Whataburger IS coming to Atlanta

After much speculation, Kim Cole has confirmed that as of today, Monday, November 25, there is officially going to be a Whataburger located in the same spot Grandy’s was occupying at the Travelplex convenience store in Atlanta.

Rumors have been around for some time over the past year as some have heard about Whataburger representatives coming out and measuring and looking over the property. The rumors were jumpstarted again when Grandy’s closed their doors at the travel plaza.

Social media has been abuzz with news that it was happening. However, nothing was official until Monday after all the “t’s” were crossed. Now that everything is official Cole says that they will start construction right away. The portion of the facility that Grandy’s was in will be completely torn down and the convenience store will be closed for a short time for renovation.

Cole says they already have the building permit, hired the contractor and have the plans drawn up so things should move quickly. It is estimated that the fast-food restaurant could open up within six months.

The process started about a year ago when Cole approached Whataburger about the possibility of having a store here in Atlanta. With anything like this “it’s all about the details,” says Cole. There have been some obstacles because of the sale of the Whataburger corporation.

Whataburger is an American, privately-held, regional fast food restaurant chain, headquartered and based in San Antonio, Texas, that specializes in hamburgers. The company, founded by Harmon Dobson and Paul Burton, opened its first restaurant in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1950. The restaurant was Family-owned by the Dobsons until 2019 when the chain sold its majority stake to a Chicago investment bank. The Dobson family still holds a small stake in the restaurant.

There are more than 670 stores in Texas and over 150 in New Mexico, Arizona, and the southern United States. As can be imagined Cole believed that the store will bring in a lot of business. Now with Atlanta, Texas, becoming one of them, Cole believes that the store will bring in a lot of business.

Mayor Travis Ransom “is excited to welcome Whataburger to Atlanta. We have long anticipated the arrival of their honey butter chicken bisquits and their Jalapinio Hambergers! Whataburger is a legendary brand with Texas roots so I know they will feel right at home here.”

With the construction, current customers can expect to see the convenience store closed for a short time, and the name will be changed, along with the other stores owned by Cole to “Kim’s” convenience stories.