Sunday, October 21, 2001
44 Whataburger
Though it can't be proved and though Whataburger doesn't lay claim to it, national food service officials acknowledge Whataburger as the likely inventor of the quarter-pound burger.
With restaurants in eight states and Mexico, Whataburger started in Corpus Christi with one. One reason to love Whataburger is that Whataburger loves Corpus Christi enough to keep its headquarters here, no matter how big it has grown, by decree of the founding family, the Dobsons.
Clean image: Whataburger quietly donates time and money to Stop Trashing Texas campaigns and beach cleanups, recognizing that fast-food packaging tends to become litter and not wanting the company name spread through that means.
Texas Treasure: The Texas House of Representatives honored the corporation in April as a state treasure, joining the ranks of landmarks like Big Bend National Park, the Alamo and King Ranch.
Big employer: 10,000 employees corporate wide.
But don't call them "employees": CEO Tom Dobson banned use of the word. They're all "family members" whose mission is to satisfy customers and serve the community.