Whataburger started in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Quick Scoop

  • The very first Whataburger opened on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas.
  • It opened on August 8, 1950, as a small roadside burger stand.
  • The founders were Harmon Dobson and Paul Burton, who wanted a burger so big it took two hands to hold.

A tiny stand, big idea

In 1950, Harmon Dobson set up Whataburger #1 at 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. He sold a 25-cent quarter‑pound burger on an oversized bun, aiming to make people say “What a burger!” after one bite.

From Corpus to a regional icon

Within a few years, new locations spread beyond Corpus Christi to other Texas towns like Kingsville and Alice, and later to Florida and other states. Today, the company is headquartered in San Antonio, but its roots and origin story are firmly in Corpus Christi, Texas.

TL;DR: Whataburger started as a small burger stand on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, on August 8, 1950, founded by Harmon Dobson and Paul Burton.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.