Is a Whataburger opening in Charlotte? Here’s what we know.
Take a deep breath — an electronic permit filing shows plans are underway for a potential Whataburger location in a former bank branch building in the Closeburn-Glenkirk neighborhood of Charlotte.
- Does that mean a Charlotte location of the wildly popular Texas-based burger chain is on its way? It’s a strong possibility.
Plans for a pre-submittal meeting with the city were filed by Lee Johnson of Kimco Realty on a Tyvola Square property at 5301 South Blvd. The required meeting gives a developer or site designer a chance to have their plans viewed by city staff. This project is described in online city records as: “Whataburger Conversion of Former Bank” and says, “We are converting the former Suntrust Bank into a Whataburger. Existing building is being reused. Drive thru stacking being expanded per max allowable by code.”
Email and voicemail messages left with Johnson weren’t immediately returned Friday. Ana Flores, a spokeswoman for Whataburger at its PR firm, the Hahn Agency, said, “We don’t have any information to share today, but I’ll be sure to add you to our media list and keep you posted as details are solidified.”
- So, when can I get a Whataburger in Charlotte?: In short, we don’t know — yet. But there’s a possibility you could be munching on Double Meat Whataburger or a Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich in the near future.
But here is what else we do know:
- Kimco does list a property available in Tyvola Square: The listing shows nearby shops including Dollar Tree, Party City, Pet Smart and Ross, among others.
- The chain has expanded past Texas: The Houston Chronicle reported last year that the chain’s new owner had plans to open new locations outside its home market, in Colorado, Missouri and Tennessee — and building is booming in those markets and beyond. WMFB News reported earlier this year in Greenville that Whatburger was looking at sites in upstate South Carolina, too.
What about Concord, Kannapolis and Mooresville?
- Don’t forget, it’s not THAT What-A-Burger: While we’re on the subject, we’ll note that Whataburger is not to be confused with the What-A-Burger restaurants in Concord, Kannapolis and Mooresville. They aren’t part of the Texas-based chain; they have been selling burgers in North Carolina since E.L. “Eb” Bost and C.W. Bost founded What-A-Burger in 1956.
Have we got you hungry for a burger now? Check out our Ultimate burger guide: Where to find 100+ best burgers in the Charlotte region.
Gordon Rago contributed reporting.
This story was originally published September 23, 2022 at 4:44 PM.
