Whataburger begins building in Athens

By Keely Hallinan
March 2023

Why I Wrote the Story

While covering the business beat for Athens, I learned how dynamic consumerism is and how its ever-changing nature means every story must be written in a time-sensitive way. The AP Stylebook was particularly helpful for business titles and locations in my story.

A fast-food chain officially began work for its first Athens location. Whataburger is set to open in fall 2023 and will provide the Athens community with 150 jobs with an expected salary of above $15 per hour, said company and chamber of commerce officials.

Hairy Dawg, the University of Georgia’s mascot, stands in front of Whataburger’s food truck at the groundbreaking event of the restaurant’s first location in Athens. (Photo/Keely Hallinan)

Around 50 university students and interested individuals attended the groundbreaking event organized by Whataburger marketing officials and Athens Area Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. The event consisted of a Whataburger food truck, a presentation from the Whataburger team members, goodie bags and samples of the restaurant’s breakfast taquito.

Lacey Pinkerton, Whataburger’s field marketing manager for the Southeast, said the team is excited surrounding the first Athens location.

“The excitement here for Whataburger is insane, it's the best,” Pinkerton said. “You really can’t beat it.”

Lacey Pinkerton, Whataburger’s field marketing manager for the Southeast, addresses the event’s attendees March 15 about what to expect from the fast-food chain’s new location. (Photo/Keely Hallinan)

The company’s Athens restaurant will feature a double drive-thru, a dining room, art of Hairy Dawg and an Athens mural. The mural will represent special symbols of Athens and remind customers of why they love the city, Pinkerton said.

Whataburger originated in Texas in August of 1950 by Harmon Dobson, who had a goal of serving the largest burger on the market. Mahendra Modha, a Whataburger marketing official, said Dobson wanted to make sure he had a bigger, better burger.

The company specializes in hamburgers and features chicken sandwiches, salads, milkshakes and breakfast, according to the menu on Whataburger's website. Modha said the brand is young with only 900 restaurants across the nation.

Whataburger plans to open nine additional Atlanta-area restaurants in 2023 and over 50 throughout the next seven years, according to a recent story on the restaurant’s news page. A location in Buford is set to open next week, and a location in Cumming will open in April.

Athens Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO David Bradley said 4,500 residents from the redevelopment of the Georgia Square mall will drive consumers to the Whataburger location. The hourly rate for Whataburger’s 150 employees will be well above minimum wage or over $15 an hour. The president/CEO of the pro-business organization is confident in the location of the restaurant as well as the fast-food market.

“The university population helps,” Bradley said. “They also look for a community that's growing substantially and has some available space on a primary corner.”

UGA’s Hairy Dawg joins Whataburger marketing officials in celebrating the groundbreaking of Whataburger’s first Athens location. Construction workers continued to work behind the group during the event. (Photo/Keely Hallinan)

An opening date for the location across Aldi has been established as fall 2023 with no specific date, given that borrowing equipment and construction issues are factors in Whatburger’s building timeline. The mall is roughly a mile from the restaurant’s location off Atlanta Highway.

“We don't know exact dates obviously, it's all dirt here,” Pinkerton said.