First come, first served: Locals are Whataburger’s new first customers
(left) Whataburger operating partner Cedric Joyner, Whataburger first in line winners (middle) Danyel Bonds, Sherrie Taylor and Jim Lord outside Whataburger in Cordova on Monday, Nov. 14. (Courtney Vick)
Fast food chain Whataburger opened its third Memphis-area location at 1040 N Germantown Parkway on Monday, Nov. 14.
And three Memphis locals have claimed titles as the location’s first customers.
Jim Lord, Danyel Bonds and Sherrie Taylor can now enjoy one complimentary Whataburger meal a week for a whole year.
Pulling up around 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, Bonds and Taylor camped out in their cars in drive-thru lane A.
Ginger Lord, Jim Lord’s wife, arrived around the same time, pulling into drive-thru lane B.
At 11 p.m., Lord and his wife switched places, leaving Lord to wait in the lane instead.
Both cars waited for 17 hours at the vacant restaurant until the opening hour at 11 a.m. Monday.
“Working for a community where people value what you bring to the community is pretty awesome,” said Courtney Vick, field marketing coordinator for Whataburger.
Vick works primarily in Nashville, but she travels to other chain locations across the region. She said the restaurant has a pretty dedicated fan base.
Lord, USA Cheer’s director of education and programs, is among folks in the Memphis area who anticipated the chain’s arrival.
But for Lord, it’s more than just a burger chain.
“A big chunk of it is nostalgia,” Lord said. “I grew up with it.”
Lord, 57, is originally from Houston, Texas, just a few hours away from Whataburger’s birthplace in Corpus Christi.
The restaurant was founded by Harmon Dobson and Paul Burton in 1950.
According to Lord, the restaurant was on just about every corner in Texas. And for a long time, it was the only place you could find one.
The restaurant chain is open 24 hours, and Lord vividly remembers grabbing his go-to burger in Houston at 1 a.m., a No. 2 Double Meat Whataburger with added mayo and grilled jalapeños.
When Lord moved to Memphis in 1992, he heard stories about Whataburgers in the area. There was a location on Frayser Boulevard and another on Millbranch Road. But both reportedly closed before he could visit.
Throughout the years, Lord would visit other Whataburgers when traveling to other cities, including the location in Homewood, Alabama.
And when he heard the news of the chain coming to Memphis, it was like a dream come true.
Lord is part of a Facebook group called “Bring Whataburger to Barlett/Arlington,” which includes more than 6,000 members.
“It’s made up of other fans who also grew up around Whatabugers who now live here in Memphis,” Jim said. “Some of them are Memphians who remember (the restaurant) being here years ago.”
On Nov. 8, Whataburger operating partner Cedric Joyner announced in the Facebook group that the Cordova location would open the following Monday, and the rest is history.
For Lord, the first customer win represents a full circle moment.
The Texan said he was one of the top 20 finalists in Whataburger’s nationwide “Biggest Fan Contest” 15 years ago.
“So, this is the icing on the cake,” Jim said.
All three winners received a gift basket full of Whataburger merchandise, a wireless speaker and special sauces.
Vick said the chain has plans to put even more Whataburger restaurants across the region within the next few years.
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Jasmine McCraven
Jasmine McCraven considers herself to be a music enthusiast and believes that she makes the best playlists ever. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State, but couldn’t wait to move back home to Memphis for the best food and culture in Tennessee.
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