Whataburger opens Lake Norman location Thursday. Freebies to first 100 customers
Texas-based Whataburger is scheduled to open its Lake Norman location in Mooresville at 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, with freebies to the first 100 customers, management told CharlotteFive on Tuesday.
Signs were up, and outdoor tables and seating at the front of the restaurant was ready for customers, CharlotteFive noticed on a visit to the location at 604 River Highway (N.C. 150) in early September.
The opening follows months of renovations to a former O’Charley’s at an entrance to the Winslow Bay Commons (Super Target) retail center.
Opening day giveaways at Whataburger Mooresville
The first 100 customers will get a free Whataburger swag bag and a Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit or Breakfast Taquito.
A Whatabash from 4 to 7 p.m. will include a video game truck, face painter and prize wheel.
The location has a double drive-thru, large dining room, digital menu boards and a custom interior mural with Mooresville iconography.
Operating partner Steven Schott leads 85 workers at the location
Hamburger faceoff: Whataburger vs. What-A-Burger
While Texas natives praised the original September announcement about the opening on the Exit 31-36 page, some local residents vowed loyalty to the local What-A-Burger chain and its decades-old location on South Main Street in downtown Mooresville.
“Good in Texas, but not cheating on my hometown and local area what-a-burger … in my own town,” a man posted.
The locally owned North Carolina What-A-Burger locations have no ties to the Whataburger chain. The names are so similar, however, that the chain sued some of the local restaurants for trademark infringement last year, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
Whataburger management responded on social media last month.
“It’s honestly great to see everyone supporting their local businesses as well,” management posted on the Exit 31-35 page with a double heart emoji. “At the end of the day, we may serve food, but we are absolutely in the ‘people business.’ We are here to give you all nothing but great hospitality at this location.”
This story was originally published September 6, 2025 at 1:32 PM.