How a superfan got to eat Whataburger in Hawaii

When Minnie Benavidez told her son, Daniel, that their family would be taking a vacation to Hawaii a few years ago, he had only one question. 

“Do they have a Whataburger?” Daniel asked. 

A superfan is born 

Daniel, a young man with autism and an intellectual disability, was first introduced to Whataburger about six years ago by his grandpa, who he lovingly called PoPo. At first, he tested the waters by trying the fries. Now, he eats there almost every day, and finds joy in each visit.

“He’ll stare at his burger and watch the steam come off of it,” Minnie said. “And he's like, ‘Look, it's fresh. They made it just for me.’”

At first, Minnie was embarrassed to go to the same restaurant so often, so she’d alternate between a few different locations in San Antonio. But the staff came to know Daniel, eventually greeting him by name and anticipating his order: number 2, plain and dry.

Social situations are challenging for Daniel, but he’s found a comfortable routine in going to order his favorite meal.

“It means the world to me to see,” Minnie said. “They treat him the way I would want him to be treated.” 

Taking Whataburger to new places 

A few years ago, with a trip to Hawaii on the horizon, Minnie was worried about what Daniel would eat since he mostly only wants to eat Whataburger.

On the day they left, she got up early, went to Whataburger, and ordered 10 buns and 10 patties separately. She packed them up in a cooler and flew them to Hawaii, so Daniel would have the food that made him comfortable. 

“Daniel was a happy guy eating Whataburger in Oahu,” Minnie said.