"Something just told me to ask for her phone number," Smith said. "I was sure she gave me a fake phone number, so I pulled over in the parking lot and called it right there."

It was the right number, and turns out, Melissa Maese was the right girl. 

"My younger years, I was a mess," Cody said. "But she just stayed by me and gave me hope -- she loved me until I could love myself."

So when it was finally time to propose 15 years later - Cody knew it couldn't be anywhere else but the Whataburger drive-thru. He asked for our help surprising her in the drive-thru, and of course we were happy to go the extra mile.

We decorated a check-back tray, put Cody in a Whataburger uniform, and prepared some extra touches to make sure the day was just perfect. Then, Cody asked Melissa to come pick up food for a picnic, and we got hidden cameras rolling.

This time, Melissa was the one in the drive-thru placing the order for two Justaburgers, thinking she was getting food for a family picnic, with no idea Cody was inside in disguise -- and this was one delivery that was serving up pure love. 

They brighten our day with their greetings. Bring us smiles with their stories. And make the Whataburger Family complete with their kindness.

They also write us letters. A lot of letters.

And because of that, we know that Whataburger has played a starring role in more than a few love stories, helped brighten some really bad days, and even given some folks a safe place to try something new.

Check out these real letters, from real customers…who really made our day.

WhataCoop

Trisha Ruiz has been a Whataburger fan as long as she can remember. And, well, she’s also always liked chickens.

_________________________

For American Idol Standout Chloe Channell, Songwriting and Whataburger Go Hand in Hand

This American Idol hopeful is all about Whataburger.

_________________________

Texas A&M grad asks best buds to be in his wedding in the most-Texas way possible​​

“When I think about good times with my friends, I think about fishing, and I think about Whataburger,”

_________________________

The 'Sole' of an Artist

With his family’s encouragement, Jake Danklefs turned a childhood hobby into an artistic business — with a year-long waiting list.

_________________________

Back in the Saddle

The first time Kaila Ducharme’s grandfather took her to a rodeo, she knew she was born to ride.   Right to a Whataburger.

_________________________

If Whataburger's not the right answer, the question is wrong​

His answer was so right. Yet it wasn’t. But that’s OK because social media’s on his side.

_________________________

Deep in the Art

Whataburger, his dad, and hard work are the muses for this San Antonio artist

_________________________

Cup Collector

Houston resident Foster Mohning can remember every visit he’s had to Whataburger. And he has the cups to prove it.

_________________________

Get a load of the giant Whataburger mum that was on display at the Arlington Museum of Art this year. At 18 feet tall, and with more than 1,200 flowers, it looks mighty big even to a Texan!

Or, make your own (slightly smaller) version for your Homecoming celebration! Our DIY Whataburger Mum tutorial will help you whip up your own masterpiece, or get inspiration from some of these bodacious Whatamums that fans are sharing.

She’s got spirit! And bling and boas. And the mum comes with fries and a drink!

W is for wow! (and Whataburger) on this light-up beauty.

Let’s hear it for the Class of 2020! And Whatasized mums!

This fan gets it right and bright with orange and white!

Spicy ketchup and day dots set off the orange-and-white polka dots like a champ.

Bears, boas and cowboy hats. Saddle up for a win!

That’s what we call some high-class Homecoming bling. Cheers to HoCo 2019!

Not a mum kind of Whataburger fan? You can still work us into your celebration by asking your would-be date to the dance with some orange-and-white style (and maybe a Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit) – just like Jacob Munoz. Read more about Jacob’s story – and watch the two-time cancer survivor make his return to the gridiron, in this video.

Is that eerie rumbling sound coming from a haunted house … or just your empty stomach? Whatadog isn’t sure if he’s spooky or starving. Or maybe it’s both. @missyspursfan

Represent the Table Tent! But be warned – fans may try to collect you. @beemully

Want to win your school’s Halloween parade? You better make room for chicken strips. @MariGuzman

Stand out with orange and white stripes. @TheDavidLozano

Sometimes you love Fancy Ketchup so much you want to BE Fancy Ketchup. @DerekAguilar

When you make a power move and decide to be Princess Fries instead of Princess Peach. @lolamedina26

Major League Burgers at a Minor League Ballpark​

The Corpus Christi Hooks call Whataburger Field home

_________________________

This veteran's wife poured her heart out - and gave her husband a once-in-a-lifetime chance​

It all started with a letter.

_________________________

Fans savor every crack of the bat at the Phoenix Cactus League​

Baseball fans flock to Arizona for Spring Training -- and have the experience of a lifetime

_________________________

It's people she met while competing against them during “America’s Got Talent” auditions in Los Angeles in March. She was oh-so-close to singing on the show with them.

The 20-year-old, who works the drive-thru at Unit 988 in Kingwood, Texas, is disappointed she didn’t make the show – but the experience of trying out was one to remember.

“Even though I didn’t make it, I learned so much,” Dierdorff says. “It was an awesome experience overall.”

From feeling like a model while having her hair and makeup done to hanging out with celebrity judges, she relishes the memories.

Judge Simon Cowell told Dierdorff he enjoyed her singing and wants to see her back at auditions next year.

“I was basically in tears because his words were so shocking,” she says. Cowell told her to amp up her stage presence and work on being less shy.

Dierdorff’s doing that and more. “I’ve pushed myself a lot harder, and I’m taking voice lessons to get extra experience.”

She’s also written about a half-dozen songs on her guitar and is learning more piano.

She hopes to sing one of her original songs for an “American Idol” audition in late June.

“I want to keep getting these experiences so I will be able to make it through to perform on a show,” she says.

Whenever she’s in the spotlight – celebrity judges or not – she’ll do what she does while working the drive-thru during a Whataburger rush: just focus.

“I just take one thing at a time, and try to focus on what’s most important,” Erica says. “Connecting with people makes all the difference.”

But it wasn’t the 17-year-old’s performance that caught our attention.

The Pace, Florida, resident is all about Whataburger.

“She goes to Whataburger at least once a day – if not more – to eat. That is where she spends all her money,” Chloe’s mom Kimberly Channell says.

After she auditioned for the American Idol judges, in fact, she told them that “she was hungry and wanted a biscuit and gravy from Whataburger,” her mom remembers.

‘Is That Song About Me?’

In Chloe’s original song, ‘Is That Song About Me?’ she sings, “‘Cause my favorite line, is it about you and I? When you sing about a kiss in a Whataburger parking lot?”

She wrote the song in a Nashville hotel room, feeling a little homesick for Florida.

“I was missing my friends and family,” she says. “I was missing the people back home, and it came together.”

Although Chloe didn’t make it to the top 20 on the 17^th season of American Idol, she’s confident you’ll see her again.

“I want to go all the way and keep doing what I love,” Chloe says. “No matter what happens, I know it’ll all be OK in the end.”

And you can always stop in to the Pace, Florida, Whataburger location for a possible star sighting. “I wish there was a Whataburger in every state,” she says. “I’m not gonna move if I can’t take a Whataburger with me.”

iNVision Photography

Instead, each wished on a single Whataburger-branded candle while family, friends and Whataburger Family Members cheered.

Both the World War II veterans love them some Whataburger, so their families arranged parties to mark the milestones at their local Whataburger restaurants.

Wallace partied down on his big day – April 13 – at Whataburger in Malakoff, Texas. Palmer celebrated on April 15, and even Whataguy came out to the store in Lufkin, Texas, to join the fun.

Each party was filled with sage advice from the guests of honor and plenty of orange.

April 13: Honoring C.J. “Red” Wallace

Wallace stepped out of a stretch limo and onto a red carpet rolled out in his honor at the Malakoff Whataburger. “If you want to live a long life, you’d better get plenty of exercise,” he says.

Wallace’s grandchildren, great-grandchildren and Whataburger family fulfilled the WWII veteran’s wish of receiving 100 cards on his 100^th birthday.

After serving with the Air Force in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany during WWII, Wallace worked for General Motors for 27 years.

Wallace’s great-grandaughters were among the guests marking the milestone at one of their great-grandfather’s favorite places.

He says the bun is one of the best parts of his usual order: a #1 Whataburger with mayo added, minus onions and pickles.

“It’s special that he let Whataburger share his milestone,” says Shelly Lipe, the marketing director for Hablinski Investments, a Whataburger franchise.

April 15: Celebrating Wayne Palmer

Palmer, being greeted here by friends, agrees with Wallace about the key to a long life. “You gotta stay active, otherwise you’re not going to go very long.”

During steamy East Texas summers, Palmer keeps a half-dozen lawns mowed. Each of those takes about two hours. Whew!

Balloons, cards and banners marked Palmer’s big day.

He credits his faith for getting him through tight spots in life. One of those tight spots was D-Day on Normandy Beach in France.

At the Lufkin restaurant, the Whataburger Family knows Palmer’s breakfast order as the “Palmer Special.” That’s one scrambled egg, one pancake and two pieces of bacon. Other customers ask for it by name too!

Palmer’s cake was 100 percent Whataburger, even orange on the inside, and topped with a Whataburger French fry candle.

“We know how much Mr. Palmer enjoys coming to our restaurant,” says Maci Dover from the G.V.C.S. Whataburger franchise. “This celebration is just one way for all of us at Whataburger to show how much he means to us.”

Robert Hughes Sr.

Robert Hughes Sr. coached I.M. Terrell and Dunbar High Schools in Fort Worth for more than three decades winning five state titles in the process.

Robert Hughes comes from humble beginnings, one of seven siblings growing up on a farm in Bristow, Oklahoma. Hard work became part of his mantra with life lessons from his mom at an early age.

“I came from a family of seven boys and one girl,” said Hughes. “As a kid, you just didn’t run into a lot of things. My mom was about 6 feet tall. When she told you to do something, you needed to do it and quickly.”

Hughes’ determination led him to play at Texas Southern University and was eventually drafted by the Boston Celtics. After his playing days were over, Hughes headed to Texas and took on the role of head coach for I.M. Terrell for several years winning three state titles. Hughes later transitioned to Dunbar High School in 1973 and would coach there for the next 32 years winning two more state titles and amassing 1,333 career wins, surpassing DeMatha Catholic High School (PA) coaching legend Morgan Wootten.

“Every day when we saw each other – coaches and players – we said, ‘Remember this, don’t let anybody outwork you, period,’” said Hughes. “We stuck to that.”

Hughes retired from coaching in 2005, but the “Duke”, as he was referred to, leaves a long legacy behind that is being carried forward by his son, Robert Hughes Jr., who’s currently the head coach at Dunbar.

Robert Gill

Robert Gill is the only person in 60 years who has played, coached and officiated the Whataburger Basketball Tournament.

It all began on a December morning in 1964. A sixth-grader named Robert Gill and his cousin were dropped off at the entrance to the Westside Lions Club Basketball Tournament arena in Fort Worth, $5 in hand and excitement on their faces. They weren’t there to play, but to watch the tournament.

“We’d watch every game. I knew the players, they’d come by and talk to us and we’d freak out. It kind of makes me emotional because it meant that much to me,” says Gill.

And while he loved the excitement of being a spectator, Gil dreamed of the day he could play in the then Westside Lions Tournament. The dream was soon to come true.

“It really had a huge influence on me, watching that tournament at a young age,” says Gill. “I wanted to be like those guys that were playing in the tournament.”

A few years later, when Gill starred at Carter Riverside High School, he fulfilled his dream of playing in the Westside Lions Tournament, even earning all-tournament honors his senior year.

Gill remained connected with the Whataburger Basketball Tournament, coaching and eventually officiating games.

“This tournament wouldn’t be where it is today without the tournament of the 60s and 70s when it was the Westside Lions Tournament; it just couldn’t,” says Gill.

Sharrief Metoyer

Sharrief Metoyer played in the tournament as a high school athlete and went on to coach Long Beach Poly where he returned with his team in 2009 and 2012. He also became a full-time teacher for two decades while running an inner-city baskeball program for Nike.

Sharrief Metoyer first played in the Whataburger Basketball Tournament in 1989 as a sophomore. Twenty years later, Metoyer had the privilege to coach the Long Beach Poly High School team to the very same tournament.

Metoyer’s Poly team advanced to the championship game in 2009 but lost in the final round. Three years later, in 2012 Long Beach Poly returned and won the title.

“I think it’s amazing to see the maturation process of 14,15,16-year-old kids using basketball as a tool to help them in other areas of life in terms of discipline and responsibility,” said Metoyer. “The tournament is first class, and getting that Whataburger at the end of games, well that’s an added plus.”

Rogers first became involved with the tournament in 1974 when he joined the Lions Club and began volunteering at the then-16-year-old tournament. When the tournament needed someone to take it over seven years later, he volunteered to step up.

“Our goal that first year and each year after has been to go after one national high school to bring in teams to the tournament that don’t normally get to play each other.”

Though this raised the costs and prompted the need for corporate sponsorships, expanding the playing field was a game-changer and ushered in the next season of the tournament. Whataburger began sponsoring the tournament in 1985.

Thirty-eight years brings with it a lot of memories. Rogers recalled the 1987 tournament, when Los Angeles Crenshaw was playing Fort Worth Dunbar in the heated finals match. Ten players signed Division I scholarships that year.

“It was standing-room only. The aisles were filled because there were 7,000 people packed into a 5,800-person arena,” he noted. “Someone told us the fire marshal was going to shut us down, but we just said, ‘If you want to talk to him, be our guest because he’s right there in the front row.’”

With the tournament taking place every year right after the holidays, and all of Rogers’ children involved with the tournament, one could only presume it’s had an effect on his family’s holiday traditions. However, he says it totally “goes as normal” – the family just stays in their hometown of Fort Worth for the holidays.

Each tournament takes well over a year to coordinate, and it’s a family affair for the Rogers Clan. Daughter Robyn coordinates the activities at the W.G. Thomas Coliseum, son Rusty covers social media, and youngest son, Randy, who’s in the military, helps out wherever he can when he’s home for the holidays. Sarah Rogers (Tom’s wife) heads up the hospitality room to make sure all the coaches and scouts are fed.

More than 20,000 spectators, including college scouts and coaches, are expected to take part in the action-packed three-day tournament which kicks off Thursday, Dec. 26 through Saturday, Dec. 28, where 3,000 Whataburgers are consumed each year. For more information, check out the details here. Brackets, rankings and specific player statistics can also be found at WhataburgerTournament.com. 

As for Rogers, you’ll be able to find him enjoying the tournament with his favorite Whataburger in hand – the No. 1 with cheese – “because nothing beats the original.”

Dinner a’deux

Enjoy the Texas sun under big blue Lone Star skies. Glam it up to really impress your favorite picnic partner.

 Jaime Burrow Photography

Fair weather fan

Whether you ride the oversized Ferris Wheel at the Texas State Fair in Dallas or gobble up funnel cakes and corndogs at small-town celebrations, every true Texan has a favorite fair.

Dine out

Dine al fresco with longhorns for an elegant evening of pure-Texas charm.

 Jaime Burrow Photography

Soak up the sun

Grab your favorite Whataburger hat and head out for a hike. Don’t forget your BFFs: Your Best French Fries and your Best Furry Friend.

Hit the road

Crank the tunes, and go explore the Lone Star State with your ride-or-die crew. Fill up on some Dr Pepper for the ride.

Crowdsource

Get the gang together for a Patty Melt. Or six.

Back in the saddle 

Whether you’re in the Piney Woods or Lost Maples, see the scenery on four feet.

Taste the sweetness

Need a snack any time of day? Pick up one of Whataburger’s new cinnamon rolls, available 24-7 at all of our restaurants.

Where a 'win' means Whataburger

In Texas, we love our football --  whether it's a backyard ball game or Friday Night Lights. Go long. Stay hydrated.

Peak performance 

Hike Enchanted Rock, one of the Hill Country’s most recognizable landmarks, and hang out for a Texas-style sunset. (Whataburger T-shirt optional.)

Breakfast break

What warms the heart (or the toes) more than a Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit with someone you love?

Check out some of our favorite Whataburger gear suitable for Halloween – or anytime you’re just really hungry.

Truth, Justice, and the Whataburger Way

No one defends great taste quite like this dude.

A Couple of Classics

A perfect pairing.

In the Bag

Cosplayer Derek Aguilar is a longtime fan with a flair for Whataburger creations. Here, he channels everyone’s favorite to-go bag, complete with a receipt.

Dogs are Dressing Up, Too!

This paw-some pair is looking doggone adorable.

Who’s a Good Boy?

Our four-legged friend is going mutts in his Whataburger Family Member costume. No mask required.

Nothing Comes Between a Man and his Spicy Ketchup

The ideal “plus one” for any and every spooky occasion.

Taquitos are Life

Be a hit at everyone Halloween party when you’re disguised as a taquito wrapped up in familiar yellow-stickered awesomeness.

Small Fry

4-year-old Ean will take ketchup or candy. 

______________________________

In his work as a construction company foreman in Pharr, Texas, Santiago Paredes travels throughout the Lone Star State - which means he eats a lot of Whataburger.  

So his wife, Loida, knew just what to do when she planned his birthday surprise. With the help of the couple’s five children and extended family, they created a celebration that was over-the-top – and included an orange-and-white vehicle the family dubbed the “WhataChariot.” Hey, you only turn 58 once!

It all began with a surprise party at the family home. Santiago may have gotten a little teary. "It was so emotional for all of us to see how much he loved everything,” says his daughter, Lee Walls.

The team at the Pharr Whataburger, where Santiago is a regular, provided bags, cups, placemats and stickers to make the party extra festive.

A friend of the family made the cake and topped it with a table tent.

That’s when the photo shoot began.

Then, the family took this show on the road in the WhataChariot.

"We had to special order the orange tape for the van because we couldn't find it anywhere locally," Lee says. "This was two months’ worth of planning, but it was all so worth it.”

“Our neighbors got a big kick out of the decorated van,” Lee says. Santiago rode all the way to Whataburger with the windows down, waving at people on the street. “He thought he was part of the Presidential motorcade," Lee says.

After cruising through town, the WhataChariot headed to Whataburger, where the birthday boy ordered his favorite meal: a #5 Bacon and Cheese Whataburger with the bacon extra crispy, cut in half, on Texas toast, with no onions.

Why Whataburger? "They see him there several times a week, know what he likes to order and even where he likes to sit,” Lee says. “They are part of the family to him."

Manager Maria Alvarez, who helped the family with the surprise party, says Santiago is one of her favorite customers.

"I'm so happy he's gotten all this attention for his birthday," Lee says.  "He is the hardest working man I've ever known and he deserves nothing but the best."

Last year, when Enrique Alcoreza became a resident assistant at San Antonio’s Trinity University, he decked out the entire hall with handmade Whataburger signs and logos.

It was his way of welcoming the students he would be leading – and showing them his favorite thing about college life.

This year, Whataburger decided to thank this super fan by decking out his room in the finest Whataburger style.  Because, to Enrique, nothing looks better than the orange-and-white of Whataburger. Scroll through the photos below for links to make your own space into a Whataburger wonderland.

While some items were custom made for Enrique and won’t be available online, you can always browse our online store at shop.whataburger.com for the latest items.

Check out the details

Enrique is more than 500 miles away from his beloved Whataburger Green Chile Double back in his hometown of El Paso, Texas, but he can dream about it while snuggling his custom “day dot” pillows under his Whataburger fleece blanket.

This custom art is likely to evoke a serious Whataburger craving.

A Whataburger-inspired workspace, complete with pretty awesome pens, for a college student hungry for knowledge (or a Patty Melt).

This A-frame shelf is a perfect perch for anything from picante sauce to pint glasses.

This microwave/refrigerator combination is Whataburger from top to bottom, inside and out.

Keep your Whataburger essentials together! Whataburger sauces, Whataburger cups, and even a Whataburger chip clip are all in one convenient location.

Throw down a Whataburger coaster and sip coffee from a Whataburger mug to get ready for a day of hard work.

Keep your drink cool in your Whataburger Yeti while you gaze longingly at a portrait of what you’ll be having for dinner tomorrow (or maybe later tonight).

These shirts are a sure sign of a Whataburger-lover’s closet.

If only all dry-erase calendars were this tasty. See the darts in the corner? Enrique will use these on his Fancy Ketchup/Spicy Ketchup dartboard.

Four shelves fully stocked with all the ways to express that all-consuming Whataburger love. Check out the Day Dot tumbler, a plush T-Rex hungry for Whataburger, or pancake mix that makes it easy to whip up some Whataburger goodness at home any time.  

Snuggle up in a fleece Whataburger Fancy Ketchup Blanket after a hard day of hitting the books.

You won’t know your Whataburger socks need washing unless they make it IN the hamper.

Pennants are a dorm room staple. But a Whataburger dorm room needs a stretched canvas pennant featuring one of the vintage restaurants.

Decorate the outside just the way you like it.

After taking an inventory of numerous orange-and-white-striped plastic table tents he had…acquired…from a lifetime love of Whataburger, Joseph Mora decided to come clean – and return his table tent collection to his local Whataburger in La Vernia, Texas.

Mora, 23, is about to tie the knot, and decided he needed to come clean. “It was time to get my life straight before I get married.”

Mora placed all 150+ table tents into a plastic Walmart bag (we hope it was recycled after buying some of his favorite condiments) and handed the bundle over to a Whataburger Family Member who was equal parts awe (“Are these all yours?”) and grateful for the bounty. 

To thank him for his sacrifice and congratulate him on his upcoming marriage, Whataburger is sending him some gear to help soften the blow of losing his orange-and-white table tent collection.

Read more about Joseph’s story from the San Antonio Express-News.

"We’re about to bring back one of our fans’ favorite menu items – for a limited time – and we want to announce it in a completely new way. We'd like you to build something to help us with the big reveal."

The people on the other end of that request – physics and robotics students at Harlandale ISD STEM Early College High School in San Antonio, Texas – were happy to take on the challenge.

Using concepts ranging from gravitational mass to momentum to kinetic energy, the students created a 25-foot-long Rube Goldberg machine out of Whataburger-branded items, including cups, table tents, to-go bags—even a cape from the Whataguy mascot.

The machine starts with the motion of an orange toy airplane and ends by pulling back the orange-and-white striped curtains on Whataburger’s latest limited time offer: The Buffalo Ranch Chicken Strip Sandwich.

For the kids, the experience was about more than physics. “It really taught us valuable lessons,” says Esmeralda Castillo, one of the student project managers. “We learned about how to work in groups, how to complete a project on time, how to work under pressure … valuable skills you’re actually going to need in the real world.”

Check out the machine itself here, or watch the video above for a look at the students who made it all happen.