More Whataburgers Coming To Central FL, But CEO Says It's "Not A Discount Chain" Serving $5 Meals

Photo byJonesdr77 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It used to be that Floridians who wanted to enjoy the iconic flavors of Whataburger had to be in (or travel to) north Florida or the Jacksonville area. That's soon going to change. I've recently written about new Whataburger locations coming to Tampa and Bradenton. And now it appears that one more city is going to be getting Whataburger - Orlando.

Why Do Floridians Like Whataburger?: Tastes vary, of course. Floridians have plenty of choices when it comes to burger chains - including Five Guys, Burger 21, and Culver's. So what sets Whataburger apart?

One could argue that scarcity is one factor. There are fewer than 50 Whataburgers in Florida - and most are concentrated in the northern part of the state.

So Floridians without a Whataburger may think they are missing out. However, a recent social media Orlando thread discussing Whataburger coming to Orlando had some comments that may shed some light on the excitement.

A poster with the handle mistaken4strangerz wrote, in part:

"...Just went over the summer in Jacksonville and it was still so good. Can not wait for the corporate-owned locations..."

A poster with the handle CanoeIt wrote:

"I went to one in Phoenix recently and found it better than In & Out, which I thought was my favorite fast food burger."

Besides the above, the company has been doing business for 70 years and offers made-to-order burgers and "fancy ketchup."

The Orlando Market: Whataburger was actually already in the Orlando market in the early 2000s, but the locations were run by a franchisee and eventually closed.

The upcoming Orlando restaurants will reportedly be corporate-owned instead.

"Not A Discount Chain:" CEO Ed Nelson reportedly told The Tampa Bay Business Journal that Whataburger does not discount the "center of the plate" (meaning burgers or sandwiches) but instead offers promotions on side items like milkshakes.

Nelson reportedly explained:

"It’s about the value of my burger. I’m not a discount chain, so you’re not going to come to me and have a $5 meal."

The author is not affiliated with Whataburger or any other restaurants.