Dive Brief:
- Whataburger will launch Whatafreshers, a lineup of premium craft beverages and a new category on its permanent menu, on July 1, the company said in a press release Thursday.
- The first drink in the category will be the Prickly Pear Raspberry Whatafresher, which includes lemon, raspberries and prickly pear. The chain expects at least one more flavor to debut in spring 2026, Scott Hudler, Whataburger’s chief marketing officer, said in an email.
- Whatafreshers fit into the chain’s menu development strategy, which places an emphasis on beverages. Whataburger’s drinks menu now includes lemonades and hot and iced coffees in addition to shakes.
Dive Insight:
Whataburger is one of several QSR chains working to expand their beverage menus. Taco Bell added Refrescas to its drink menu earlier this week and plans to expand its Live Mas Cafe beverage concept into 30 more restaurants. McDonald’s plans to add more beverages to its menu later this year after testing them at CosMc’s, a beverage-focused concept that McDonald’s is in the process of winding down.
Whataburger has been adding to its beverage menu for some time, adding hot and iced coffee last year. The brand’s iced coffee comes in vanilla, caramel and mocha flavors.
“The Whatafresher line fits very well into Whataburger’s broader menu innovation strategy, ” Hudler wrote. “We’ve built our legacy on bold flavors — from our legendary burgers to our crave-worthy chicken options — and now we’re bringing that same energy to our beverages.”
In addition to its beverage menu, Whataburger continues to add various limited-time offers to its menu, including a $4, $5 and $6 add-on offer to a Whatameal. It also brought back its Pico de Gallo Burger in the late spring and its Mushroom Swiss Burger in March.
The Prickly Pear Raspberry Whatafresher costs $3.69 for a 16-ounce drink and $3.99 for a 20-ounce drink.
