The Southern Burger Chain That Customers Find To Be Way Overpriced

It can be frustrating to witness the effects of inflation in real time, especially when something used to be considered "affordable" now falls under the "nearly unobtainable" category. The price of eggs may have leveled out after last year's scare, but many food items have not — and that includes fast food offerings. But if fast food has become a luxury item, then the quality should reflect the price at the very least, right? For fans of Whataburger, however, that couldn't be farther from the truth.

According to dissatisfied customers, Whataburger has become an overpriced chain that's no longer worth the price. "I have been eating it my whole life, but I just got my order and [am] so disappointed," said one customer on Reddit, before continuing that it "just feels like Whataburger isn't [what] it used to be." Other patrons agree, such as this Redditor who recently shared that they "love Whataburger, but can't do it no more," lamenting that "a patty melt (just the sandwich) plus a shake was $15.20." Another Reddit user said that the "burger patties are damn near paper thin," while this Redditor noted that "a burger, a fry, and a brownie, (not even a meal that includes a drink)" cost them nearly $15. As a different customer on Reddit put it, "When you can go to Chili's for cheaper ... Whataburger is trash now."

Even if the logo hasn't changed since 1972, over the years, prices definitely have. This Reddit user shared a story from their college days in the "early 2000s" when "the #1 [with] cheese was $4.84 after tax," clarifying that this was the cost for an entire Whatameal. According to prices on the menu today, that same meal can set customers back about $11.06 after tax, depending on location. Another Redditor said that they were recently shocked to find that a "#2 Plain and Dry double cheese and bacon" with no fries and "a large white chocolate shake" came out to $15, considering they remember a time when "the whole #2 meal used to be ten dollars." In case you're still curious, here's how far $20 will take you at In-N-Out vs Whataburger.

Although customers are clearly unhappy with the price hikes, there's no simple explanation for the situation. "I blame it on inflation, as well as the fact that they sold out to a private equity company in 2019," said one Redditor, referring to Whataburger's 2019 decision to sell the company to an investment banking firm. "People gotta stop calling this inflation and call it price gouging," said another disgruntled customer on Reddit. The USDA did announce a 23.6% increase in food prices from 2020 to 2024, which could account for Whataburger's overpricing, but this explanation still doesn't satisfy the hungry demands of customers.