Running on Whataburger
Meet Julio Velasquez, Whataburger Marathon Man
As he was preparing for the Irving Marathon, Julio Velasquez DMed Whataburger on Instagram: "If I run a marathon decked out in Whataburger gear, can I get a free Sweet & Spicy Burger?"
On a follow-up phone call, Julio mentioned that his favorite used to be the Mushroom Swiss—but he had to find a new favorite after it went away.
“I’ve been so excited for it to come back,” Julio said. “I’ve missed the Mushroom Swiss so much.”
With the marathon taking place just two days before the Mushroom Swiss Burger was set to return to the menu for a limited time, Whataburger knew it was a perfect opportunity to surprise a devoted fan.
Go Big, or Go Home
Julio’s goal was just to get a free burger or two, but then he got a message back encouraging him to think bigger.
“I was like, I’m so down to go bigger,” he said.
So Whataburger surprised Julio with some one-of-a-kind gifts: a custom Nike running shirt with his name on it, matching running shorts, and Air Max 90s shoes designed specifically for him by artist Brandon Sanfilippo at Stomping Ground Customs in New York City.
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.