Whataburger truck made a quick stop in Raleigh. When can you eat at a permanent location?
Raleigh government workers were among the first in the Triangle to taste Whataburger, as the restaurant chain’s food truck continues its trek across the state.
The Texas-based burger chain, recognized by its orange flying “W” logo, has been taking its Texas-sized mobile kitchen to cities across North Carolina, ahead of its official debut in the state.
Most recently, the truck stopped at a Charlotte middle school to serve teachers No. 1s (a single-patty burger topped with cheese, mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickles and diced onions). And on Monday, March 24, the truck parked at Halifax Mall in downtown Raleigh, dishing out burgers and merch to the lunchtime crowd.
Charlotte and Raleigh are just a couple of the cities Whataburger has selected to house future locations. The first restaurant in the Charlotte area is expected to open in Gastonia in June, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
But Triangle residents will have to wait longer than that to sink their teeth into a No. 1, a patty melt or a honey butter chicken biscuit.
“We’re not coming in to say, let’s sell a burger,” CEO Debbie Stroud told The News & Observer. “We actually want to be part of the community, which means connecting with the fabric of how people live, work, shop. It’s important to us that we really connect with the families that live here.”
Here’s what we know so far about Whataburger’s plans for the Triangle.
When will Whataburger open its first Triangle restaurant?
Whataburger is entering North Carolina, the 17th state in which it will operate, during its 75th anniversary, making it younger than two other iconic Texas brands, H-E-B and Willie (Nelson), but older than What-A-Burger, the North Carolina restaurant chain with a handful of locations, including in Kannapolis and Concord.
The chain is expected to make its Triangle debut in 2026, The News & Observer has previously reported. That timeline is still holding up.
“We hope to be in this local area by January-ish of 2026,” Whataburger regional brand leader Shirley Belue told the Halifax Mall crowd March 24.
Where will Whataburger open in the Triangle?
Whataburger previously said it would open in Raleigh, Durham and Cary. But the Bull City may be out of luck.
“I wouldn’t say Durham at this point,” Bill Sorrells, a company vice president for real estate development, told The N&O.
Whataburger has submitted construction plans for two locations in Raleigh, The N&O was first to report. Those sites are at 501 E. Six Forks Road, a former Applebee’s, and 6305 Falls of Neuse Road, site of a now-closed PDQ.
The company has not confirmed the Raleigh locations, but it is hiring for positions at locations across North Carolina.
Where will Whataburger open in North Carolina?
Here’s when to expect North Carolina’s first Whataburger locations:
- 3415 E. Franklin Blvd. in Gastonia: June 2025
- 2060 U.S. Highway 70 Southeast in Hickory: summer 2025
- 12935 Albemarle Road in Charlotte: summer 2025
- 1408 Four Seasons Station Blvd. in Greensboro: summer 2025
- 4409 West Wendover Ave. in Greensboro: no timeline has been announced
- 291 Harvey St. in Winston-Salem: late summer 2025
- 10118 N. Main St. in Archdale: fall 2025
- 2713 N. Main St. in High Point: fall 2025
- 604 River Highway in Mooresville: no timeline has been announced
- 1152 Solomon Drive in Kernersville: no timeline has been announced
A restaurant at 8574 Charlotte Highway in Indian Land, South Carolina, is expected to open in summer 2025.
“We have almost 1,100 restaurants now,” Stroud told The N&O. “It’s very possible that over the course of the next five years, that we can grow that by another 500 restaurants. That’s about the pace that we’re at. It’s aspirational, and we want to do it in the right way.”
Does Whataburger have any North Carolina connections?
The company is Texas born and bred.
However, its current CEO, Debbie Stroud, lived in North Carolina for many years, including in Cary for seven. After some time in Atlanta, she moved to North Raleigh, and two of her daughters graduated from Millbrook Magnet High School and Leesville Road High School.
This story was originally published March 24, 2025 at 2:56 PM.
