What popular chain restaurant do Illinoisans want most? It’s known for its burgers
While Illinois is home to Midwestern favorite Culver’s and national burger spots such as McDonald’s and Wendy’s, there’s one popular chain residents particularly want.
A Sept. 30 survey from financial media company MarketBeat with more than 3,000 participants named Texas-based Whataburger the No. 1 national chain Illinois residents would most like to see open in the state.
Whataburger was founded in 1950 and now has more than 760 locations in Texas alone, as well as in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.
None of Whataburger’s Missouri locations are in the St. Louis area, so the nearest one to Belleville is quite a hike.
What is Whataburger known for?
The restaurant chain got its name from its founder’s vision to create a standout burger.
“Over six decades ago, an adventurous and determined entrepreneur named Harmon Dobson had a bold idea: to serve a burger so big that it took two hands to hold, and so good that after a single bite customers couldn’t help but exclaim, ‘What a burger!’” the restaurant’s website says.
Whataburger is unsurprisingly known for those burgers, which come in varieties such as an avocado bacon burger, jalapeño and cheese burger, Whataburger Jr. and more. That’s not all that’s on offer, though.
The restaurant also serves a “Whatachick’n,” “WhataWings” and a spicy chicken sandwich, as well as a patty melt, french fries, onion rings and three types of salads.
The News-Democrat has contacted staff with Whataburger for comment on the survey and potential expansion into Illinois.
What chains are most wanted in surrounding states?
Missouri residents voted Carl’s Jr. the most wanted national chain for the Show Me State. While Missouri doesn’t have any Carl’s Jr. locations, the state is home to Hardee’s, which is owned by the same company.
In Iowa, Shake Shack came out on top as the most wanted national chain. The metro-east doesn’t have a Shake Shack, but you can find the restaurant in St. Louis.
The most wanted national chain in Indiana was Bojangles, a popular fried chicken restaurant founded in North Carolina. Finally, MarketBeat reported Kentuckians would most like to see El Pollo Loco open in the commonwealth. The chain serves burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos and more.
Some states voted grocery store chains the most wanted, rather than restaurants. Wegmans, Publix and H-E-B were popular picks, and IKEA, Culvers and In-N-Out Burger were also top choices in parts of the U.S.
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