Whataburger Thanks Employees with More Than $90 Million in Bonuses

Company Elevates General Manager Role and Enhances Compensation

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Mar 31, 2021, 09:00 ET

SAN ANTONIO, March 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of what has been an incredibly hard year, Whataburger has awarded more than $90 million in bonuses to its employees in thanks for their extraordinary service during the pandemic and severe winter weather across its 10-state footprint. Whataburger employees also received Extra Mile bonuses, emergency pay, and a doubling of their 401(k) plan matching for 2020.

Whataburger employees -- known as Family Members -- continued to deliver big flavor and hometown service 24/7 despite challenging circumstances and helped set record company performance numbers from March 2020 to March 2021.

"The past year reshaped how we live, work and play, with the restaurant and hospitality industry being heavily impacted by the pandemic and this year's crippling winter storms. We are so humbled and grateful for the loyalty of our customers during this time," said Ed Nelson, Whataburger CEO. "And we wanted to help ensure that our Family Members and their families were taken care of and thank them for continuing to go the extra mile to serve our guests with great Pride, Care and Love. Our Family Members and guests are the foundation of our success, and we are grateful for both."

As Whataburger prepares for the largest growth phase in its 70+ year history, the company also announced it is elevating General Managers at its restaurants and, with that, comes their new title of Operating Partners.

"Operating Partners are business leaders who run multimillion-dollar restaurants, take care of their teams, and serve as the face of Whataburger in their communities," said Nelson. "They are the hearts and souls of our brand."

The company's new enhanced compensation plan puts Operating Partners in the driver's seat to bring home six figures annually, including bonus potential of up to 150 percent of their target incentive, while still maintaining work/life balance.

"We've been helping our Family Members build careers for more than 70 years. From internally promoting our very own brilliant minds to attracting ambitious outside talent, we are committed to providing competitive incentives and great career opportunities in the communities we serve," said Pam Nemec, Senior Vice President of HR and Brand Culture. "This generation of restaurant leaders is bringing Whataburger goodness to communities across the U.S. while embracing self empowerment to build and tailor their own leadership paths."

To learn more about 2021 career and leadership opportunities, visit https://whataburger.com/Careers/Restaurant.

ABOUT WHATABURGER:
Whataburger has focused on its fresh, made-to-order burgers and friendly customer service since 1950 when Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger as a small roadside burger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas. Today, the company is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with more than 840 locations in 10 states and sales of more than $2.5 billion annually. Whataburger has 46,000 Family Members (employees) and more than 14 million customers who like to customize their Whataburgers just the way they like it. Visit whataburger.com for more information.

Contact:
Audrey Ponzio
512-653-4640
[email protected]

SOURCE Whataburger