clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Whataburger Uses 17 Million Pounds of Ketchup a Year

And plenty of mustard, too.

A classic Whataburger A-frame in Austin.
A classic Whataburger A-frame in Austin.
Nick Solares

In Texas, there is no institution more beloved than the orange-and-white striped heaven called Whataburger. This mecca of all things meaty and fried is the backbone of most true Texans' diet, who practically have that special spicy ketchup running through their veins at this point. (Conveniently enough, said ketchup can now be purchased at the grocery store.) Founded by the Dobson family in Corpus Christi in 1950, the chain has since expanded to 770 locations across ten states in the South. Ultimately, though, Whataburger will always belong to Texas.

Unsurprisingly, it takes a helluva lot of product to serve the hordes of late-night drive-thru customers their Whataburgers of choice. While the family-owned company couldn't or wouldn't disclose how much beef they go through each year — we imagine it's several gigantic farms' worth — they did offer up some other stats: