Texas burger chain enters South Carolina market with 10 planned locations

“Ask, and you shall receive.”

By the end of 2024, South Carolina fans of a popular Texas-based burger joint will finally have the chance to sink their teeth into the brand’s signature made-to-order meals served up with hometown hospitality.

According to the company’s news release, Whataburger will kick off its expansion into the state with up to 10 new restaurants opening across the Upstate and Midlands with locations planned in Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Mauldin, Irmo, Boiling Springs, Lexington, Duncan, and Easley. A list of planned Upstate locations is below. Opening dates are subject to change.

• 1466 Woodruff Road, Greenville: summer 2024
• 308 W Butler Drive, Mauldin: summer 2024
• 1185 Dutch Fork Road, Irmo: late summer 2024
• 1941 E Main St., Spartanburg: fall 2024
• 2900 Main St., Anderson: fall 2024
• Boiling Springs & Double Bridge Road, Boiling Springs: fall 2024
• NWC S Lake Drive and Industrial Drive, Lexington: fall 2024
• 1510 WO Ezell Blvd., Spartanburg: late fall 2024
• 1537 E Main St., Duncan: late fall 2024
• 5648 Calhoun Memorial Parkway, Easley: late fall 2024

In September, based on an application for a special exception permit filed with the city of Greenville, Whataburger originally filed an application to set up shop at 1601 Laurens Road.

“The proposed 24-hour drive-thru is expected to attract more business to the area at different times of the day than during normal business hours and leverage the rest of Greenville’s vibrant commercial area for businesses that may be open later as well,” the application stated.

A few weeks later, Greenville’s Board of Zoning Appeals denied the request for the all-night drive-thru for the Whataburger planned for Laurens Road, citing concerns including traffic, noise, and odors that would potentially affect a nearby neighborhood.

Whataburger was born more than 73 years ago when entrepreneur Harmon Dobson had the idea “to 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!’” He named his burger stand, located on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, “Whataburger.”

Today, the company is headquartered in San Antonio and has nearly 990 locations across 14, soon-to-be 16 states, operating 24/7, 364 days a year. and sales of more than $3 billion annually.

Whataburger currently has more than 50,000 employees nationwide and more than 60 million customers. Along with the new restaurants, Whataburger plans to hire a total of up to 1,000 people by year-end 2024.