Daily Dose of Sultnpapper 03/08/18> not just any burger….Whataburge...

As most of you know once a month I dedicate the Daily Dose column to food, not just any food, Texas BBQ. That day is always the 15th, so make a mental note of that and bring your appetite. Today though I am also covering a food establishment that is truly a “Texas Treasure”, that is not me just making a fancy name or term for it either, the Texas Legislature has in fact given this restaurant that designation back in 2001 when the 77th Texas Legislature was in session.

On August 8, 1950 a man in Corpus Christi, Texas named Harmon Dobson entered into the hamburger business in a tiny little wood frame structure on Ayers Street. I wished I had measured the building when I was taking photos of it but I didn’t. I am pretty good at estimating size so my guess is 16’ x 8’ , I know damn well it isn’t even close to 20’ x 10’. But let’s just say for grins it is, so approximately 200 square feet. Mr. Dobson had big dreams, he also wanted to make a burger that would require two hands to hold it when you ate it. His dream, as he told people, was that once people took a bite of his hamburger they say, “What a burger. “ in appreciation for it’s great taste and size. He succeeded in realizing his dream.

That day in 1950 the Whataburger restaurant chain was born. The first Whataburgers sold for a whopping $0.35, that was a premium price back then, McDonalds hamburgers were selling for $0.15. So when I say whopping it really was whopping in price. It was also whopping in size, the Whataburger was so big it needed a 5 inch bun to handle the meat pattie and the meat extended all the way to the edge of the bun and just a tad farther. It took two hands back then to eat the burger and it still does to this day. Like any good burger joint Whataburger offered a cold drink to wash it down with and a mug a root beer was a nickel, if root beer didn’t fit your need you could get a good size milk shake for $0.15. That was the menu, three items and two of them were drinks. I wasn’t born in 1950 but I think that you could also get an ice cream cone according to friends of mine who are older than me and who lived in Corpus Christie at the time.

By the end of the 1950’s Harmon had married and had opened seventeen Whataburger locations in Texas and one location in Florida. He was a man a mission so to speak, his mission was to sell the best burger. Whataburger was fast becoming a Texas tradition and in 1961 the first of what would become the company’s signature look and colors building was built in Odessa, Texas. The orange and white striped roof on an A- frame style building became the signature of the Whataburger brand.

According to the history on their website in 1962 french fries and hot apple pies were added to the menu. Harmon Dobson died tragically in a plane crash in 1967 and his wife took over the reins of the business, despite having three small children. Grace Dobson grew the business in the 70’s to over 200 locations and incorporated drive up windows to the design of the buildings. In 1982 she experimented in Corpus by having the three locations there be open 24 /7 selling burgers and fries. Corpus is an industrial town and the shift workers loved the idea of being able to get a Whataburger whenever they wanted one, she was the pioneer of fast food and the 24 hour concept.

By the time the 80’s ended the total locations was right at 440. Several menu items were added along the way, but one thing that has never changed is the size of the burger and it is never cooked until you order it.

On August 8, 2000 Whataburger celebrated its 50 year anniversary, 575 locations open and operating selling the best burger you will find in fast food. Whataburger had become the eight largest hamburger chain in the United States and was only in the southern states from Arizona to Florida and as far north as Tennessee. Today the chain is over 800 locations, the business is still family owned and operated and the tiny little wood frame building that started it all is on display in the back of the Whataburger #31 on South Staples Street, a few blocks from its original location.

Just like all of my other daily dose columns there is a reason for me bringing up Whataburger and sharing the history and pictures. That reason would be @apanamamama ; she is a friend of mine here on steemit and a former Texas gal who grew up on Whataburgers. Unfortunately Whataburger hasn’t opened any locations in Panama and she misses them dearly. A few months back I had mentioned to her over @thesteemengine discord channel about the original Whataburger restaurant building still standing in Corpus, she didn’t know it was still around. I told her that on my next trip to Corpus I would take some pictures of it and share them with her, so she could see the humble beginnings that started it all for this great burger chain.

I like sharing Texas history with all the folks here on steemit, so rather than just send her a couple pictures I decided to just go ahead on and make a daily dose for all to read and see. Besides, my future grand kids will enjoy this story when they grow up, I am sure they will also be fans of Whataburger. I have no doubt that the Whataburger chain will be around when they get here because the people who run that chain know about providing good food at a fair price and giving back to the community. That has always been an important part of the Whataburger story, the picture, located further down, is of the little league team sponsored by Whataburger in the late 1950’s.

I might also say that if you ever have the chance and you are in Texas or any part of the southern United States and you haven’t ever tried a Whataburger get your tail over there and order one up, you will not be disappointed. The sandwich I had on Wednesday evening was the mushroom swiss Whataburger, two big patties of fresh ground beef with sautéed mushrooms and swiss cheese, I told them to hold the “special sauce”, I’m nobody special.
Until next time,
@sultnpapper