Texas-based burger chain Whataburger is expanding to the greater metro Atlanta area. The shuttered Kennesaw O’Charley’s Restaurant & Bar, at 705 Townpark Ln NW, will house the state’s second outpost, Tomorrow’s News Today first uncovered.
Whataburger corporate communications confirmed the plans in an email to What Now Atlanta Tuesday, but would not provide additional details.
“It’s true,” a spokesperson wrote. “Whataburger will be bringing our iconic burgers and exceptional customer service to Kennesaw! We hope our fans here are as excited as we are. We’ll have more information to share soon.”
Whataburger currently operates its lone Georgia restaurant in Thomasville, at 13880 US Highway 19 South, according to the restaurant’s website, but has plans to continue inching in toward Atlanta.
“We absolutely love hearing that we have so many fans in Georgia,” Whataburger corporate communications told What Now Atlanta in February when rumors started circulating that an expansion into the area was imminent. “We’re not announcing any new locations in the Peach State at the moment, but we’ll be sure to let you know if that changes.”
Whataburger in 2020 announced plans to open 25 restaurants in 2021, in addition to remodeling many existing restaurants.
In addition to the expansion, which would mostly cover Tennessee, Kansas City, and existing markets, Whataburger also began franchising its restaurants for the first time in almost 20 years.
Along with plans for expansion, the company rolled out a new look for its restaurants to “better serve our guests, increase our capacity, and continue to deliver the quality food and friendly customer service our customers expect from us.”
Whataburger said it will introduce new restaurant models and remodels that have a reduced environmental impact by “using renewable resources when possible, LED lighting, and more efficient equipment for 24-hour use.”
“There are a lot of things our customers hold sacred about Whataburger, including the iconic A-frame, orange and white stripes, and the strong link to our history,” James Turcotte, senior vice president of real estate at Whataburger said when the expansion was first announced. “Whataburger’s new restaurant designs and remodels will stay true to our unique look, just in an updated and fresh way.”
12 Responses
We need one close to Midtown or Dunwoody, please.
I cannot wait to have a Whataburger and fries!!! I haven’t had one in 7 years since I left Tallahassee!!!
They do realize Kennesaw isn’t even in Atl , right? Thats quite some distance out. I know bc I used to drive it almost everyday for work. 30+ min no traffic.
Stop hating. Kennesaw is next to a thriving university of more 30 000 students in a thriving middle-class suburb. I expect Trader Joe’s to join the area soon.
Hating? Stating a fact is not hating.
you dont understand the meaning of METRO, which clearly Kennesaw is to Atlanta. The story did not say they were opening IN Atlanta.
We need one in Holly Springs or near the Woodstock Outlets.
We need one in either Snellville, Lawrenceville or Duluth!
I will happily make the drive to Kennesaw from Auburn, GA. It will be better that taking a day trip to Thomasville again and again…geez.
We need one in the Conyers area. It would really help with the lack of decent fast food stores in the area.
Barnesville, Griffin, Peachtree City, and Athens
I’m not driving from Roswell to Kennesaw.
PLEASE ADD A Whataburger to Roswell, GA.
I promise to eat there 6 nights a week.