Whataburger officials in KC this week scouting market, confirm one will open in 2021
Whataburger officials are in town and this much they will say: If all goes as planned, Kansas Citians will be able to order a Whataburger locally in 2021.
Officials arrived Monday night and plan to leave on Thursday after meeting with elected officials, school districts, restaurant associations, philanthropic groups and others.
Donna Tuttle, group director of brand communication for Whataburger, said they are here to “listen and learn.”
“We are committed to the Kansas City market,” Tuttle said. “We’re not just building a burger restaurant. We want to be your hometown Whataburger. We’re not cookie-cutter in our approach. We want to understand the landscape; that’s very important to us.”
Tuttle couldn’t confirm any area locations until negotiations are completed. But she said at least one area restaurant is scheduled to open in 2021.
Previously reported locations in the works — according to city officials, public documents and Whataburger’s career postings — are:
▪ 905 Missouri 7, Blue Springs
▪ Douglas Street and Saint Luke’s Boulevard in Lee’s Summit.
▪ Overland Pointe Marketplace, 8420 W. 135th St., Overland Park.
Depending on the size of the restaurant, each location will have 70 to 130 employees. The restaurants will have drive-thrus.
Kansas City Councilman Kevin O’Neill said Whataburger confirmed the four area locations. But he was disappointed the Northland wasn’t on the list.
“We are overlooked so many times and there is not that much competition up north,” O’Neill said. “But I got the impression that they are looking to add several more locations in another phase and I am confident our story in the Northland will resonate with them.”
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!’ ”
Burgers are made to order and it uses 100 percent beef and a 5-inch bun.
It also has breakfast items such as pancakes and biscuit sandwiches, fish and chicken sandwiches, patty melts, salads and shakes.
After the Texas-based burger chain offered to send Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes some of his favorite ketchup and a T-shirt in late 2018, he tweeted back, “I just want a store in Kansas City!”
Did Mahomes influence the expansion to Kansas City? Tuttle couldn’t comment on that.
“We are huge fans of Patrick Mahomes and he’s a huge fan of Whataburger and that’s a great relationship,” she said. “We have fun with it on social media.”
Tim Cowden, president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Development Council, has been a Whataburger fan since growing up in Oklahoma and plans to add them to his Kansas City-area fast food rotation.
“It’s super cool that they are coming to town,” Cowden said. “Above all else we must keep Patrick Mahomes happy and Whataburger is going to help do just that by expanding into the Kansas City region.”
Speaking of social media, Whataburger might want to look at responses to O’Neill’s post with future location suggestions.
“What?! Only in suburbs???”
This story was originally published October 28, 2020 at 2:49 PM.