Austin, TX--It's no secret that Austin likes to keep things weird. Austin is once again leading the way in doing things differently. Texans love their Whataburger, and they know it by its distinct look--the steep orange and white roof. When looking for a Whataburger, there's no mistaking it because of its distinctive design and color.
There's quite a local buzz around the new restaurant as people are literally circling around the block to get in the doors. Heads are turning. There are no reports of whip-lash yet, but plenty af talk about the burger joint. Why? Because it looks different. The look locals have come to expect is different.
A new Whataburger restaurant is opening at 17000 N. RR 620 in Round Rock, just outside of Austin, and the design will be missing its trademark high-pitch roof design. See this video for a close look of the new design:
James Turcotte, chief development officer and senior vice president of real estate at Whataburger, told CultureMap last year that the design makeover marries the old and the new:
“We have gone to great lengths and effort to try to maintain the linkage to our past because we know, particularly in Texas, that people’s grandparents have eaten there, their parents have eaten there, they’re eating there,” Turcotte said. “We don’t take that loyalty lightly at all. We’re going to great lengths to try to make sure that they feel like the tradition of Whataburger is still there and being maintained, and we’re being good stewards of the brand.”
The new design will be the first of its kind in Austin and is open for business.
Patrons will have to adjust their eyes to get acquainted with the new design, but the iconic "w" will still be above the door and the color scheme will remain unchanged. Mostly, just the pitch of the roof will change.
Austin residents should have no fear that the recipes have changed. Only the look of the building is different. The same food and burgers you love are unchanged.
This week the new Whataburger design is open and patrons in Austin are lined up to check out the new location. Maybe Austinites love their Whataburger, or perhaps residents are turning out to check out the new design. Either way, the new location is booming with business. The 24/7 favorite local burger place has the burger you crave, but the building has a new modern look.