Whataburger: Whatabout a Better Burger?

In these modern times of deluxe burgers, salads with all the fixings, and sundae/shake/cake/goopy fusion desserts, a simple fast food menu is a rarity. Whataburger, with locations scattered across the Southeast and Southwest, does not appear to have modified its menu much since its 1950 inception. Burgers, chicken (grilled or fried), shakes, a token salad or two, and a slightly more extensive breakfast menu have kept the chain going. But if a restaurant is going to stake its name on simplified selection, it had better offer some pretty good food.

Whataburger, on the handful of occasions that I have "dined" there, has left me unimpressed. Granted, the chain's unique A-frame architecture and orange-white color scheme have kept me intrigued, but the products inside this structure don't live up to the promise. On my first trip, I tried the basic Whataburger. After placing my order, the cashier handed me a table number and I took my seat.

I suppose that having someone serve me elevated the dining experience to some extent; the downside, however, is that every person's meal arrives on a plastic red tray. Jam six trays at a table, and you risk spilling salt in your neighbor's soda.

Not that you would need to use the salt. The burger and chicken sandwiches that I have tried came doused in a special "seasoning" that my taste buds informed was, more or less, salt. My burger was a shriveled patty on a soft bun; I'd take the comparable Wendy's junior cheeseburger any day over the Whataburger version. Likewise, my chicken sandwich was dry and overcooked on the first try; a later visit yielded a better sandwich, complete with tomatoes, lettuce, and onions.

French fries are difficult to mess up, and Whataburger is no exception. I am tempted to say that the hot, crisp, salty potato spears were the highlight of my visit. I admit that this review is not entirely complete, however, as I have not tried the breakfast items.