Whataburger just opened its first North Carolina restaurant in Gastonia, while What-A-Burger reminds locals of its long-standing presence since the 1950s.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Texas-based chain Whataburger is finally here in North Carolina.
The fast-food joint opened the doors to its Gastonia location on Thursday. But this really isn’t the first Whataburger we’ve seen in the Charlotte area; there’s another restaurant with a very similar name that has been around for decades.
As the Texas-based Whataburger opens its doors here in our area, another What-A-Burger is reminding everyone they’ve already been established here since the 1950s.
WCNC Charlotte is looking at what sets them apart.
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According to the Mooresville Chamber of Commerce, What-A-Burger, the one with dashes in its name, has been in the community since 1956, starting as a drive-in. At one point, it had 15 locations in North Carolina. Today, five locations remain.
The franchise offers burgers, hot dogs, fries, and more.
While this was the first What-A-Burger in North Carolina, a different Whataburger – one without dashes in its name- started in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1950. It started expanding beyond Texas in 1959. Now, it has made its way to North Carolina.
The main difference between the two is the dashes between letters and when they first opened up shop. But the story doesn’t end there.
In 2024, the Texas chain filed a suit against one of the North Carolina restaurants, claiming it violated a confidential agreement that was reached in 2022, violating trademark laws. That case is still in North Carolina’s Middle District Court. Court documents reviewed by WCNC Charlotte show both sides filed for a joint discovery plan earlier in May 2025.
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