Whataburger makes first appearance before city staff

The first Whataburger location in the Sarasota region made its initial appearance before the city’s Development Review Committee on Oct. 2, a pre-application meeting for its planned prototype restaurant at 4001 S. Tamiami Trail.

That’s the location of the former Café Baci restaurant, which closed in May 2022 after 30 years when the owner retired, according to a report in sister publication Business Observer.

Whataburger plans to lease the site and build a 3,305-square-foot restaurant with 35 parking spaces and a double-barrel driive-through. The 1.02-acre site is at the corner of South Tamiami Trail and Roselawn Street. Proposed are ingress and egress points off both roadways.

“Whataburger offers a drive-through and dine-in food service operation that utilizes a double barrel drive-through system to process and fulfill orders at a faster pace which alleviates traffic congestion and vehicle stacking on site,” wrote Project Manager Stephanie Piegzik in a cover letter to the DRC. 

Courtesy image

A description of the building in the narrative read: “A combination of brick veneer and metal finishes will accentuate the overall exterior of the building, while downward-facing wall light fixtures will illuminate the perimeter of the building.”

In March 2023, Benderson Development purchased the property for $2.8 million. At the time, the executive director of leasing for the East Manatee County developer said the goal was to “reimagine the property,” the Business Observer reported.

The property is zoned Commercial General District, which would allow for the drive-through according to the proposal. The Business Observer reported the cost for construction is estimated at $1.8 million.

The first Whataburger opened in August 1950 in Corpus Cristi, Texas. Its headquarters is in San Antonio. With the majority share of the company owned by BDT Capital Partners of Chicago, the family of founder Harmon Dobson still owns a minority stake.

With more than 1,000 locations in Texas and the Southwest, Whataburger is making a push into Florida with plans to open some two dozen stores in the next few years. With 14 locations clustered around the Jacksonville area, the company is pushing southward through the Orlando and Tampa markets.