Flashback Friday: Whataburger's Genesis and Evolution in Brownsville
By Diego Garcia III | Editor of The Brownsville Beacon
Editor's Note: In June, a Chicago-based investment firm announced they were getting into the hamburger business by acquiring a majority stake in Texas-based Whataburger. The first Whataburger was built in Corpus Christi in 1950. Since then, the headquarters of Whataburger had eventually moved to San Antonio until BDT Capital bought them out. Below is a brief history Whataburger's beginnings in Brownsville. Apologies to Brownsville Station, since they already posted a history of Whataburger on their blog.
Ask any Texan if they've ever had a Whataburger, and you'll be hard-pressed to find anybody who would tell you no. Whataburger is branded into modern Texas history. While we're taught to "Remember the Alamo and remember Goliad," Whataburger isn't easily forgotten. Dotted along the vast Texas landscape, you'll find more than 670 of those orange and white buildings offering everything from hamburgers and chicken strips, to apple pies and milkshakes. Whataburger constantly makes the top of people's lists of their favorite fast food joints. Whataburger fanatics usually find themselves going blow-for-blow against In-N-Out fanatics over social media. Whataburger is such a Texas favorite that you can even find Whataburger-themed charms at local jewelry shops.
I enjoy Whataburger. However, at the risk of committing a Texas-sized cardinal sin, I don't think Whataburger is the best hamburger in the world, but it is good for what it is. It definitely deserves a spot at the top of any fast food restaurant list.
Brownsville's first Whataburger Drive Inn was opened in 1957 and located at the corner of Boca Chica and Palm Boulevard. They had a unique ordering system involving three windows. You'd order your burger at the first window, tell the person behind the second window how you'd like your burger prepared, watch it be prepared, cooked and assembled in front of you, and it'd be picked up at the third window with your choice of soda. Whataburger was a big hit. The original drive inn would have an awning installed in 1958 offering customers protection from the sun. The original owner-operator, Roy E. Powers, encouraged customers to come by, try one of their delicious burgers and their thick, rich chocolate milkshakes. Powers also encouraged customers to phone in their order so it would be ready sooner. You could place your order by calling Lincoln-2-3305. In 1958, a Whataburger would set you back 40 cents.
Eventually, the original space would get too crowded and Whataburger would need more space to accommodate its clients. A place was eventually cleared out further down at the beginning of Palm Boulevard. Construction on the new location would begin in late 1963. The new "A-Frame" Whataburger would be located at 2135 Palm Boulevard. The new Whataburger would feature a new "drive-under" roof that would protect you in all types of weather. An air-conditioned waiting room would also allow patrons to order their burgers in comfort during the hot summer days.
The new Whataburger would be open for business in early 1964. It was a hit. Patrons would continually flock to the Whataburger to enjoy their scratch-built burgers and milkshakes. My grandparents would often take my mother and her two brothers to Whataburger after church sometimes. Sometimes they'd take the burgers down to Ringgold Park or sometimes they'd dine in under the orange and white awning.
The Whataburger on Palm Boulevard would still be going strong into the 1970's. In 1977, however, things would change. Ken Myers came down to Brownsville from Corpus Christi to run the Whataburger for the owners of the franchise. He ran the franchise for nearly a decade until the opportunity came up to purchase the franchise outright. He took a chance, but unfortunately he was unable to pay the franchise fee to keep the restaurant operating as a Whataburger. Some quick thinking, a few letters changed on the sign, and a color scheme change, and Myersburger was born.
Myers made it clear the quality of the food would not be changing. You would be getting the same style of burger you were used to getting at Whataburger. The thing that interested me the most was how different Whataburgers must have tasted from city to city. Myers mentioned he sourced all of the components to build his hamburgers locally. He mentioned getting buns from Rainbo, the ground beef from Swift, using Kraft cheese, and Sysco "Grade A" Lone Star french fries, as well as obtaining the condiments and produce locally.
His pitch was simple. The building may no longer be orange and white and the sign may no longer say Whataburger, but our employees are all the same, our food is exactly the same quality you're used to, and — perhaps most importantly — the prices are going to stay the same.
Eventually, Meyersburger would go the way of its predecessor. As Brownsville expanded eastward and northward, new Whataburgers began popping up. Eventually, you could find a Whataburger at the end of US-77 on International, off the expressway and 802 by Sunrise Mall, and further down from Palm Boulevard on Boca Chica. Today you can find two other Whataburgers on Ruben Torres and one on Alton Gloor.
One of the last restaurants to use the space was a Mexican restaurant called Tia Ines. There may, or may not, have been another Mexican restaurant before Tia Ines — my memory isn't what it used to be.
The original A-Frame structure would remain at the entrance of Palm Boulevard until the late-1990's. It was torn down some time before June of 1998. The Border Governor's Conference was held in Brownsville that year, and the city went all out in sprucing up the streets and the routes the border governors were going to use. They got Luke Fruia to lend them some fancy Cadillacs for the journey down Palm Boulevard. They didn't want the old decaying Whataburger to be an eyesore as they passed by.
Today, the space is occupied by an Exxon gas station/convenience store. Another Brownsville landmark razed to the ground left only to exist in our memories.
Please feel free to leave any of those memories in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the rest of your Friday and have a good weekend.
Editor's note: Below are some more photos from our friends over at Brownsville Station. If you have a chance, please stop by their blog — you won't be disappointed.
bronsbilestacion.blogspot.com
Editor's Note: In June, a Chicago-based investment firm announced they were getting into the hamburger business by acquiring a majority stake in Texas-based Whataburger. The first Whataburger was built in Corpus Christi in 1950. Since then, the headquarters of Whataburger had eventually moved to San Antonio until BDT Capital bought them out. Below is a brief history Whataburger's beginnings in Brownsville. Apologies to Brownsville Station, since they already posted a history of Whataburger on their blog.
Ask any Texan if they've ever had a Whataburger, and you'll be hard-pressed to find anybody who would tell you no. Whataburger is branded into modern Texas history. While we're taught to "Remember the Alamo and remember Goliad," Whataburger isn't easily forgotten. Dotted along the vast Texas landscape, you'll find more than 670 of those orange and white buildings offering everything from hamburgers and chicken strips, to apple pies and milkshakes. Whataburger constantly makes the top of people's lists of their favorite fast food joints. Whataburger fanatics usually find themselves going blow-for-blow against In-N-Out fanatics over social media. Whataburger is such a Texas favorite that you can even find Whataburger-themed charms at local jewelry shops.
 |
| The first Whataburger in Corpus Christi |
I enjoy Whataburger. However, at the risk of committing a Texas-sized cardinal sin, I don't think Whataburger is the best hamburger in the world, but it is good for what it is. It definitely deserves a spot at the top of any fast food restaurant list.
Brownsville's first Whataburger Drive Inn was opened in 1957 and located at the corner of Boca Chica and Palm Boulevard. They had a unique ordering system involving three windows. You'd order your burger at the first window, tell the person behind the second window how you'd like your burger prepared, watch it be prepared, cooked and assembled in front of you, and it'd be picked up at the third window with your choice of soda. Whataburger was a big hit. The original drive inn would have an awning installed in 1958 offering customers protection from the sun. The original owner-operator, Roy E. Powers, encouraged customers to come by, try one of their delicious burgers and their thick, rich chocolate milkshakes. Powers also encouraged customers to phone in their order so it would be ready sooner. You could place your order by calling Lincoln-2-3305. In 1958, a Whataburger would set you back 40 cents.
 |
| Brownsville's first Whataburger at the intersection of Boca Chica and Palm Boulevard |
Eventually, the original space would get too crowded and Whataburger would need more space to accommodate its clients. A place was eventually cleared out further down at the beginning of Palm Boulevard. Construction on the new location would begin in late 1963. The new "A-Frame" Whataburger would be located at 2135 Palm Boulevard. The new Whataburger would feature a new "drive-under" roof that would protect you in all types of weather. An air-conditioned waiting room would also allow patrons to order their burgers in comfort during the hot summer days.
 |
| Construction of the new Whataburger on Palm Boulevard |
The new Whataburger would be open for business in early 1964. It was a hit. Patrons would continually flock to the Whataburger to enjoy their scratch-built burgers and milkshakes. My grandparents would often take my mother and her two brothers to Whataburger after church sometimes. Sometimes they'd take the burgers down to Ringgold Park or sometimes they'd dine in under the orange and white awning.
 |
| The new Palm Boulevard location open for business in 1964 |
The Whataburger on Palm Boulevard would still be going strong into the 1970's. In 1977, however, things would change. Ken Myers came down to Brownsville from Corpus Christi to run the Whataburger for the owners of the franchise. He ran the franchise for nearly a decade until the opportunity came up to purchase the franchise outright. He took a chance, but unfortunately he was unable to pay the franchise fee to keep the restaurant operating as a Whataburger. Some quick thinking, a few letters changed on the sign, and a color scheme change, and Myersburger was born.
 |
| Myersburger. Notice the name change on the rooftop sign |
Myers made it clear the quality of the food would not be changing. You would be getting the same style of burger you were used to getting at Whataburger. The thing that interested me the most was how different Whataburgers must have tasted from city to city. Myers mentioned he sourced all of the components to build his hamburgers locally. He mentioned getting buns from Rainbo, the ground beef from Swift, using Kraft cheese, and Sysco "Grade A" Lone Star french fries, as well as obtaining the condiments and produce locally.
His pitch was simple. The building may no longer be orange and white and the sign may no longer say Whataburger, but our employees are all the same, our food is exactly the same quality you're used to, and — perhaps most importantly — the prices are going to stay the same.
Eventually, Meyersburger would go the way of its predecessor. As Brownsville expanded eastward and northward, new Whataburgers began popping up. Eventually, you could find a Whataburger at the end of US-77 on International, off the expressway and 802 by Sunrise Mall, and further down from Palm Boulevard on Boca Chica. Today you can find two other Whataburgers on Ruben Torres and one on Alton Gloor.
One of the last restaurants to use the space was a Mexican restaurant called Tia Ines. There may, or may not, have been another Mexican restaurant before Tia Ines — my memory isn't what it used to be.
The original A-Frame structure would remain at the entrance of Palm Boulevard until the late-1990's. It was torn down some time before June of 1998. The Border Governor's Conference was held in Brownsville that year, and the city went all out in sprucing up the streets and the routes the border governors were going to use. They got Luke Fruia to lend them some fancy Cadillacs for the journey down Palm Boulevard. They didn't want the old decaying Whataburger to be an eyesore as they passed by.
Today, the space is occupied by an Exxon gas station/convenience store. Another Brownsville landmark razed to the ground left only to exist in our memories.
Please feel free to leave any of those memories in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the rest of your Friday and have a good weekend.
Editor's note: Below are some more photos from our friends over at Brownsville Station. If you have a chance, please stop by their blog — you won't be disappointed.
bronsbilestacion.blogspot.com
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