of them twice a year. Of course your opinion may vary from mine. Though if thats the only burger I could have for the rest of my life I would be fine with that.
November 17th, 2008 at 2:16 am
I’m from Corpus Christi, where Whataburger was founded and it will always be the best tasting burgers ever! I eat there at least 4 to 5 times a week but it’s easy when there are more Whataburger restaurants than convenient stores. Seriously there is a Whataburger every 3 to 5 miles of each other and i wouldn’t have it any other way!
November 18th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I grew up deep in Whataburger country in Pensacola, Florida and nothing is better than a double Whataburger at 3am after a night out! I really wish Whataburger would expand into the Denver area where I am now. I travel quite a bit for work and anytime I find myself in the South now I always seek out a Whataburger.
December 31st, 2008 at 5:46 pm
I Just want to tell about me ordering the #1 meal, and bit into the hamburger and something hard enough BROKE MY TOOTH. There was nothing wrong with the tooth,I told the manager at the time, they were suppose to get back with me. I made a dental appointment for the next day (they were closed on Sunday, when this happened)the dentist had to pull the tooth because it was shattered. I WANT WHATABURGER TO PAY MY DENTAL BILL, WHICH WAS $210. THEY WON’T REPLY TO ME. I did eat there often and still want to, but they need to settle this.
January 7th, 2009 at 10:44 am
I USED TO EAT THERE WHEN I WAS ON BUSINESS TRIPS IN SAN ANTONIO, CLASSIC BURGER JOINT, GOOD FRIES, GOOD SHAKES, GOOD BURGERS, GOOD BREAKFAST, ALSO GOOD PRICES. WISH THEY HAD THEM UP IN THE NORTH EAST. WE HAVE FIVE GUYS HERE, THAT PLACE IS OVERRATED, OVERPRICED AND BASICALLY NOTHING SPECIAL.