The legendary Texas burger chain is opening several locations in the Charlotte area. Here’s when the first one will open its doors.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After years of anticipation and planning, iconic Texas fast food chain Whataburger is coming to North Carolina, with several restaurants opening soon in the Charlotte area.
We now know when the first North Carolina Whataburger will open. The legendary chain announced it will open at 3415 East Franklin Boulevard in Gastonia on Wednesday, May 29, at 9 a.m.
Whataburger plans to open 10 restaurants in North Carolina this year, serving Texas-style burgers, fries, and milkshakes throughout the Tar Heel State. About half of those locations will be in the Charlotte area. Construction is currently underway on restaurants in Charlotte, Hickory, Indian Land and Mooresville.
RELATED: Whataburger picks fast-growing Charlotte suburb for its latest NC location
Whataburger expansion in the Carolinas
“For 75 years, Whataburger has grown from a single burger stand into a brand folks love across the country—but our heart has always stayed right where it belongs: in local communities just like Gastonia,” Debbie Stroud, Whataburger president and chief executive officer, said.
Plans for Whataburger have been cooking since at least 2022 when zoning records first showed plans for the site to be built on South Boulevard. However, those plans stalled, leaving Charlotte without Whataburger’s fancy ketchup or patty melts.
Whataburger has been a Texas staple since it opened its first location in 1950 with over 700 locations in the Lone Star State. The fast food chain has expanded to states across the country and now hundreds of locations outside of Texas.
South Carolina has already tasted the chain’s burgers, with locations in Columbia, Greenville and Spartanburg.
The restaurant is unrelated to the local chain of What-A-Burger restaurants found in Concord, Kannapolis, and Mooresville.
For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts that impact you from WCNC Charlotte, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.
