Whatburger’s forthcoming south Fort Myers location has signage in place and looks ready to open from the outside. But the Texas-based burger chain will not welcome Southwest Florida’s first customers until about September.
Juan Valenzuela, Whataburger’s senior field marketing and events manager based in Florida, said the finished appearance should build a buzz with at least two more months of waiting.
The region’s first Whataburger will be at 12916 S. Cleveland Ave., in what had been an Aussie Grill and a Boston Market prior to that.
The corporate-owned restaurant will need to hire between 65 and 75 employees prior to opening.
“There’s also a people component,” Valenzuela said. “We’re very careful with how we build our teams. We have a very structured training program. We have a commitment of high care and love that we serve everybody. Building a team can take time sometimes.
“It may look like it’s ready to go on the outside, but there are still some things being worked out on the inside. It’s a little bit of a teaser.”
Whataburger originated in 1950 in Corpus Christi, Texas. It expanded into Florida for the first time in 1959 in Pensacola, but the chain has yet to reach Fort Lauderdale or Miami. The Jacksonville and St. Augustine locations are as far south as the chain goes on the east coast.
Whataburger
David Dorsey
Whataburger recently opened its 53rd Florida location – a blip considering there are more than 900 in Texas.
Valenzuela’s territory includes south Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, Orlando, Tampa and Southwest Florida.
Southwest Florida’s second Whataburger is slated to go into a former Pollo Tropical location at 22927 Lyden Drive across from Coconut Point mall in Estero by the end of this year, Valenzuela said.
The company is also scouting for a third location in the Port Charlotte area.
“We’re not in the business of building a restaurant to take from the community,” Valenzuela said. “We’re in the business of building a restaurant to give back.”
Whataburger gives back by having a free breakfast program for teachers and a student success program. There are also scholarship opportunities for customers and employees.
“The kids who work for us from the community also are eligible for that scholarship,” Valenzuela said. “We take a lot of pride in being able to give back.”
But before Whataburger can give back, it has to open. Valenzuela said Whataburger is focused on thriving in Southwest Florida.
“The Fort Myers market, it’s been a long time coming,” he said. “We have such a fan base. So many people know us from either growing up in Texas or visiting Texas. It’s good to be where they are. We want to be where they are. It’s very exciting for us.”