Whataburger just delivered one birthday surprise that will have customers racing to the drive-thru

Fast food chains have been gouging customers with outrageous prices during the inflation crisis.

But one Texas institution decided to do something different for a change.

And Whataburger just delivered one birthday surprise that will have customers racing to the drive-thru.

Whataburger offers 75-cent burgers to celebrate 75 years

While most fast food chains keep jacking up prices and shrinking portions, Whataburger is taking the opposite approach for its 75th anniversary celebration.

On August 8 – National Whataburger Day – the orange-and-white striped burger chain will offer its classic Whataburger for just 75 cents to Rewards members.¹

That’s not a typo.

Seventy-five cents for a burger in 2025, when McDonald’s is charging over $3 for a McChicken that used to cost $1 just a decade ago.

"Seventy-five years after serving our first burger from a stand in Corpus Christi, we’re honoring the fans who made it possible with exclusive drops, in-person fanfare and a can’t-miss deal," Whataburger announced.²

The deal runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time exclusively through the Whataburger app and online ordering. It’s limited to one burger per Rewards account, but honestly, at that price, one is already highway robbery in the customer’s favor.

You can still customize your burger with add-ons for extra charges, but the base price of 75 cents takes you back to when fast food was actually affordable for working families.

This isn’t just some publicity stunt – it’s a company that remembers where it came from and isn’t ashamed to show appreciation for the customers who made it all possible.

The anniversary celebration extends far beyond just burgers

Whataburger isn’t stopping with the bargain-basement burger pricing.

The chain is rolling out limited-edition commemorative cups that’ll become collector’s items for franchise fanatics. The first collection wrapped up July 31, but new 32-ounce cups featuring a table tent-inspired design debut August 5.³

A silver-striped anniversary cup hits stores starting August 12, followed by a classic A-frame tribute cup launching August 19. These sippable souvenirs are only available for a limited time in select restaurants and online at Whatastore.com.

But the real party is happening in Corpus Christi, where this Texas success story first began 75 years ago.

Whataburger fans in the hometown are invited to Whataburger Field on August 8 for the 75th Anniversary Celebration game. The Corpus Christi Hooks will suit up as the "Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits" – a playful nod to one of Whataburger’s most beloved menu items – as they take on the Tulsa Drillers.⁴

Attendees are encouraged to wear orange, and the celebration ends with orange fireworks lighting up the Texas sky. Every guest receives a coupon for a free Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit on their way out.

That’s how you treat customers like family instead of walking ATM machines.

What this means while other chains keep gouging customers

The timing of Whataburger’s generosity couldn’t be more perfect – or more necessary.

Fast food prices have exploded by an average of 60% since 2014, with some chains like McDonald’s seeing price increases that are more than triple the national inflation rate.⁵

A FinanceBuzz study found that McDonald’s raised prices so much that their average menu prices increased more than three times the national rate of inflation. The McChicken sandwich, once a staple of the $1 menu in 2014, now costs $3 at some locations – a 200% increase.⁶

Meanwhile, a LendingTree survey from May found that 80% of Americans now view fast food as a luxury, and 62% are eating out less often because of rising prices.⁷

This is the economic reality American families are facing every day. When a trip to McDonald’s for a family of four can easily hit $40 or more, fast food has priced itself out of reach for the very working families it was supposed to serve.

But Whataburger is swimming against that tide with this anniversary celebration.

A company that remembers its roots and values

"Whataburger’s story has always been one about people – the fans who’ve made us part of their everyday moments, the Family Members who serve every meal with care and pride, and the communities that have welcomed us like family for 75 years," explained Whataburger President and CEO Debbie Stroud.⁸

"As we celebrate this milestone, we’re not just marking time – we’re honoring the memories, the traditions, and the quality experiences that keep folks coming back. This anniversary is our way of saying thank you."

That’s the kind of leadership message you don’t hear from most corporate executives these days.

It’s refreshing to see a company that remembers where it came from and isn’t ashamed to celebrate American values like hard work, quality, and customer loyalty.

When Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger stand in Corpus Christi back in 1950, he was selling burgers for 25 cents – which has roughly the same buying power as $4 today.⁹ Even in Texas, where a regular Whataburger costs $5.39, the company is going below that historical price point to honor its anniversary.

The first Whataburger sign after raising prices read: "Folks, we priced our burgers too low and we lost our shirts." They had to bump the price from 25 cents to 30 cents, then 35 cents months later.¹⁰

Compare that to today’s fast food executives who seem to think customers exist solely to pad their profit margins.

This anniversary represents something bigger than just a burger deal

Whataburger’s 75th anniversary celebration represents something rare in today’s corporate landscape – a company that’s stayed true to its roots while growing into a regional powerhouse.

Since the beginning of 2025, Whataburger has been celebrating its 75-year legacy by reviving fan-favorite menu items from the WhataVault, introducing new innovations like the Prickly Pear Raspberry Whatafresher, and sharing meaningful memories from longtime fans through an ongoing "75 Stories for 75 Years" campaign.¹¹

This isn’t some faceless corporation running focus groups to figure out what Americans want. This is a Texas-born business that understands quality, consistency, and treating customers like family matter more than flashy marketing gimmicks.

The fact that they’re celebrating by giving back to customers with an incredibly generous deal shows the kind of business philosophy that built America’s greatest companies.

While other chains chase every food trend and compromise on quality to boost profit margins, Whataburger keeps doing what they’ve always done – serving up fresh, made-to-order burgers that taste like they came from your backyard grill.

The company has grown to more than 1,000 restaurants in 17 states over the last 75 years, but they haven’t forgotten the values that got them there.¹²

When your typical fast food meal pushes $15 these days, a 75-cent burger isn’t just a deal – it’s a statement that some companies still remember that their success depends on treating customers right.

Mark your calendars for August 8, download that Whataburger app, and get ready to experience what fast food used to be like when companies actually cared about providing value to working families.

¹ Whataburger, "Get Ready to Celebrate! National Whataburger Day Returns With 75-cent Burgers on Aug. 8, Marking 75 Years of Serving Up Goodness 24/7," Whataburger Stories, July 23, 2025.

² Ibid.

³ Ibid.

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ Charlie Bilello, "Charted: Inflation Across U.S. Fast Food Chains (2014-2024)," Visual Capitalist, July 12, 2024.

⁶ FinanceBuzz, "Fast food inflation: Which chains are hiking their prices the most?" WDBJ7, May 30, 2024.

⁷ Caroline Cakebread, "The Rising Cost of Convenience: Is Fast Food Too Expensive in 2025?" Toast, 2025.

⁸ Whataburger, "Get Ready to Celebrate! National Whataburger Day Returns With 75-cent Burgers on Aug. 8, Marking 75 Years of Serving Up Goodness 24/7," Whataburger Stories, July 23, 2025.

⁹ Kristen Dalli, "This is how much a Whataburger will cost you outside of Texas," Houston Chronicle, January 9, 2024.

¹⁰ Ibid.

¹¹ Whataburger, "Get Ready to Celebrate! National Whataburger Day Returns With 75-cent Burgers on Aug. 8, Marking 75 Years of Serving Up Goodness 24/7," Whataburger Stories, July 23, 2025.

¹² Andrea K. Moreno, "Whataburger will sell 75-cent burgers in August to mark 75 years. Here’s how to get yours," KVUE, July 25, 2025.