As a born and bred New Englander, I'm woefully inexperienced when it comes to some regional restaurant chains.
In-N-Out remains a mystery to me, and the wonders of Chick-fil-A have only recently entered my life thanks to its aggressive national expansion.
Whataburger has been an enigma for some time now — nearly every Texan I meet extols its many virtues, yet I've never set foot in one.
With over 790 locations across 10 states, Whataburger is a Southern fast-food powerhouse.
It has been family-owned since the first humble burger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1950.
The chains ranks seventh on QSR Magazine's Top 50 Burger roundup, raking in $1.8 billion in system-wide sales in 2014, and it's expanding rapidly.
So when I found myself heading down to the Lone Star State, I decided a visit to the celebrated burger joint was a mandatory stop on my itinerary.
This location in Port Lavaca is one of a whopping 655 Whataburgers in Texas. It's built in the classic A-frame design that Whataburger is known for — one of the founders had a fondness for aviation and subsequently worked it into the chain's design.
On the windows, decals proudly proclaim their burgers to be 100% beef, ordered just the way you like it. Also, a dash of patriotism for good measure, apparently — what's more American than a burger?
No line at the register — I must have beat the lunchtime rush. Of course, most Whataburgers are open 24/7, so a late-night burger is always an option.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider