BOILING SPRINGS — The first Whataburger in South Carolina is opening in Spartanburg County on July 15 and the first four customers in line will get free Whataburger for a year.
The store is located at 3647 Boiling Springs Road.
The second Whataburger opening in the state is scheduled for July 29 at 1466 Woodruff Road in Greenville. After that, one will open about every six weeks.
“All of us are just so thrilled to get to bring a 5-inch, big Whataburger flavor to this community,” said CEO Ed Nelson, who’s also a Simpsonville native and Clemson grad.
The restaurant will start serving at 11 a.m. on opening day and will remain open 24/7 — except Christmas Day.
The Texas-based burger chain will start off serving from the drive-through only and will add curbside pickup, dining room service and app delivery in the coming weeks.
The menu at the Boiling Springs Whataburger, opening July 15.
The store will host an opening day parking lot party from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a DJ, face painting and photo booths, games and a Kona Ice truck.
The first 350 guests will get a swag bag with Whataburger merchandise. Those who miss out can also buy Whataburger merch from its online store.
A Whataburger cheeseburger displayed at a opening preview event at the Boiling Springs Whataburger, which opens July 15.
The company sells its famous spicy ketchup online, along with other sauces, golf balls, coolers, flip flops, clothing, pajamas, tumblers, pickleball sets and much more.
“Whataburger’s a lifestyle brand,” Nelson said. “People love to wear Whataburger. We had a hat we put out recently on the Whataburger store. It sold out in 40 minutes. We sold 40,000 hats.”
At a preview event on July 9, the company donated $10,000 to the NFL Alumni association and offered samples of their food.
County councilman Jack Mabry, who represents Boiling Springs, tried a breakfast burrito.
“It’s good,” Mabry said. “I’m not really a big fan of breakfast burritos, but that was really good.”
Councilman David Britt had a patty melt, his first since his last business trip to San Antonio, Texas. Those trips always include a Whataburger stop.
“It melts in your mouth. It’s what it’s all about,” Britt said. “It’s like eating a donut with meat.”
Operating partner Jake Chastain has spent months getting the store ready to open.
He left Texas to open the store in Boiling Springs, and so far has been to Music on Main, visited Greenville and tried an Oreo shake at Delaney’s.
What does he have left before the store opens? “Pray. And then that’s it,” Chastain said. “Just sleep and we’re ready to open. We’re excited and ready for Monday.”
South Carolina is the 16th state Whataburger is in and the latest expansion market since it sold a majority stake to Chicago-based BDT Capital in 2019.
The Upstate and Columbia metro area are the first places in South Carolina to get a Whataburger. Nelson said Charleston, Myrtle Beach and the coastal areas will get locations starting late 2026 and 2027.
"We’re gonna earn the right to be your hometown burger,” Nelson said.
Here are the upcoming South Carolina Whataburger opening dates:
- July 29, 2024, 1466 Woodruff Road, Greenville
- Summer 2024, 1185 Dutch Fork Road, Irmo
- Late summer 2024, 308 W. Butler Drive, Mauldin
- Late summer 2024, 2900 Main St., Anderson
- Fall 2024, 202 Bridgeberry Lane, Columbia
- Fall 2024, 1941 E. Main St., Spartanburg
