Whataburger has officially returned to Central Florida for the first time in nearly two decades, opening a new restaurant at 12305 East Colonial Drive in Orlando's Waterford Lakes area on Thursday, August 6. The opening marks the chain's first presence in the region since it quietly closed its Orlando-area locations by 2009.
The grand opening drew serious crowds — lines wrapped around the building as fans made the trek from across Orange County and neighboring Marion, Sumter, and Lake counties. For now, this single spot is the only Whataburger operating in all of Central Florida, giving it something of a regional-destination status right out of the gate.
The restaurant runs around the clock, seven days a week, for both dine-in and drive-thru customers. The menu brings back Whataburger's made-to-order burgers on five-inch toasted buns, along with breakfast items, chicken tenders, and shakes — the same lineup that built the chain's devoted following in Texas and beyond.
A few conveniences aren't quite ready yet: mobile app ordering, delivery, and curbside pickup are expected to roll out at this location in the coming weeks as the restaurant gets its footing. Company officials say they anticipate strong customer volume to continue as operations settle in.
This story was first reported by Orlando-News.com.
