Jacksonville, AL – On Friday, June 7 at 11 a.m., Whataburger celebrated the grand opening of its first location in Jacksonville, Alabama. The new restaurant, located at 618 Pelham Road S, marked a significant milestone for the beloved burger chain as it continued to expand its presence in North Alabama.
“We couldn’t be more excited to weave ourselves into the fabric of Jacksonville with our first restaurant,” said Whataburger Operating Partner Lleana Snyder. “We’ve had the privilege of meeting a few of our new neighbors, including some of the faculty at Jacksonville State University, and we already feel at home as we plant our roots. We look forward to meeting more community members and serving our guests.”
The Jacksonville location was the ninth Whataburger restaurant operated by MWB Restaurants in North Alabama. Initially, the restaurant offered drive-thru service only, with plans to open the dining room and provide curbside pickup through Whataburger.com and the Whataburger app in the coming weeks. Delivery service was also set to be available shortly.
Opening day saw an overwhelming turnout, with cars lined up from the drive-thru to the street. Despite the high volume of customers, the staff managed the situation quickly and efficiently, ensuring a smooth experience for everyone. MWB Restaurants CEO John Reno expressed his excitement about the turnout. “It was a little busier than we anticipated. We are definitely pleased with the turnout. We’ve been training for around three weeks to prepare. We actually had a lot of college faculty and staff come over a few days for a VIP event, and we filled up the dining room. That gave us really good practice to be ready to serve all guests today at the opening.”
Reno anticipated the dining room would open in about one week, with mobile ordering up and running in three to four weeks. Highlighting the variety of Whataburger’s offerings, he noted, “We’re definitely known for our burgers, but we have a great menu of chicken products. We serve breakfast from 11 p.m. to 11 a.m. alongside the rest of our lunch menu.”
Emphasizing the local impact, Reno added, “We’ve brought 100 jobs to the city, including management staff. All those people live and work here. We spend a lot of time focusing on a local level. I think that’s the key difference with Whataburger—we’re not just coming in to open a restaurant; our team lives here, works here. Our employees are from the community. We plan on being here long term. We want to have that connection with the community and the brand.”
Reno also highlighted Whataburger’s commitment to community partnerships with local nonprofits and schools. Interested organizations could reach out through www.mwburger.com. Additionally, he encouraged customers to download the Whataburger app to take advantage of exclusive loyalty discounts.
