Chiefs’ Mahomes asked Whataburger to come to KC metro. Now that wish is in the works

Sure, Patrick Mahomes has enough wizardry to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a Super Bowl win.

But could he really have enough sway to get Kansas City a Whataburger?

After the beloved Texas-based burger chain offered to send Mahomes some of his favorite ketchup and a T-shirt in late 2018, he tweeted back, “I just want a store in Kansas City!”

Now a 3,751-square-foot freestanding Whataburger building is being proposed for Douglas Street and St. Luke’s Boulevard in Lee’s Summit.

A preliminary site plan has been drawn up, and Ryan Elam, director of development services for the city of Lee’s Summit, confirmed that Whataburger officials have met with the city to discuss the project. But no official plans have been submitted.

In a statement Saturday, Whataburger officials said: “We are excited to hear we have so many fans in the Kansas City community, and we have been exploring this area. At this time, we have no specific plans to announce a restaurant but will be happy to share when — and if — the time is right.”

Whataburger was founded by Harmon Dobson in 1950, according to the company’s website. He had an idea, an eatery that would “serve a burger so big that it took two hands to hold, and so good that after a single bite customers couldn’t help but exclaim, ‘What a burger!’ ”

Items are made to order and it uses 100 percent beef and a 5-inch bun.

The menu also includes mushroom Swiss burgers, patty melts, a honey barbecue chicken strip sandwich, a sweet and spicy bacon burger, fish and chicken sandwiches, salads, and breakfast items such as a honey butter chicken biscuit, pancake platter and taquitos with cheese.

Restaurants are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Whataburger currently has more than 830 locations in 10 states, the majority located in Texas. It has more than 43,000 employees and has sales of more than $2 billion annually.

A year ago, BDT Capital Partners LLC acquired majority ownership in Whataburger, but the chain’s headquarters remain in San Antonio and it is led by a team of Whataburger executives with a combined 150-years-plus in the brand.

At the time, BDT said it would explore expansion plans.

This story was originally published June 20, 2020 at 12:40 PM.