Ever since Whataburger sold a majority interest to BDT Capital Partners, LLC, people have been speculating what that means for the company. Some customers were against it and didn't want to lose their beloved hometown burger chain. Others, like some Nashvillians, were more than excited to hear the news. More money means more room to expand. And with locations in Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida, it seems like only a matter of time until the fast-food chain makes its way to the Volunteer State. But is a Whataburger Tennessee in our near future or is it a salty pipe dream?
Is Whataburger Coming to Tennessee?
Recently the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal, which is a part of the USA Today Network, shared an article titled, "Is Murfreesboro getting a Whataburger? Executive says they're exploring it". The article goes on to share that James Turcotte, Whataburger, chief development officer for the Texas-based company is listening. According to Turcotte, "We are excited to hear we have so many fans in the Nashville area, and we have been exploring this area."
Erecting a Whataburger in the Nashville-area isn't too far-fetched. Back in the 1950s, the Nashville area hosted Whataburger locations in Dickerson Pike, Rivergate, Charlotte Avenue and Nolensville Road in the Elysian Fields area, however, the famous A-frame didn't stay for long in the Music City and eventually closed up shop.
Then in 2017 it looked as if the brand was finally coming back to Nashville. A post in The Tennessean speculated that Whataburger was opening shop due to a Whataburger Nashville regional manager position job posting shared on Linkedin. The brand quickly rebutted the claim, sharing that "the job posting was made to attract candidates to apply to our existing locations in the southeast."
Today, hungry customers are still hoping the fast-food burger chain will one day make it's trek back. A "Bring Whataburger Back to Nashville" petition is circling on Change.Org. There are over 6,000 signatures so far and it keeps growing, just like Nashville's hunger for a patty melt and spicy ketchup.
