Whataburger fans partake in Fort Smith groundbreaking ceremony

Fans of Whataburger attended the groundbreaking ceremony on July 15, 2022, for the new Fort Smith location, marking the first one of its kind in the Arkansas River Valley area.

Self-professed No. 1 Whataburger fan, Larry Faulkner, arrived early for the ceremony.

"Excitement doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about Whataburger coming to Fort Smith," Faulkner said. "Now, I won't have to drive 50 miles one way for my lunch. Whataburger is my main meal. I'm super excited, and I'll be the first in line when it opens."

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There is no specific timetable for when Whataburger will open in Fort Smith on Phoneix Ave. near Massard Road, but Robert Tanner, who oversees the operations for the franchise group, WAB Venture, in Arkansas, said it would be late fall.

Roland's Camryn Hull arrived decked out in a Whataburger suit his mom and sister made for his prom this year.

"I'm just excited to be a part of this," Hull said. "My love for Whataburger started out as a joke. I got a flag to put over my football locker, but I started to buy more and more merchandise, and my love for Whataburger just grew from there.

"I wore this suit for my senior prom, and folks just started to react to it. The girls love it."

Whataburger is planning another groundbreaking in Siloam Springs later this month and said the company is planning to expand throughout the Arkansas River Valley.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Whataburger fans partake in Fort Smith groundbreaking ceremony