COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Texas-based burger chain Whataburger has made its return to the Centennial State.
Whataburger opened its first restaurant in the state in decades on Wednesday, Feb. 23 in Colorado Springs.
The location at 1310 Interquest Parkway in northeast Colorado Springs officially opened at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The site is just yards from an In-N-Out Burger restaurant that opened in November 2020.
Whataburger began as a stand in Corpus Christi, Texas in the 1950s and has since grown to more than 800 locations across the country, according to their website.
The franchise once had a presence in Colorado, including a location on 88th Avenue in Thornton that became Jim's Burger Haven.
Whataburger said additional Colorado locations are planned, including a Dublin Boulevard Colorado Springs location by year-end 2022.
The new Whataburger, located at the InterQuest Marketplace, will bring 100 jobs to the community. Hiring for restaurant managers, team leaders and team members began in September, said Whataburger.
Longtime franchisee BurgerWorks has planned a Colorado training center at 5905 Constitution Avenue in Colorado Springs. Those interested in working at Whataburger can get more information at burgerworksllc.com.
"We’ve had the good fortune of meeting quite a few of our new neighbors here in Colorado Springs, and we’ve felt every bit of their hospitality," said longtime Whataburger franchisee William Tamminga.
"I have to extend an especially big thanks to the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & EDC for welcoming Whataburger into the community with open arms and celebrating with us today," added Tamminga. "We can’t wait to continue our tradition of serving great food and friendly service to our new friends in Colorado and look forward to opening our doors by year-end."
"We are excited to welcome the first Whataburger to Colorado as they join our InterQuest Marketplace community later in the year. For both loyal fans and first-time patrons, we know this 'Texas Treasure’ will be a big hit with Colorado Springs residents," said Chris Jenkins, CEO of Norwood Development.
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