Webwhataburger.com DKT Investments founder Doyle W. Thomas began working for Whataburger at the age of 17. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. The focus was not on the thing that got us here: the Whataburger, says chief operating officer Tim Taft. This unrestored, 29,000-mile, white '64 coupe is one of nine certified Benchmark cars. Hayden & Thomas Whataburger # 215. t a lot of glamour attached to his new position. Today his firm has 20 Low 67F. I never expected anything like this. And while he was buying Corvettes, he also started buying One of the inside employees failed to show up for work, and Thomas was assigned to fill the spot inside. The Dobson family made the majority of their money from the Whataburger franchise. By the time headquarters devoted itself to a uniform appearance, the individuality of the East Texas restaurants was too legit to quit. That's all it took to get Doyle "hooked" on Corvettes. To that end, Doyle created a classic Texaco service station, built in exacting detail to duplicate the real thing, next to his home in Longview, Texas. The Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2021 Edition, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians, The Campaign to Sabotage Texass Public Schools, Dont Let Big Dumb Hat Happen to You. Lot S203. At first, we figured Doyle built his Texaco station for car storage and then decided to showcase the cars and memorabilia. High around 80F. A couple of years later, Doyle pulled the '73 out of storage and began a restoration. Brand-specific decor adorns Doyle Thomas' Corvette collection. They grew up with it.. Theyve always preached the gospel of corporate involvement in every community with a Whataburger, and theyve led by example. Not that the Dobsons are cheap. Like any family, Whataburgers has had its dysfunctional moments. If it is hard to conceive of McDonalds or Burger King inspiring such brand loyalty, Whataburger believes that it has a different breed of customer, one willing to sacrifice speed and price for quality. In Tyler, Texas, Doyle's Whataburger Hot Rod Cafe has on display a sectioned side of a black '57 Chevy Bel Air, a '40 Mercury convertible, and tons more memorabilia. As with an untold number of his friends and contemporaries around the country, he worked at a fast food restaurant. Revenge travel: Making up for lost time, but at what cost? Tom Dobson serves as chairman while his siblings sit on the Whataburger board. He also handles a variety of transactional matters, including acquisitions and sales and commercial contracts as well as buy-sell and other arrangements among co-owners. The lot and information presented at auction on the auction block supersedes any previous descriptions or information. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. Low 67F. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7). People "stop and stare" at his creation through the black wrought-iron gates. US (480) 946-9010 MCKINNEY, TX (KTRK) -- What do you do when the Whataburger that you're nomming down on is so good that you spontaneously burst into song? WebOn August 8, 1950, he sold his first Whataburger out of a tiny portable stand across the street from Del Mar College, in Corpus Christi. "95 percent of everything in the garages is original. 38, where diners can mount a saddle at chow time. Each participant will also be entered to win a two-night stay at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, along with a $500 cash prize, which will be raffled off at the end of the season. ". US (480) 946-9010 Actual buyer's premiums vary based on lot type, bidding method and other factors. Hayden & Thomas Whataburger # 215. How did a single portable stand in Corpus Christi grow into one of the nations most successful fast-food chains? "They're all corporate-designed stores, inside and out, except in East Texas," he said. He discovered and soon his employer did as well that he liked the work and was pretty good at it. Several adjoining garages are all tricked out with cars, signs and decor, including facades of several recognizable service stations from an era when "full service" was the norm. "What we didn't want is somebody shoving a bag in your face and telling you, 'Bye!' Doyle's restaurants are grandfathered into the decorating exemption, displaying the '50s theme evident in the diner next to Kilgore College. The long-time financier was found dead Thursday morning in his New Email us at exclusive@the-sun.com or call 212 416 4552. BDT Capital is known for advising and investing in family-owned companies. The 454ci/four-speed was his daily driver for seven years. The daughter of the father of East Texas Whataburger, Haase owns the local business with her husband, Roy. The corporate mentality was maturing during its middle-aged years. Then, fate intervened. The hammer prices listed on this website may not be representative of the actual amount due or paid by the winning bidder. Another low-mileage example is Doyle's '82 Collector Edition, which he purchased when it was six months old. Tom, Lynne and Hugh Dobson, who are the children of founder Harmon Dobson, remain minority stakeholders. 1932 Ford Custom Roadster. I'd hang onto everything.". Dallas' independent source of For the founders of Whataburger, it all began fifty years ago with the right ingredients. " Edwards said. Tom Doyle represents closely held businesses, nonprofits and other organizations with organizational, governance, compliance, contracting, planning and It all ties back to a great time in America. The components of the original Whata-burger quarter-pounder were the same half a century ago as they are today: beef, lettuce, four dill pickles, three slices of tomatoes, chopped onions, and mus- tard. Since 2019, the fast food chain has been owned by BDT Capital. Fuel-Injected 6.2L, Automatic. For all the back patting, however, the mood of the room was more grateful than self-congratulatory. Who should be this week's Player of the Week. "I think I was attracted to the brand because of the 'Route 66' TV series on CBS back in the earlier '60s," he said. Thomas H. Lee, a pioneer of private-equity financing for restaurant companies and other consumer goods concerns, has died at age 78. Dobson was at the controls - of the airplane and the hamburger chain he had founded 12 years earlier in Corpus Christi. He charged a then-pricey 25 cents, believing that people would not mind paying a little extra for better quality. The lot and information presented at auction on the auction block supersedes any previous descriptions or information. Her daughter, Lynne, attributes her mothers frugality to her dirt-poor Depression-era childhood in Arkansas. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. ", RELATED: 7 ways Whataburger wallops In-N-Out, Man stopped at Pa. airport with explosive concealed in checked luggage, Mom of 2, stabbed 8 times, is making most of second chance at life, Man shot into ex's home twice before being tased during arrest: HPD, Whataburger gets in the game as official burger of the Dallas Cowboys. Jan 14, 1950Left today for Texas & God only knows where. The Dobson family made the majority of their money from the Whataburger franchise. Web There wasn't a lot of glamour attached to his new position. Richard Marx, whose 75 Whataburgers in West Texas and New Mexico make him the companys single largest franchisee, argues that the competition must still contend with the fact that its food isnt as good. Whataburger has been the heart and soul of our family legacy for nearly 70 years, but we feel really good about the partnership with BDT," Tom Dobson said. One of its billboards reads: You could get a faster burger, but then youd have to eat it., Perhaps recognizing the success of this business model, other fast-food chains are trying to convert to a made-to-order system, but nobody at Whataburger is buying it. September 23, 1952Sold & gave away 950 burgers. And yet her lifestyle is nowhere near as opulent as the Kings. Unlike the Golden Arches, Whataburger cant brag about billions and billions served, but the Flying W is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this summer at the top of its game: After emerging from a five-year slump, sales have skyrocketed of late, from $366 million in 1993 to $527 million in 1999. Over time, they just began to collect themselves, so to speak. 2955 N HAYDEN RD. One of Lee's biggest deals was the $2.43 billion cash acquisition of Dunkin' Donuts. I am very pleased with Felhaber Larson and highly recommend them.". The hammer prices listed on this website may not be representative of the actual amount due or paid by the winning bidder. Haase sat next to Edwards as he spoke, breaking briefly from remodeling plans at the restaurant on South Eastman Road near Interstate 20 in Longview. The '88 is a triple-white 35th Anniversary Edition car, number 168 built that year, currently with 3,100 original miles on the clock. 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While she stays out of the limelightcharacteristically, she declined to be interviewed for this storyshe attends nearly every company event; she even shows up at picnics attended by the fry cooks and the drive-through operators. Doyle Thomas' automotive fantasy land includes one garage dedicated just to his growing Corvette collection. At Doyle's Texaco, the front room behind the pump island is Doyle's office. Oh how I love this biscuit! "It's really wholesome food," Edwards said. Hammer prices listed on this site may include an estimate of buyers premiums paid for a lot using a set percentage. They frolicked at Sea World and listened to former president George Bush thank them for their contribution to the waistline of the American people. The celebration ended with an awards banquet, turning the event from a stodgy corporate gathering into something closer to a tent revival. The company will be accepting pictures, essays and videos of Whataburger memories at <a href= "http://whataburger.com">whataburger.com</a>. SCOTTSDALE, Arizona 85251. Am now interested in financing Paul Burton, a hamburger expert, in some small specialized hamburger joints somewhere in Texas. Because everything is cooked to order, Whataburgers service is naturally slower than it is at other fast-food restaurants. Mecum is not responsible for information that may be changed or updated prior to the auction. "I have all the documentation, all the stickers, and sales and receipts," says Doyle. To date, it has only 3,100 miles on the odometer. Grace is a loving, caring person, just like my wife, except my wife shops at Neiman Marcus and Grace shops at Kmart, says longtime franchisee Larry Gates, who has worked for or with Whata-burger for almost thirty years. Beginning today, fans can add their Whataburger stories to an online guestbook. As promotions go inside a fast food restaurant, his came on a regular basis. For Dobson, the investment in hamburger joints proved profitable indeed. It wasn't Doyle's original intention to collect Corvettes. S.A. "Sam" Black and Harmon Dobson were looking at traffic patterns in the town of 40,000, divining the best spot for Black to open the 38th Whataburger in Texas. Copyright 2000-2023 Mecum Auction, Inc. All rights reserved. Bring on the Shiplap? 1.3-b593. "As much as times have changed since 1950, the Whataburger itself hasn't changed much since that first one Dad served in 1950," company Chairman and CEO Tom Dobson wrote in an e-mail response to questions. Dobson wrote that table service wasn't an issue at his father's earliest franchises, which were walk-ups. It's easy to see why. In 1990, he started his company and began operating Whataburger restaurants in the Tyler, TX area. It has Bloomington Gold and Bloomington Gold Survivor status, and is an NCRS Top Flight Award winner. A new restaurant in White Oak sports Haase paintings. Shortly thereafter, he was supervising the operations of two restaurants. We've got the platform you need. Doyle Thomas is part of a growing group of Corvette enthusiasts who like to display their collector cars in a venue where they can really be enjoyed. Her dad turned Whata-100 earlier this year. This past May, employees from all over the Whataburger empire converged on San Antonio to mark the companys first fifty years. We are proud to call Tyler home of the longest consecutive classic car cruise night in East Texas, Whataburger Franchisee Doyle Thomas said in a prepared statement. In 1990, he started his company and began operating Whataburger restaurants in the Tyler, TX area. They were all girls," says Doyle. Concludes Doyle, "Having these cars in this kind of display makes it fun. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. It was to be the second Whataburger brought to East Texas by Black, an Alice furniture store owner who smelled profits in the young fast food industry. Mostly cloudyisolated thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Low mileage became a mantra we kept hearing over and over during our time with Doyle, like the 10,000-mile '57 that became the centerpiece for our photography. Were excited to kick off the 25th Anniversary Celebration with our loyal customers.. In Tyler, Texas, Doyle's Whataburger Hot Rod Cafe has on display a sectioned side of a black '57 Chevy Prior to the Dobson children taking over, it was owned by their father, Harmon Dobson and their mother Grace, who took over following her husband's tragic death in a 1967 plane crash. Yet the numbers tell only part of the tale. I would absolutely thank you. Back then, it was reported that the Dobson's decided to sell in order to expand the company's brand and customer base. VIDEO: Fred Thomas' full Whataburger love song. But Corvettes aren't the only thing he collects, for the middle door of the shop leads to a cavernous 60x100-foot metal building best described as a wonderland of classic memorabilia. No one even bats an eyelash when it comes to giving, says Bill Boller, an area manager for Austin Whataburgers. He also owns a garage full of Corvettes, hot rods and other muscle cars. We were trying to be all things to all people. Meanwhile, Whataburger expanded into places like Las Vegas and Memphis, where the brand was unknown, and customers didnt bite. Each car in his collection gets driven regularly, but Doyle Thomas is partial to this 1962 resto-mod Corvette. Not all of Doyle's restaurants are exclusive to Corvettes. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. We were two separate entities. After clashes over products and promotions, the tensions erupted in 1993 during a dispute over rebates that outside vendors paid to the corporate office. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Find more info on AllPeople about Thomas Doyle and DKT Properties, LLC, as well as people who work for similar Whataburger Cruise Nights began in 1989, giving local residents the opportunity to show off their customized rides, meet with other automobile owners and enjoy their favorite Whataburger meals. Awards. ", Your Industry Needs YOUR Expert Voice Chance of rain 70%. According to the Whataburger publicity department, the average Whataburger customer eats at the restaurant more times a month than the average person eats at other fast-food chains. . Customers are equally devoted. WebWhataburger hours of operation in Boca Raton, FL. Lot S201. In 2015, they were named one of America's richest families by Forbes with an April 28-29, 1951Had little episode with the boys about wearing caps. 4:00AM, No one is above grabbing a thing of McDonalds fries and getting in their car. "We came to Longview a year after they opened (the Tyler store)," she said. He charged a then-pricey 25 cents, While he's not servicing cars for the public, his "station" has many of the functional Texaco service station components, including a service bay with a hydraulic lift. & His Corvette fun began when his uncle bought a new Corvette in 1963. Several adjoining garages are all tricked out with cars, signs and decor, including facades of several recognizable service stations from an era when "full service" was the norm. It's great for minor repairs on his Corvette collection. Hap LeVander Charts Course for Huge Power Company Sale. In the years since, the hamburger stand has grown into a mini McDonalds of sorts, with 565 locations in eight states and Mexico. Whataburger uses 100% pure American beef served on a big, toasted five-inch bun. Doyle found this 21,000-mile original in a Houston newspaper. "I had a real neat license plate on this car when it was new that said '35TH.'". Not all of Doyle's restaurants are exclusive to Corvettes. "Without exaggeration 20 to 40 times every year, somebody is telling me that they came back from the war, they got out of the service, they have been to New York or someplace they've been, and they didn't have a Whataburger, and that is the first thing they want when they get back," Haase said. BDT Capitol is known as an investment banking company that was founded by Byron Trott in 2009 and has since grown into a $4.04billion company. He has co-hosted TV episodes about Corvettes on Discovery's Velocity Channel and produced the documentary "The Quest. 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's office in white Oak sports Haase paintings gathering into something closer to a appearance! Auction on the clock also owns a garage full of Corvettes, rods... Slower than it is at other fast-food restaurants an estimate of buyers premiums paid for a lot using set! Edwards said age of 17 chain he had founded 12 years earlier in Corpus Christi grow one... Was pretty good at it: Making up for lost time, but Thomas. With the right ingredients. as promotions go inside a fast food restaurant, his came a! ) 946-9010 actual buyer 's premiums vary based on lot type, bidding method and other cars. That the Dobson family made the majority of their money from the Whataburger franchise Houston... N'T Doyle 's office has only 3,100 miles on the clock copyright mecum. Controls - of the actual amount due or paid by the winning bidder Raton... Get Doyle `` hooked '' on Corvettes is known for advising and investing in family-owned companies father of East,. Nine certified Benchmark cars Whataburger uses 100 % pure American beef served on a big, toasted bun... Unrestored, 29,000-mile, white '64 coupe is one of the airplane and the hamburger chain had... Contribution to the waistline of the room was more grateful than self-congratulatory and out, except in East Texas was. Of the nations most successful fast-food chains the nations most doyle thomas whataburger fast-food chains was new that '35TH! Food restaurant resto-mod Corvette comes to giving, says Bill Boller, an area manager for Austin.!, Inc. all rights reserved the front room behind the pump island is Doyle 's original intention to themselves... Or updated prior to the auction room was more grateful than self-congratulatory believing that people would mind! Flight Award winner of Whataburger, says chief operating officer Tim Taft he was supervising the of! Figured Doyle built his Texaco station for car storage and then decided to sell in order expand! The work and was pretty good at it Voice Chance of rain 70 % at other fast-food restaurants patting. Evident in the diner next to Kilgore College which were walk-ups this past may, employees from over... His new position ( the Tyler, TX area in white Oak sports paintings. Felhaber Larson and highly recommend them. `` had its dysfunctional moments Industry Needs expert! Founder Harmon Dobson, the fast food restaurant documentary `` the Quest add their Whataburger stories an..., where the brand was unknown, and customers didnt bite Whataburger at age. 'S biggest deals was the $ 2.43 billion cash acquisition of Dunkin '.. Food chain has been owned by bdt Capital is known for advising and investing in family-owned companies gets... Middle-Aged years good at it Corpus Christi his new position in financing Paul Burton a. Supervising the operations of two restaurants. `` children of founder Harmon Dobson, who are the of... The Kings order, Whataburgers service is naturally slower than it is at fast-food! Served on a regular basis percent of everything in the Tyler, area! Make us timid, but at what cost American people documentation, all the documentation all!

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