Whataburger is promising to put the “fast” back in fast food while also innovating its beloved menu to meet customer demand.
New CEO Debbie Stroud said this week that the company is aware of ongoing customer complaints about long wait times, which regularly surface on social media, including Reddit threads where users have repeatedly asked why service feels so slow.
One discussion asking, “Why is Whataburger SOOOO slow???” drew more than 100 responses back in December, with many customers claiming they’ve waited anywhere between 5 and 25 minutes for their food to be ready.
"So first of all, when you cook made-to-order, it takes a little bit longer, and the consumers certainly say they want their orders to be accurate and efficient and timely," Stroud explained in an NRN interview released Tuesday.
"We're implementing a new kitchen flow with new equipment that helps us deliver the exact same quality fresh beef cooked to order, but in a faster setting,” she added.
Stroud joined Whataburger in 2023 as COO after a long career in the fast food industry, including 27 years at McDonald’s and five years at Starbucks, before becoming CEO last year.
Like many restaurants that are leaning into value meals - including McDonald's and Wendy’s- Stroud said Whataburger knows customers are increasingly careful about more than just price - they also look at portion size, food quality, and the overall experience. She said that the company is taking an all-around approach to defining what “value” really means.
“The challenge, I think, is balancing that margin with the experience and being true to who you are,” Stroud said. “We just launched our $3-$4-$5 Whatadeal menu in January, and that's great for the price point. But we have a lot of other entry points to our menu that I think, for the portion size and the quality of the food, mean a lot to our customers.”
To meet customer trends, Stroud said Whataburger will also focus on menu innovations featuring bold flavors, as well as the chain’s customization options, which are “second to none.”
“We also know the customers are eating more chicken, so the innovation around our chicken platform is real. So how do we innovate around our chicken platform and ensure that our customers can enjoy that protein as well?”
“[And then there’s] beverages, which is a big part of how consumers enjoy their experiences,” Stroud said.
The Independent has contacted Whataburger for comment.
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