Whataburger — Restaurant in Hickory

As a proud Texan and lifelong Whataburger fan, I was genuinely thrilled to hear about the opening of a Whataburger in Hickory. Every time we travel back to Texas, Whataburger is a must-stop—so naturally, we were excited to finally have one close to home.

That’s why it pains me to write this review.

The Hickory location completely missed the mark on what should have been a grand opening. My background is in public relations, and I’ve helped plan major campaign launches—so I understand the importance of first impressions. Unfortunately, this one left a lot to be desired.

When we arrived, there were more armed security guards than there were customers in line. It was about 7:30 or 8:00 PM, so after the initial dinner rush. And not just standard uniforms—these guards had pistols strapped to their thighs like combat warriors. It felt intimidating and raised questions about whether the location was safe. Was there something going on inside? Did they receive threats that warrant the security? What about just one regular police? It certainly didn’t create the fun, family-friendly vibe Whataburger is known for.

The drive-thru line process was confusing, and we were told—rather firmly—exactly how to pull up and where to stop. The team member taking our order was kind but clearly still learning. When she needed help, she called several times for her manager, who was standing off in the shade chatting with another staff member. He ignored her multiple times until she had to leave her station, run over to him, and then run back to us. He should have stepped in to support her—not left her to handle it alone.

When we finally made it to the front, several employees were just standing around and joking. One even leaned into our car window and said to my husband, "Hey man, is she actually happy with you or is she just faking it?" I think he was trying to be funny, but it was wildly inappropriate and left us speechless.

In my opinion, there were too many employees with no clear roles, and zero effort made to introduce Hickory to what makes Whataburger special. In a new market, people are not going to automatically understand the nostalgia and culture behind the brand. This was the perfect opportunity to tell that story. Where was the excitement? The Texas pride? The fun?

They could’ve handed out stickers, shared signature Whataburger inside jokes, played country or Texas-inspired music, or even had someone in costume to hype things up. Cowboy hats, friendly energy—something to set the tone. Instead, it felt cold, disorganized, and totally missed the spirit of Whataburger.

I still love Whataburger. But this location needs serious leadership and training if it’s going to succeed. I want this location to move from a 3.5...

Upon arriving the traffic was insane and that’s an understatement! But what made it worse is you’re greeted by very rude rent a cops that are patrolling the area like the president of America is there. They stop you upon trying to even enter or get near the building, stating IF you want to use the drive thru you need to be here, but the parking lot isn’t accessible unless you have, one- a handicapped place card, two- elderly, three- pregnant! After being told this Mr rude rent a cop proceeded to tell us, “so after telling you all this if you STILL choose to eat here you’ll park over there and walk!” So despite having two special needs children we had to park across the street at mattress firm! Upon walking up you’re waiting in line outside under thankfully a shaded area, they’ve put tents up and have big fans blowing. You’re not allowed into the building until there is room. There were tables that were vacant, but they were still making people stand outside. Ordering food went smooth, young lady that took our order was very friendly- but stated it was like a prison there. Wait for the food wasn’t too long considering the amount of people there. Food was fresh, wasn’t impressed with the fries- they were soggy. But the burger was great! Definitely don’t think it was worth standing in the long line and dealing with the hassle of the rude rent a cops. But we wanted to see for ourselves and check out the hype! Hoping once the hype dies down it becomes a more positive experience and we do not need rude rent a cops treating customers like trash! Not a good look or vibe when you’re wanting to try a new restaurant and are a paying customer! That is going to steer off your potential customers! I get it’s new and hectic right now and they’re supposed to be there to “help”, but it cost $0 to be nice! And when a parking lot has tons of open parking spaces open, but is “closed” and you can only park there if you’re any of the above doesn’t make sense- when most residences have...

When I first went in I seen the place looked pretty clean. I was met at the cash register by somebody that seemed pretty nice. Then it all started changing. The person running the register was not new and was so confused about what they were doing. By the time they finally got the understanding of our order we had done been in line placing the order for over 15 minutes. Then we had to let him know that we needed cups for our drinks. Shouldn't have to remind somebody that does this all day long for their job. We get the food brought to our table. The burgers were hot and good. We had to get them to fix fresh fries because the ones they brought out were cold. They told us to scan the QR code on the receipt to get a free burger. Nothing stated that this burger would end up costing $6. What you have to do is fill out the survey. Go in your email. Find the code and take it to them at the register. They proceed by typing in the code and tell you it is $5.84. You are buying a small fry and a medium drink to get the burger free. The receipt nor the survey you fill out says anything about purchasing to get a free burger. The person at the register that gives you your receipt and tells you to fill out the survey to get a free burger says nothing about it costing you anything. Stay away from this place until they can figure it out and get it right. Cold food complicated service and lies do not make a pleasant visit. The Whataburger chain in Florida works so...