ASHEVILLE – Diners question if a Texas burger joint’s expansion plan will include Asheville.
Question: Is Whataburger opening in Asheville?
Answer: Whataburger, a Texas-based fast food burger chain, brought in the new year breaking ground in a new market: North Carolina.
A double meat Whataburger with cheese and a peach shake and french fries called a Whatameal.
On Jan. 7, Whataburger officially broke into the North Carolina market with a groundbreaking ceremony at 2060 US Highway 70 SE in Hickory, about an hour east of Asheville. It’s slated to open in the summer.
Several additional North Carolina locations and tentative opening timeframes were announced:
-
3415 East Franklin Blvd., Gastonia. Late spring 2025.
-
12935 Albemarle Road., Charlotte. Summer 2025.
-
8574 Charlotte Highway, Indian Land, South Carolina, in Metro Charlotte. Summer 2025.
-
1408 Four Seasons Station Blvd., Greensboro. Summer 2025
-
291 Harvey St., Winston-Salem. Late summer 2025.
-
10118 N Main St., Archdale. Fall 2025
-
2713 N Main St., High Point. Fall 2025.
Public relations manager Victor Trevino told the Citizen Times that the company is excited to bring Whataburger to North Carolina. Still, there are no details available about further expansion around the state.
A rendering of a Whataburger restaurant. The Texas-based fast food burger chain is expanding into the North Carolina market.
This year also marks the company’s 75th anniversary, founded in 1950 in Corpus Christi and headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.
Over the decades, Whataburger reportedly has grown to more than 1,080 restaurants over 16 states, generating a systemwide revenue of more than $4 billion.
The company was named on QSR Magazine’s Best Brands to Work For in 2023 list.
Whataburger’s burger meal and “famous” Fancy and Spicy Ketchup have helped put them on the map for customers.
Most restaurants are open 24/7 and 364 days a year, closing only on Christmas.
Whataburger’s nationwide burger chain competitors include McDonald’s and Burger King. In North Carolina the contender is, perhaps, Cookout, founded in 1989 in Greensboro.
A local favorite, it’s also known to have long drive-thru lines that serve late-night crowds.
Asheville’s burger scene is bountiful thanks to the local chefs and cooks grilling flavorful patties at area eateries, including the popular smash burger style.
Whataburger executives and Hickory city officials at the groundbreaking event at 2060 US Highway 70 SE on Jan. 7, 2025.
Local restaurants are encouraging diners to visit, particularly after the late-September Tropical Storm Helene shook the industry when restaurants had to close due to issues like storm damage and the prolonged citywide water outage, and many continue to struggle to recover.
Some places to seek out for homegrown burger bites are Baby Bull, Burgerworx, Burial Beer, Farm Burger, Foggy Mountain Brew Pub, Haywood Common, Hillman Beer, Jack of the Wood Pub, Juicy Lucy’s Burger Bar and Grill, Olde London Road English Pub, The Bier Garden, Pack’s Tavern, Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge, The Madness, The Village Porch, Thirsty Monk-Biltmore Park, Twisted Laurel, Universal Joint and Village Pub.
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Tips, comments, questions? Email tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow @PrincessOfPage on Instagram/Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville Answers: Is Whataburger coming to Asheville?
