Whataburger, Austin, originally uploaded by Blazenhoff

I stumbled upon a quirky fast-food restaurant, Whataburger, in Dallas today. Whataburger, which has over 500 locations in 11 states, occupies the market niche between the major fast-food joints such as McDonald’s and the authentically local establishments such as New Haven’s Louis’ Lunch. Whataburger, analogous to the highly rated In-And-Out Burger, offers burgers, fries and shakes made to order. The verdict on the hamburger: not good. (Ed note: a friend writes in that I should have given Whataburger another chance since his experience in Florida was nearly as good as In-And-Out Burger.) But the packaging, colors and the design of the old A-frame restaurants is well worth your review: Whataburger Flickr Tag.