When their restaurant closed, Whataburger Family Members went to work in the community
When we say we're a family, we don't just talk the talk
Franchisee William Tamminga was out of town when the news came in.
The Whataburger restaurant in Liberty, Texas, was on fire.
An electrical fire had started in the roof about 5 a.m. May 31, and the store would have to be closed for several months.
Tamminga knew what that would mean for the 50 Whataburger Family Members at the restaurant: months of uncertainty – without a paycheck.
“They have bills to pay and families to take care of,” he says. “We wanted to take care of them, the same way they take care of us.”
So Whataburger decided to lift up their Family Members and invest in their community at the same time by paying Family Members to volunteer at local nonprofits.
“It’s a way for us to stay connected to the community and with our Family Members while we get rebuilt,” Tamminga says.
It’s an effort that Whataburger corporate stores and other franchisees have done before when a unit has been shut down for repairs — and it’s been a win-win.
See how their efforts impacted the community of Liberty.
Whataburger serves up Goodness 24/7 with a made-to-order, customizable menu of burgers and other favorites delivered just like you like it. Born in Texas and headquartered in San Antonio, we’re celebrating 76 flavorful years of big bites, bold flavors, and even bigger fan love. We’ve grown to over 1,100 restaurants across 17 states, with original-recipe products now found in grocery aisles across the country. Our secret sauce (besides that Fancy Ketchup) is our Family Members - real people serving up real hospitality and meaningful connections in the communities we call home. We’ve landed on Fast Company’s Brands that Matter list, USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, and Newsweek’s America’s Best of the Best. To learn more, shop the Whatastore, or find your nearest location, visit Whataburger.com - or download our app on iOS or Android. Hungry for more? Discover what keeps fans coming back by diving into real stories from Whataburger super fans at stories.whataburger.com.