Texans still savoring Whataburger despite sale to Chicago-based company
In the downtown streets of San Antonio, it didn’t take long to find the strong love for the iconic orange and white Texas staple.
Whataburger is a Texas treasure with a twist of Chicago. It’s been nearly three years since Chicago company, BDT Capital Partners, LLC, took over the fan favorite. At the time, in 2019, the move didn’t sit well with Texans. So, years later, is the fan favorite still business as usual? KENS 5 wanted to check-in and ask its loyal customers if they had noticed any changes.
In the downtown streets of San Antonio, it didn’t take long to find the strong love for the iconic orange and white Texas staple.
If I had some money, I would almost eat there every day, “David Guadiano said.
“I think people are really proud of being from the south, and Texas and all of that stuff,” Noah Hudson said. That's their restaurant you know. That's the one that represents us.”
The story Humble beginnings
A man with a dream is how Whataburger came to life in 1950. Harmon Dobson opened the first location in Corpus Christi, Texas. through the years, the fan favorite has grown and grown. It prides itself in its customer service and food.
“I be getting the buffalo ranch chicken sandwich,” Hudson said.
“Number one is always the safe bet,” Guadiano said.
As of today, there more than 800 locations that sit across the U.S. Whataburger has a very dedicated and loyal following. In 2019, the fast-food restaurant announced merchant bank BDT Capital Partners, LLC based in Chicago was taking over the chain. Whataburger said this new partnership poised the brand for long-term growth. At the time, the company’s president said they wanted to find a partner who would honor their values, culture, and legacy of family tradition.
Fans react to change What-a-reaction
However, Whataburger fans freaked out about the take-over. In fact, in the same year the fast food chain wrote an open letter to its concerned customers saying in part quote: “Texas we don’t want you to be upset. We will always be Texan and represent you in a way that makes you proud.”
The tweet had more than 6,000 retweets and 30,000 likes.
San Antonio resident and Whataburger fan Diane Ramos remembers the news. She said she was nervous about the change.
“They were buying Whataburger,” she said.
Tom Cannon is the Interim Chair of the Marketing Department at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is also professor of practice of marketing.
“The old expression: ‘Don’t mess with Texas’, and that is what these fans are of Whataburger: ‘Don’t mess with Whataburger,” he said. It is like any kind of relationship, I liked you when I first met you and now you know you are changing. so, I don’t like that.”
BDT Capital Partners is known for advising and investing in family and founder-led companies.
“They are doing things and buying into businesses that are a proven success,” Cannon said. There is a recipe if you will for Whataburger’s success. They want to capitalize on it and still the family has a minority ownership interest in it.”
Whataburger still has core leadership at the helm. Since the sale, cannon said the fundamentals do not seem to have changed.
“I don’t think any investor, getting back to that, is going to make decision to upset that loyal fan base because let’s face it those fans from an investor equal cha-ching.”
Three years later What they said
KENS 5 asked fans on the streets and on Facebook this question: What differences have you noticed at Whataburger since it changed owners in 2019? The KENS 5 Facebook post, with the questions, was a top clicker. It ignited more than 1,900 comments and heated conversations.
Gay King wrote on Facebook: “The hamburgers are not as good as before they let Chicago own part of it.”
Bernice Barrera said: “They’ve forgotten to include my cream gravy many times with my chicken strips. The quality of customer service has definitely gone down.”
Blake Bihner said: “Honestly, haven’t seen much difference. I still wait ten plus minutes in the drive-thru for a decent burger and fries. Lucky if one of them are hot. Ecstatic if both my burger and fries are hot.”
“I don’t think I have noticed a change in quality,” Guadiano said. Everything is still good as far as I can see.”
“Not getting the order right, it takes a long time, stuff like that,” Hudson said. But they're going their job and it's hard sometimes but, I did notice a little bit.
Drive-through journey Whata-a-journey
For the purpose of the story, KENS 5 went to a Whataburger drive-thru to get food. It is located near the Medical Center off Fredericksburg Road. An employee told us to wait for a second before we could order. But that second turned into about 12 minutes.
Here is what we ordered:
- Whataburger®: Whatameal®
- Double Meat Whataburger®: Whatameal®
- Whatachick’n® Strips 3 piece Whatameal®
- Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich
- Small Chocolate Shake
We waited longer to order than to receive our food. But when we got back to the station. One burger was missing from our bags. Days later, we went back to the exact Whataburger around the same time to get the same order. For the second time our order was complete and the total time at the drive-thru was 15 minutes.
“Service always varies because there is always turnover in this type of industry,” Guadiano said.
Due to the pandemic, and like many industries, the fast food industry itself is struggling finding staff. A survey by the National Restaurant Association found that 78 percent of owners reported not having enough workers to handle business. The study was a survey of 4,000 restaurant operators September 7-15, 2021
While, opinions may vary there is one thing that seems true: Whataburger is a place where its fans feel something.
“That's us, that's our restaurant, it's our fast food chain,” Hudson said. People are willing to back it no matter what.
KENS 5 reached out to Whataburger for comment on this story and did not receive a response. BDT Capital Partners told KENS 5: We will not be providing comment, but appreciate you reaching out to us.”