Just five months after breaking ground in Eatonton, Whataburger opened on a cool, foggy morning last Wednesday.
Located near Walmart and Waffle House alongside Hwy. 441 on the west side of town, Eatonton’s newest fast-food outlet immediately started doing brisk business. The gloomy weather didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, as a sizable crowd gathered, including two drive-through patrons and the first person standing in line outside the front door, each of whom won free Whataburger meals, once a week for a year.
Nineteen-year-old Stephen Munoz of Eatonton said he parked at the head of the line about 11 p.m. Tuesday and was joined less than 15 minutes later by Madison’s Trudi Harwood.
“I rarely ever do stuff like this,” Munoz admitted shortly after picking up his first-in-line free order of a cheese-and-bacon burger, onion rings, and a Sprite. “But I thought, ‘You know what? Why not? I might as well go for it,’ right?”
Harwood learned of the contest on Facebook just the night before. She initially arrived about 3 p.m. Tuesday, but she took a chance and returned later that night.
“I come down here [to Eatonton] to visit my aunt, so I just thought this could save some money on those trips,” Harwood said. “And now, maybe I’ll come a little more often.”
Keith Mason, the market leader for Whataburger in Georgia through Texas-based franchisee Made to Order Holdings, said the Griffin-based operation selected Eatonton for its eighth Georgia outlet based on the city’s “hometown feel” and growth potential.
Mason also has personal ties to Putnam County, having lived in the Crooked Creek area for a few years after graduating high school.
“We’re looking to plant grassroots here. We wanted to get in, be a part of the community, build a foundation in Georgia, and invest in the community," Mason said. "We want to be that restaurant the community can count on to be open 24/7, get involved with the schools and little leaguers and the Chamber of Commerce, and enjoy as many events as possible to dig in and build roots here. That’s our long-term goal because who knows what Eatonton will be like 20 years from now."
Taylor Borders was the first Whataburger customer standing in line at the Eatonton outlet on Wednesday. She said she arrived at about 7:40 a.m. with her young daughter, Autumn.
“She was really good,” Borders said. “She stuck it out but was starting to get a little antsy, so we were both happy when it finally opened.”
In addition to her free meal vouchers, Borders said she received various Whataburger-branded items, including a mug, pickleball equipment, “some kind of cassette,” socks, glasses, and “lots of ketchup.”
Mason said Made to Order holds Whataburger rights to Fulton, Walton, DeKalb, and Clayton counties, plus anywhere "south of I-20."
He confirmed that a new outlet is already planned for Madison by the end of 2026, and he expects Greensboro and Milledgeville to each get a Whataburger within the next couple of years.
“But McDonough is next, and then Griffin will be number 10,” Mason said. “We’re eventually going to employ about 6,000 people, is our estimate. We will do about 40 stores by maybe the middle of 2029.”
Mason said the new Eatonton location employs 110 people, including 12 managers. Whataburger is a 24-hour-a-day operation.