I always found it kind of weird that Whataburger has mostly been a Texas obsession and it amazes me that when they expanded to Memphis and Las Vegas, business declined. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. It has expanded in the Southwest United States with about 800 locations in ten states. The lawsuit, filed in San Antonio in March, traces the roots of the dispute to the earliest days of the Whataburger chain, which Dobson founded in 1950 after stints in shipbuilding, oil drilling, and diamond trading. By the end of 1936, he had a net worth of $35,000. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. The number of locations doubled to more than 200 restaurants. This is the era in which country music legend Mel Tillis started appearing in television commercials for the company, a role that would continue through the 80s. During Hurricane Harvey, Whataburger rallied around the Corpus Christi community and quickly began rebuilding and fundraising efforts. Yet, I find it insane that Dobson died so tragically and unexpectedly before he could see his fast food chain truly flourish and gain a big following from many Texans and others from different states. Earlier in the year, Harmon had crashed in Dutch Guiana at the northern tip of South America while en route to North Africa. Proving everyone wrong, Grace lived her entire life in the same house that her husband bought her. This attention to detail likely led to Whataburger receiving $50 in purchases on their first day.5. Earlier this year, Andrewss company, now run by his daughter, Kathy Andrews Reese, sued the restaurant chain, claiming that Whataburger had reneged on a 22-year-old agreement between the two companies. At the end of 1980, Whataburger opened its 300th restaurant. The golden age of drive-ins and American automobiles was just getting started back on August 8, 1950, when Harmon Dobson opened Whataburger #1. Dobson revealed that in Fast Food magazine in 1957 that flying over a Whataburger in Bryan, Texas led to more customers buying burgers. Through the years, she also served in numerous philanthropic capacities including working for the USO, Coastal Bend Youth City, the Kidney Foundation and the Texas State Aquarium. 1 Colonization and Settlement (1500-1763), 2 Revolution and Early Republic (1754-1801), 4 Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877), 5 Emergence of Modern America (1877-1929), 4 Late Middle Ages-Renaissance-Reformation Europe (1300-1648), 3 Post-Classical History (600 CE-1492 CE), HS 1302 United States History since 1877, SP 3392 Language Variation and Dialectology of Spanish, Dom DiFurio and Oria McCaffrey, Whataburgers founding family sells controlling stake in iconic Texas chain,, College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences. Otherwise, it wouldnt approve any new sites for WOA. They were finally recovered earlier this month after five months of rescue attempts. The meat and vegetables were always fresh, never frozen. Add to your scrapbook. However, the oil business would prove to be about as profitable for Dobson as the diamond business. Corpus Christi is going to miss Grace Dobson. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Angel was a bit more adventurous than Dobson, though both crashed several times in Africa while mining for diamonds. But the rift between the Andrews family and the burger chain they helped build represents a struggle between the past and the present, and between two families who have known each other for a long time. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. Dobson agreed, and the Alice store opened a year later. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. I thought it was only a Texas thing and never heard of them existing anywhere else. I'm going to miss her, too." Ive always enjoyed eating the food there and its a top 3 fast food chain for me. Im beginning to like it & the dollars too.11, By the spring of 1967, Whataburger had expanded to more than forty stores in sixteen Texas cities and four states since it had first opened in 1950. Andrews developed a close relationship with Dobson; he even coined the companys popular slogan, We build a bigger, better burger., Today, those oversized burgers and the promise of fresh ingredients generate annual sales of $1.8 billion, making Whataburger the thirty-third-largest restaurant chain in the countryand the second-largest founded and based in Texas, after Chilis. During the early 1990s, profits declined as new items such as popcorn shrimp, salads, and steak sandwiches were added to the menu. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Franchisees and the parent company squabbled over products and promotions, and the once familial corporate culture deteriorated into an us-versus-them mentality. "It was a friendship that grew and grew," Sheka said. [4] Burton and Harmon decided that Burton would own the Whataburger franchises in San Antonio, Texas, while Harmon would own the rest of the company and its franchises. The Alice franchise was a quick success, and over the decades Whataburger and the Andrews familys company, Whataburger of Alice (WOA), grew in tandem. But perhaps because his dear friend Harmon Dobson was gone, his personal connection no longer seemed to mean as much as it once did. By Stefano Esposito and Sam Kelly. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. [4] In 1993, her son Tom Dobson became the CEO and president of Whataburger. At first, Harmon was content to help his parents on the farm, but his wanderlust eventually returned, calling him elsewhere. Ways to honor Grace Dobson's life and legacy. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. She also gave copious amounts of her time and money back to Corpus Christi and the state. The prosperity lasted until 1967 when Dobson and his friend Gene Crane were killed in a plane crash in La Porte, where they had stopped to refuel. The 70s was a decade of Whataburger milestones. There were nine crew members on board. Sorry! In the past, corporate simply approved such requests, as stipulated under the 1993 settlement. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. In Reeses telling, the states most famous burger joint has become just another greedy corporate entity. The wreckage of a military plane found this month on an Alaska glacier is that of an Air Force plane that crashed in 1952, killing all 52 people aboard, military officials said Wednesday. The purpose of this is to explore expansion plans in the northern area of the United States while staying true to the brands message.15 Some of the brand messages can be found in The Whataburger Difference. The Whataburger Difference is what separates the company from every other competitor that they have and one of the five points of focus is to protect and serve the best products in the industry.16 With this said, hopefully Texans will stay true to the family brand as changes occur, which would surely make Dobson proud of how his company has grown. By the company's seventh decade, Whataburger had grown from a single burger stand in Corpus Christi to an 800-restaurant chain that spanned every state from Arizona to Florida. There is even a Whataburger race car and a Whataburger field in Corpus Christi that hosts a minor league baseball team. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. ! His friend and associate, Andrew Sneed was also killed. 200 RESTAURANTS AND GROWING. It has expanded in the Southwest United States with about 800 locations in ten states. The plane was bound for Love Field in Dallas when it went down at 5:16 P.M. according to Mitch Barket, a Federal Aviation Admistration spokesman. Sadly, in 2005, Whataburger Family Members mourned the loss of Lady Grace as she was called by many. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. Dobson lived in the same modest house at Santa Fe Street and Meldo Park Drive for years, maintaining a close relationship with her children, grandchildren and friends, Sheka said. He flew to Texas to scout out the oil and auto possibilities in places like Witchita Falls, Dallas, and Houston. Harmon Dobson was sixteen years old on Black Friday, but this first Black Friday was no shopping extravaganza: it marked the most devastating stock market crash in United States history. In November 1942, a B-17 bomber with a 12-man crew crashed into a Greenland ice cap. For the Andrews family, this shift in corporate culture first became apparent two years ago, when it told the company headquarters, which had moved from Corpus to San Antonio in 2009, that it wanted to open a new store in Laredo. All three work hard to ensure that Whataburger never strays from their fathers original concept, which was to serve hungry people great food in a clean and friendly environment. Most people thought Grace Dobson would sell her rapidly growing hamburger business after her husband died in a private plane crash in 1967. . Year should not be greater than current year. Unflinching, she steadfastly refused. He realized that he needed some creative marketing strategies to obtain new customers. Their family complete, the Dobsons embarked on the happy, golden age of Whataburger. ). This event coincided with the mass unemployment and hysteria that lasted throughout the following decade. I have so much fun talking to the young employees about the early Whataburger. On April 11, 1967, Dobson and an associate died in an airplane crash, and Dobson's widow, Grace, took control of the business. Dobsons journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. The Dobson family and their extended Whataburger family rallied around and supported Grace as she took over the business. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. Today, Whataburger is a big part of Texas culture, and families all over the Lone Star State can say thank you to Harmon Dobson for helping them to celebrate some of the best moments of their lives. I love Whataburger and it is a Texas staple. [1] In 1971, the company opened its first drive-through store, and in 1972, it opened its 100th store. [4], Dobson and Burton business venture was short lived when their partnership ended 1951 because of a dispute over Dobson's price raise of the burger from 25 to 30 cents. H-E-Bs True Texas BBQ Restaurant Is Slipping, West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country. The new CEO and president of Whataburger was Tom Dobson, the son of Harmon and Grace Dobson. Man dies after crashing his plane near U.S. 40. The next year, we awarded more than $90 million in bonuses to our Family Members (what we call our employees) in thanks for their extraordinary service during the pandemic. By the company's seventh decade, Whataburger had grown from a single burger stand in Corpus Christi to an 800-restaurant chain that spanned every state from Arizona to Florida. Thats when they look at me through squinted eyes and really say, Yeah, Right!! Police found two dead people inside the. He charged a pricy 25 cents since the burgers were better quality than the competitors burgers. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. This is a great article and very informative! By 1949, Dobson was done with diamonds and began searching for a safe place to land. Peterson resigned in 1993. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. On June 23, 1950, the Texas Secretary of State office granted Dobson the trademark for Whataburger. Dobson then invested more time and more effort into developing the first Whatabuger.4, Eventually, on August 8, 1950, Dobson opened and sold his first Whataburger through the window of a little portable building. Before the Whataburger, the typical burger was a White Castle slider, a two-ounce beef patty on a 2-inch bun. This time, however, it indicated that it wasnt inclined to do so. Most people thought Grace Dobson would sell her rapidly growing hamburger business after her husband died in a private plane crash in 1967. The new CEO and president of Whataburger was Tom Dobson, the son of Harmon and Grace Dobson. Spicing Things Up: Whataburger Buffalo Ranch Chicken Lineup Returns for a Limited Time, Get Ready for More Bold Flavors: Whataburger is Growing in Memphis, Whataburger Celebrates One Year of Delicious Dining in Colorful Colorado, MyWhataburger In addition to that, Dobson sold chips and a cold drink with the burger. In Jefferson, Kitts Kornbread Turns Familiar Fare Into Something Special. Failed to report flower. The burger chain has large hamburgers, skinny long fries, creamy milkshakes, and more. So proud & so tired.17. At age 16, Dobson was accepted into the University of Missouri to study journalism, but was forced to return to his family farm soon after attending due to a family crisis at home due to the Great Depression. Grief researchers say holding that missing funeral service, even a year or more later, can still help us heal. Instead, during the next 38 years, the Whataburger matriarch, who died of complications from cancer Thursday in a local hospital at age 80, played an integral part in growing the hamburger chain into the eighth largest in the nation. Lawrence Jagmin, of . In 1953 , Joe Andrews received the first Whataburger franchise, and business was booming. [8] The crash killed Dobson and his business associate. Looking for a more secure venture, Dobson met and partnered with Paul Burton. In 1942, Dobson went to North Africa to do work on pipefitting scrapyard work, and cable rigging for Bell Telephone Company. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. "But through all of their giving and the charitable things that they did for the community and the state of Texas it glowed down on her anyway. Months later, Harmon raised the prices for burgers to 35 cents. As a standard for mythical tall tales and legends, it comes as no surprise that Texas holds the national corner on stories of lost treasure. In 1934, Dobson started work as an apprentice ironworker, he later became a shipbuilder at the start of World War II. Leave them blank to get signed up. Today, our founder's original vision still inspires everything we do. Whataburger, which saw San Antonio as a key growth market, filed suit to block the sale.
