CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After years of anticipation and planning, iconic Texas fast food chain Whataburger is coming to North Carolina, with several restaurants opening soon in the Charlotte area.
We now know when the first North Carolina Whataburger will open. The legendary chain announced it will open at 3415 East Franklin Boulevard in Gastonia on Wednesday, May 29, at 9 a.m.
Whataburger plans to open 10 restaurants in North Carolina this year, serving Texas-style burgers, fries, and milkshakes throughout the Tar Heel State. About half of those locations will be in the Charlotte area. Construction is currently underway on restaurants in Charlotte, Hickory, Indian Land and Mooresville.
Whataburger expansion in the Carolinas
- Hickory: June 2025
- Charlotte: Summer 2025
- Indian Land: Summer 2025
- Greensboro: Summer 2025
- Winston-Salem: Late summer 2025
- Archdale: Fall 2025
- High Point: Fall 2025
- Kernersville: 2025 (no timetable)
- Mooresville: 2025 (no timetable)
“For 75 years, Whataburger has grown from a single burger stand into a brand folks love across the country—but our heart has always stayed right where it belongs: in local communities just like Gastonia,” Debbie Stroud, Whataburger president and chief executive officer, said…