Whataburger, the beloved Texas-based fast-food chain, has opened its first restaurant in South Carolina, just an hour and 15 minutes from Augusta, Georgia. The new location held its grand opening on Monday at 1185 Dutch Fork Road in Irmo, S.C.
The highly anticipated opening attracted eager customers, with some spending the night at the restaurant to be among the first to place their orders. This marks the latest in a series of Whataburger openings across Georgia and South Carolina, though the chain has yet to establish a presence in the Augusta area.
When asked about plans for an Augusta location a few months ago, the company stated that the city would be the first to know if such an opening was in the works. Until now, the closest Whataburger to Augusta was the recently opened restaurant in Covington, Georgia.
It’s worth noting that while the name may be familiar to longtime locals, the Whataburger chain is not related to the now-defunct What-A-Burger chain that previously had locations in the area. In fact, Whataburger is currently involved in a lawsuit with What-A-Burger over the name similarity.
The opening of the Irmo location is expected to be followed by another Whataburger restaurant in Columbia, S.C., set to open soon at 202 Bridgeberry Lane. As the company continues to expand its presence in the region, fans in the Augusta area will likely be eagerly awaiting news of a potential local opening.