National Whataburger Day

National Whataburger Day celebrates the regional fast food restaurant chain Whataburger on the anniversary of its founding. The day was first celebrated in 2023 in honor of the company's 73rd anniversary. That year, the company gave away free Whataburgers on the day exclusively through the Whataburger Rewards app. Some lucky employees (whom the company calls Family Members) and customers were invited to tour the Whataburger home office in San Antonio. The company also provided student lunch debt relief through their charitable wing, Whataburger Feeding Student Success, while partnering with All for Lunch. The company's home office also partnered locally with the San Antonio chapter of Communities in Schools to collect supplies to build hygiene kits for students in school districts in the San Antonio area.

In 2025, Whataburger offered Whataburgers for 75 cents on the day through the Whataburger Rewards app in honor of the company's 75th anniversary. That year, they also made Whataburger Commemorative Cups. There also was an "Orange Out" night at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, home of the Corpus Christi Hooks, a Minor League Baseball team. Whataguy hats and capes were given out to attendees during this 75th anniversary celebration game for Whataburger.

Harmon Dobson founded Whataburger in Texas in 1950 along with Paul Burton. Dobson opened the first Whataburger location on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, across from Del Mar College, on August 8, 1950. His goal was to make a burger so big that those eating it would have to hold it with two hands and would then say "What a burger!" The first Whataburger cost 25 cents and consisted of a quarter-pound hamburger patty on a wide bun with ketchup, mustard, lettuce, three tomato slices, four dill pickles, and chopped onions. (Ketchup was later removed from the recipe.) Whataburger also sold soft drinks and chips at the time.

Dobson opened the first Whataburger outside of Texas, Whataburger #21, in Pensacola, Florida, in 1959. French fries and hot pies were added to the Whataburger menu in 1962, and by 1963 there were 26 Whataburger restaurants, located in Texas, Florida, Arizona, and Tennessee. The first of the iconic A-frame restaurants opened in Odessa, Texas, in 1961, designed by Dobson and inspired by his love of flying. (Ironically, he later died in a plane crash in 1967.) The first Whataburger drive-thru opened in 1971, and the 100th Whataburger location opened in 1972. "Modern A-Frame" architecture debuted in new restaurants in 1974, accommodating drive-thrus and providing for a larger dining area. Whataburger was known for years for its orange-and-white-roofed A-frames.

The 500th Whataburger location opened in 1995, at a time when Whataburger was the eighth-largest hamburger chain in the country. In 1969, following Harmon Dobson's death, his widow, Grace, became chairman of the board. In 1993, Harmon and Grace's son Tom became CEO and President. The Dobson family fully controlled Whataburger until 2019, when they sold a majority stake of it. Whataburger is headquartered in San Antonio with locations throughout Texas and the South; as of 2026, there were 1,130 Whataburger restaurants in 17 states.

Whataburger's specialty remains hamburgers. They are known for serving made-to-order and never-frozen burgers on five-inch buns. Their best-known burgers are the Whataburger, Whataburger Jr., Triple Meat Whataburger, Bacon & Cheese Whataburger, and Justaburger. They also have non-beef options like the Whatachick'n. Besides being known for their burgers, they are known for their Fancy Ketchup and for their orange-and-white-striped A-Frames, which have now mainly been demolished and replaced. The burgers, the buildings, the ketchup—it is all celebrated today on National Whataburger Day, on the anniversary of the opening of the first Whataburger.

How to Observe National Whataburger Day

• Visit a Whataburger and enjoy a Whataburger and other menu items.
• If you don't live near a Whataburger, plan a road trip to visit one. In the meantime, you could order items from the Whatastore, including some Fancy Ketchup.
• Check if Whataburger planned any events or specials for this year's National Whataburger Day.
• Download the Whataburger Rewards app from the App Store or Google Play.
• Read the most recent Whataburger news.
• During past observances, Whataburger has suggested celebrating by wearing orange in honor of Whataburger, visiting a Whataburger and wishing employees a Happy National Whataburger Day, ordering something you've never tried before or customizing a favorite Whataburger item in a new way, learning about Whataburger's history, and celebrating on social media by posting your favorite Whataburger moments along with the hashtag #NationalWhataburgerDay.

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