Whataburger Locations: 1,180 Restaurants in 17 States [2026 Map]

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🍔 Whataburger Locations in the US

1,180 Total Restaurants Across 17 States
As of February 2026

Looking for Whataburger locations near you? As of February 2026, there are 1,180 Whataburger restaurants operating across 17 states in the United States. While the iconic orange-and-white striped burger chain remains deeply rooted in Texas — home to 66% of all locations — Whataburger has been aggressively expanding across the South, Southwest, and now into new markets like Nevada and the Midwest.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll show you exactly what states have Whataburger, break down locations by state and city, answer whether Whataburger is a franchise, and provide the complete data you need for market research, competitive analysis, or simply finding the nearest location to satisfy your craving for a Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit.

1,180 Total US Locations
17 States with Whataburger
774 Texas Locations
1950 Year Founded

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How Many Whataburger Locations Are There?

As of February 2026, there are 1,180 Whataburger restaurants in the United States, spread across 17 states. Texas dominates with 774 locations (66% of total), followed by Oklahoma, Florida, and Arizona. The chain has been expanding rapidly since BDT Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in 2019, growing from around 830 locations to over 1,180 today.

Founded by Harmon Dobson in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1950, Whataburger started with a simple goal: serve a burger so big it takes two hands to hold, and so good that customers exclaim “What a burger!” Seventy-five years later, that vision has grown into one of America’s most beloved regional fast-food chains.

Whataburger Growth Timeline

Year Milestone Location Count
1950 First location opens in Corpus Christi, TX 1
1959 First location outside Texas (Pensacola, FL) ~25
2000 50th Anniversary celebration 575
2007 $1 billion annual revenue milestone 700
2019 BDT Capital Partners acquires majority stake 830
2024 Surpasses 1,000 location target 1,050+
2026 Current count (February) 1,180

🚀 Rapid Expansion: Since the 2019 acquisition, Whataburger has added over 350 new locations — a 42% increase in just 7 years. The chain is now expanding into completely new markets including Nevada (2026), Tennessee, Georgia, Missouri, and Kansas.

What States Have Whataburger?

One of the most common questions from burger fans is “what states have Whataburger restaurants?” As of 2026, you can find Whataburger in 17 states, primarily concentrated in the South and Southwest regions:

Complete List of States with Whataburger (2026)

Rank State Locations % of Total
1 Texas 774 65.6%
2 Oklahoma 50 4.2%
3 Florida 46 3.9%
4 Arizona 44 3.7%
5 New Mexico 38 3.2%
6 Louisiana 35 3.0%
7 Alabama 32 2.7%
8 Arkansas 28 2.4%
9 Mississippi 26 2.2%
10 Tennessee 25 2.1%
11 Georgia 22 1.9%
12 Kansas 18 1.5%
13 Missouri 15 1.3%
14 Colorado 10 0.8%
15 South Carolina 8 0.7%
16 Nevada 5 0.4%
17 North Carolina 4 0.3%

🤠 Texas: The Whataburger Capital

774

Texas has more Whataburger locations than all other states combined. That’s one Whataburger for every 37,463 Texans!

States WITHOUT Whataburger (2026)

If you’re in one of these states, unfortunately you’ll have to wait — or take a road trip:

33 states currently without Whataburger: California, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia, Washington, Massachusetts, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maryland, Oregon, Connecticut, Iowa, Utah, Kentucky, Nebraska, West Virginia, Idaho, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming.

📍 Expansion Watch: Whataburger has announced plans to continue expanding eastward. North Carolina is expected to have 8+ locations by end of 2025, and speculation suggests Virginia and additional Southeast states could be next.

📁 Download State-by-State Location Data

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Whataburger Locations in Texas

With 774 Whataburger locations in Texas, the Lone Star State is undeniably Whataburger country. In 2001, the Texas Legislature even officially proclaimed Whataburger a “Texas Treasure.” Here’s the breakdown of how many Whataburgers are in Texas by major metro area:

Top Texas Cities by Whataburger Count

Rank City/Metro Area Locations
1 Houston (Harris County) 91
2 San Antonio (Bexar County) 63
3 Dallas (Dallas County) 56
4 Fort Worth (Tarrant County) 48
5 Austin (Travis County) 42
6 El Paso 28
7 Corpus Christi (birthplace) 18
8 Lubbock 15
9 Amarillo 12
10 Midland-Odessa 11

🏠 Whataburger Headquarters

Whataburger’s corporate headquarters is located in San Antonio, Texas. The company moved from its original Corpus Christi headquarters in 2009. San Antonio remains home to 63 Whataburger locations, the second-highest concentration of any Texas metro.

Address: 300 Concord Plaza Dr, San Antonio, TX 78216

Is Whataburger a Franchise?

Yes, Whataburger is a franchise, but with a twist — the majority of locations are actually company-owned. Here’s what you need to know about Whataburger franchise opportunities:

💰 Whataburger Franchise Requirements & Costs

Initial Franchise Fee
$40,000 – $50,000
Total Investment
$1.2M – $3M
Minimum Net Worth
$1.5 Million
Liquid Capital Required
$500,000+
Royalty Fee
4-5% of gross sales
Marketing Fee
2-2.5% of gross sales
Multi-Unit Requirement
5 locations in 5 years
Average Revenue per Location
$3.5 Million/year

Key Facts About Whataburger Franchising

  • Selective franchising: Whataburger historically kept tight control over its brand, with most locations being company-owned. Only about 126 locations were franchised when BDT Capital acquired the company in 2019.
  • Expansion through franchising: Since the acquisition, Whataburger has opened up more franchise opportunities, particularly in new markets like Alabama, Arizona, Florida, and Georgia.
  • High barrier to entry: With requirements of $1.5M net worth and commitment to open 5 locations, Whataburger franchising targets experienced, well-capitalized restaurant operators.
  • Strong unit economics: Average annual revenue of $3.5M per location with estimated 15% profit margins makes it an attractive investment for qualified franchisees.
$3.5 Million Average Annual Revenue Per Whataburger Location

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Whataburger vs Competitors: Location Comparison

How does Whataburger stack up against other major burger chains in terms of US locations?

Chain US Locations States Headquarters
McDonald’s 13,814 50 + DC Chicago, IL
Burger King 6,604 50 + DC Miami, FL
Wendy’s 5,830 50 + DC Dublin, OH
Five Guys 1,700+ 48 Lorton, VA
Whataburger 1,180 17 San Antonio, TX
In-N-Out Burger 400+ 8 Irvine, CA
Culver’s 950+ 26 Prairie du Sac, WI
Shake Shack 350+ 33 New York, NY

🍔 Regional Dominance: While Whataburger has fewer total locations than national chains, it dominates in its core Texas market. In Texas alone, Whataburger (774 locations) rivals Burger King (~550) and exceeds Five Guys (~180) and In-N-Out (~400 in all states).

Whataburger Locations Map: Regional Distribution

Understanding the Whataburger map helps visualize the chain’s regional concentration and expansion strategy:

Locations by Region

🤠 Texas
774
Core Market (66%)
🌵 Southwest
92
AZ, NM, CO, NV
🎸 South Central
113
OK, LA, AR
🌴 Southeast
159
FL, AL, MS, TN, GA, SC, NC
🌾 Midwest
33
KS, MO
📈 New Markets
9
NV, NC (2024-2026)

Whataburger Data Scraping: Get Complete Location Data

Whether you need the full list of Whataburger locations for market research, competitive analysis, franchise planning, or site selection, our Whataburger Data Scraping services deliver comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date datasets.

📦 What’s Included in Our Whataburger Location Dataset

📍
Full Address
🌐
GPS Coordinates
📞
Phone Numbers
🕐
Operating Hours
🚗
Drive-Through Status
Customer Ratings
💬
Review Count
📊
Foot Traffic Scores
🏪
Store Type

Use Cases for Whataburger Location Data

  • Franchise Research: Analyze existing Whataburger coverage to identify underserved markets for potential franchise development
  • Competitive Analysis: Compare Whataburger’s footprint against McDonald’s, Burger King, Five Guys, and In-N-Out
  • Real Estate Planning: Identify Whataburger-anchored retail centers or analyze site selection patterns
  • Market Research: Study regional burger chain penetration and consumer preferences
  • Supply Chain Optimization: Map logistics routes based on store distribution
  • Investment Analysis: Evaluate Whataburger’s expansion trajectory for investment decisions

📁 Available Data Formats

We deliver Whataburger location data in your preferred format:

  • Excel/CSV – Ready for spreadsheet analysis
  • JSON – For developers and applications
  • GeoJSON/KML – For mapping platforms
  • API Access – For real-time integration
  • Custom Formats – Esri Shapefile, XML, and more

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Whataburger locations are there?
As of February 2026, there are 1,180 Whataburger locations in the United States, spread across 17 states. Texas leads with 774 locations (66% of total), followed by Oklahoma (50), Florida (46), and Arizona (44).
What states have Whataburger?
Whataburger operates in 17 states: Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, South Carolina, Nevada, and North Carolina. Texas has 774 of the 1,180 total locations.
How many Whataburgers are in Texas?
Texas has 774 Whataburger locations as of February 2026, representing about 66% of all Whataburger restaurants. Houston has the most with 91 locations, followed by San Antonio (63) and Dallas (56).
Is Whataburger a franchise?
Yes, Whataburger offers franchise opportunities, though most locations are company-owned. Franchise requirements include a minimum net worth of $1.5 million, $500,000+ in liquid capital, and a commitment to open 5 locations within 5 years. Total investment ranges from $1.2M to $3M per location.
Where is Whataburger headquarters?
Whataburger’s corporate headquarters is located in San Antonio, Texas at 300 Concord Plaza Dr, San Antonio, TX 78216. The company moved from its original Corpus Christi headquarters in 2009.
When was Whataburger founded?
Whataburger was founded on August 8, 1950, by Harmon Dobson and Paul Burton in Corpus Christi, Texas. The first restaurant was located on Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College.
Is Whataburger expanding to more states?
Yes, Whataburger has been aggressively expanding since BDT Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in 2019. Recent expansions include Nevada (2026), Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The company plans to continue expanding eastward and into the Midwest.
How much does a Whataburger franchise cost?
Opening a Whataburger franchise requires a total investment of $1.2M to $3M, including an initial franchise fee of $40,000-$50,000. Ongoing fees include a 4-5% royalty and 2-2.5% marketing fee. Average revenue per location is approximately $3.5 million annually.
Where can I get the full list of Whataburger locations?
You can obtain the complete list of all 1,180 Whataburger locations through our data scraping services. We provide comprehensive datasets including addresses, coordinates, phone numbers, operating hours, and customer ratings in various formats (CSV, JSON, API).

Get Complete Whataburger Location Data

Whether you’re researching Whataburger locations for franchise opportunities, competitive analysis, or market research, accurate and comprehensive data is essential. Our Whataburger Data Scraping service provides the most up-to-date dataset available for all 1,180 US locations.

From Texas to the expanding Southeast and Midwest markets, understanding Whataburger’s geographic footprint offers valuable insights for investors, franchisees, competitors, and market researchers alike. Let us help you unlock that value with clean, accurate, analysis-ready data.

📬 Request Your Whataburger Dataset

Complete location data for all 1,180 US restaurants. Custom formats available.

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Gaurav Vishwakarma

Director