Dive Brief:
- Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores will debut its first Whataburger on May 4 in a newly opened travel center in San Antonio, the company announced on Thursday.
- The travel stop company first revealed its partnership with the popular burger QSR in early 2025, with plans to open the site later that year. Construction delays pushed that opening date into this year, a Love’s spokesperson said.
- This foodservice expansion is the latest in a string of operations updates by Love’s, including improving ordering tech, updating the Love’s rewards program and adding more electric vehicle charging.
Dive Insight:
Love’s President Shane Wharton said during a press conference last year that the company has wanted to add Whataburger to its extensive list of restaurant partnerships for some time. That list includes national chains like Arby’s, Subway and Taco Bell as well as smaller chains like Naf Naf. The retailer added its first Buffalo Wild Wings Go in September.
In addition to the upcoming Whataburger location, the newly opened San Antonio travel center features a 14,954-square-foot store, 70 truck parking spaces, Love’s fresh food assortment, a dog park, laundry facilities and seven showers. The lot also has space set aside to install electric vehicle chargers if demand rises.
Love’s has been busy over the past year. In addition to adding Whataburger and Buffalo Wild Wings Go, the company rolled out a retail media network called Love’s Media Group; added new ordering technology, including kiosks and mobile ordering, to hundreds of its QSR sites; opened its first three EV fast chargers in Texas; and unified its Love’s Rewards loyalty program while boosting points accumulation for members.
Editor’s note: This article was updated with comment from Love’s about the delay in opening its Whataburger location.
