Pearsall's new Whataburger opened Monday. The 24-hour restaurant is at 135 South IH-35 in the small city about 55 miles southwest of San Antonio.
The restaurant's grand opening was at 9 a.m. Monday. The opening capped off more than a year of development for the location, which had been in the works since a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing was made in August 2025.
A New Restaurant Opens Ahead of Schedule
The regulatory filing listed a construction end date in late October 2026, but the restaurant opened well before that date. For a city of fewer than 10,000 people, the location adds a new dining option.
The new restaurant gives Pearsall residents an in-town option for the chain's burgers and fries.
Mayor Cabasos Marks the Milestone
Pearsall Mayor George Cabasos celebrated the opening on Facebook, writing simply, “It’s officially Whataburger time, Pearsall!”
The new location allows customers to order from the breakfast menu starting at 11 p.m., according to Whataburger, a perk of its round-the-clock hours that late-night diners in Lytle and Pleasanton have long enjoyed but Pearsall never had access to on its own turf.
Part of a Statewide Footprint
A Broader Expansion Story
Whataburger has described Pearsall's opening against the backdrop of a wider growth plan. According to Whataburger, the company planned to build 15 new restaurants in one year and 25 the next, alongside remodeling projects at existing locations. The chain's official history also records earlier expansion milestones. In 1953, Joe Andrews Sr. became Whataburger's first franchisee by opening restaurant No. 5 in Alice, Texas. In 1959, Harmon Dobson opened restaurant No. 21 in Pensacola, Florida, the first Whataburger outside Texas, according to Whataburger's official history.
The Pearsall restaurant joins Whataburger's broader Texas network. The Corpus Christi-founded chain has more than 1,130 restaurants across 17 states.
