Whataburger, the Texas staple, has planned on expanding north to Springfield for a long time. Later this year, the vision will become reality with the construction of three separate locations.
Earlier this year, the Springfield News-Leader and several other local media covered the addresses of the new locations.
These will be built in Springfield, Ozark and Republic respectively.
According to a press release on June 9, 2022, these locations will be double-stacked with staff. The burger joint plans on hiring up to 660 employees to staff its local stores by the end of 2022.
Locations
- 1355 US Hwy 60 E, Republic, Mo. 65738
- 1851 Marler Ln, Ozark, Mo. 65721
- 3880 W. Sunshine, Springfield, Mo. 65807
According to Kim Kannarr, regional marketing manager, the reason for so many expected staff members is due to the 24/7 nature of Whataburger.
“It takes a lot of people to run that many shifts,” Kannarr said. “We want to make sure that the family members that work for us are able to set their schedules and work around their personal life, whether it be school, home life or sports. This allows them to have adjustable schedules.”
She went on to say the main reason for locations coming to Springfield is the public desire for a Whataburger in the area. Kannarr said the popularity of the products sells the brand, as “people just love it.”
Kannarr said if all 660 were not hired by opening time, they would “make do” with the amount of employees until all spots were filled. While Whataburger has kept mum on the exact dates, Kannarr stated they would be up by late 2022, with any setbacks coming from rain and other weather.
“I don't have a specific date, Kannarr said. “It's day to day depending on how construction winds up. I'm sitting here at the Sunshine location right now and it looks like a lake.”
Each one of the new locations will be built from the ground up rather than occupying existing buildings, and designed to have a uniform layout. Kannarr mentioned how each building will also have a custom mural based on the town they will be built in.
“Springfield is a great location for Whataburger, and we couldn’t be more pleased to make our entry into the community with our first restaurants set to open in Springfield, Ozark and Republic,” said Market Leader Randy Gross in a press release. “We’ve had the good fortune of meeting quite a few of our new neighbors already and have felt every bit of their warmth as we plant our roots in town.”
As of 2022, the San Antonio-based company has over 890 locations across 14 states, makes $3 billion annually and over 50,000 employees. The three locations going in Springfield will be the second most northern Whataburgers.
