The 11 Best Whataburger Ordering Hacks, According To Customers

The story of Whataburger began in 1950, when the very first restaurant of its name was opened. It started as a burger stand, which aimed to provide a slider so large that it would take patrons two hands to hold it properly. This simple goal spawned a wildly successful chain which now has over 1,100 locations throughout the U.S. With such sweeping success, it's no surprise that dedicated customers seem to be constantly posting secret menu hacks on the internet to kick your order up a notch.

If you're familiar with social media, then you likely have seen some of these viral food hacks circulating on the internet. While all of them seem to promise amazing taste, the truth of the matter is that some food hacks are great, while others are just a great big pile of lies. The only way to really know which ones will leave you feeling satisfied and which are a load of hocus pocus is to either try them yourself or to find a list of the best "secret menu" fast-food hacks in one place.

Luckily, a list of the most tried and true ordering hacks according to Whataburger customers has now been compiled to save both your taste buds and wallet. No one wants to go through the letdown of trying out a hack that just doesn't meet expectations. Plus, it gives you an excuse to try some new tricks at your local Whataburger. 

Substituting items is pretty common these days on a fast food order in general. If you don't want mayo, you can swap it for something else or even remove it altogether. Or, if you prefer pickles on your burger, you can add this just by asking or customizing the food item online. But, at Whataburger, what seems to be a common food hack is that customers are substituting something that you may not have considered in the past, and it won't even cost you a cent extra: The bun. 

Whataburger carries both potato buns and brioche buns. Brioche buns are typically a smaller and more compact option (4 inches at Whataburger compared to the regular 5-inch potato buns). They are also said to have a richer flavor thanks to the higher butter content in the recipe. This simple swap might seem very basic, almost too mundane to make a substantial difference. But, customers often mention they prefer swapping out the regular bun for the brioche, certainly a sign that gives it credibility. One Instagram post even takes the love for the bun to another level, claiming that they believe Whataburger has the best brioche buns available. Considering it's a free hack, with claims like that, you might need to try it on your next trip to the restaurant.

Everybody seems to have their own special hack for gravy these days. Some believe that you can amp up your gravy with the use of a spoonful of bullion, while others wonder if they should make gravy with crescents. Whataburger is no exception to this line of thinking, with its unique gravy recipe containing a mixture of flour, milk, black pepper, and savory pork sausage crumbles. The result is a whiteish mixture that may not have been what you immediately associated with the word gravy. Although this white sausage gravy might not be what you were expecting, don't let that throw you off. 

The gravy at Whataburger is quite popular, with one Redditor even proclaiming they love it so much they "could literally drink it." Over on TikTok, another post agrees with this sentiment, even featuring a mother-daughter combo literally drinking the gravy on screen. The level of devotion that customers have for this product seems to know no bounds. 

Now, that you understand more about the level of adoration this gravy has garnered from the fan base, be advised that the gravy is not just for the fries or for the chicken fingers. The gravy goes on ... everything. Burgers, patty melts, and even hash browns. The places you can put this gravy on has no bounds. If it's a Whataburger item you're eating, try dipping it in the gravy. It might just revolutionize your fast food dining experience. 

The patty melt from Whataburger is not your typical burger. Firstly, it does not feature the regular bun (and, it doesn't have a brioche bun either, though you could swap for one). The patty melt in its natural form comes with two beef patties, two pieces of Monterey jack cheese, grilled onions, and creamy pepper sauce, sandwiched between two pieces of Texas toast. The sandwich has won over the hearts of customers, so much so that in a Reddit thread that asked commenters to compare it with the classic Whataburger sandwich, the hands down winner was the patty melt.

This sandwich admittedly sounds lovely on its own, but one hack that people seem to constantly mention is adding items to the patty melt. From extra creamy pepper sauce to bacon and spicy ketchup, it seems like everyone out there is adding something to this sandwich. Through all these mentions of additional toppings, though, there is one constant that always appears: Jalapeños. Customers on Reddit claim that adding jalapaños to the patty melt can be life-changing. Others mention they add jalapeños to everything they get from the restaurant. From the sheer amount of lip-smacking and head nodding going on in the videos where people are trying this hack, it certainly seems like a must-try.

This item is one that users over on TikTok are referencing as being a secret menu item, which means you won't find it listed on the regular Whataburger line up. As the name chicken and pancakes would suggest, the hack involves combining the chicken with the pancakes, though there seems to be a few different ways of doing this. Some customers pair a three-piece chicken tenders order with a side of pancakes. Then the chicken is placed on the pancakes, and the entire thing is doused in syrup. There is also a second variation of this hack, where customers order the WhataWings with their sauce of choice. Most often they seem to choose the honey butter WhataWings, andplace them onto a pancake, eating these like a taco. 

Whatever your method of choice, the hack sounds like a win. Customers mention that the combination ranks highly on their list of menu hacks. They specifically note the flavor of the chicken mixing well with the soft and airy pancake. If you're looking to try this hack out, keep in mind that the breakfast menu is only served during breakfast hours (from 11 pm to 11 am). If you visit outside of this range, you will miss your chance.

The honey BBQ chicken sandwich sounds like a dream when you look at the ingredients. Chicken strips covered with honey BBQ sauce and Monetary jack cheese, all wedged between two slices of Texas toast. This would have anyone's belly rumbling with hunger. But, there is one viral hack that the internet is really hyping up in relation to this sandwich. Influencers claim that you should order the honey BBQ chicken sandwich, but ask to substitute the honey BBQ sauce with honey butter. Some videos even show how to do this on the application for those using their mobile device to order. 

If you're wondering what impact the honey butter would have on the flavor of the sandwich, one influencer on TikTok really dives into the taste of this combo. She describes that the contrast, which is created by the mixture between the sweetness of the honey butter and the salty crunch of the chicken fingers, is "absolutely amazing." Other influencers also mention this is a great hack for when you've got a hankering for the honey butter chicken biscuit that is only served during breakfast time. Overall, it seems that this hack should be on your list for your next Whataburger visit.

The honey butter biscuit is arguably one of the most popular items on the breakfast menu. It features a chicken strip slathered in honey butter and wedged between two halves of a buttermilk biscuit. There is also the opportunity to swap out the buttermilk variety of biscuit for a jalapeno cheddar one for no additional cost, which many customers post about taking advantage of.

Customers seem to rave about the superiority of the honey butter biscuit, with one on TikTok even mentioning it might be the best breakfast sandwich in the world. Perhaps the only flaw of this item (other than the way the honey butter drips onto your hands while eating it) is that it is only part of the breakfast menu. Once 11 a.m. hits, the fine employees of Whataburger no longer take orders for this delicious morsel.

Now, just because it isn't served outright doesn't mean you should completely give up on your dreams of getting a honey butter biscuit past 11 a.m. All you need to do is order a side of honey butter, a piece of Texas toast, and one chicken tender. Then, you wrap the chicken tender in the Texas toast, and then dip it into the honey butter with each bite. A bonus is that this method may even cost you less than the regular honey butter biscuit, depending on your location. 

If you have ever looked at the menu, then you likely have noticed that Whataburger offers both milkshakes and pies. But, what you may not have noticed is that your apple pie can be served in a method that the franchise calls "à la mode". If you haven't heard the expression before, don't turn away from it just because of how fancy it sounds. À la mode is just a French way of saying "in style," or with a heaping scoop of ice cream. The Whataburger way of serving a pie à la mode, is plopping it into a vanilla milkshake. 

Redditors who claim to have worked at the restaurant say that this comes in a 20-ounce cup, and that they actually have a special button for this on their order screen. Whether the pie will be placed in whole, broken in half, or if the location has the ability to blend it into the milkshake appears to be store dependent, as some mention not all have access to blenders. On the Whataburger Customer front, this hack is referenced as being delicious, with some expressing surprise about not having heard of this secret menu item previously. If you are a fan of apple pie with a scoop of ice cream, you may elevate things by ordering this hack. After all, it's hard to go wrong when combining a hot gooey pie with the creamy sweetness of ice cream.

Just like with the chicken and pancakes hack, this one likely won't be found listed on your local Whataburger's regular menu. You will, however, notice it is listed under the kids' meal section. Fear not, you will still be able to order the regular version of it; there is no need to order a kids' meal (unless you purposely want the smaller portion sizes). The staff still has all the ingredients needed to make you an adult-sized grilled cheese, and customers mention having no issues ordering one. 

Now, if you have gotten the drift so far, you'll have learned that Whataburger is all about customizing your order to taste. With that mentality, it's time to consider what the simple order that takes the Whataburger grilled cheese up a notch would be. Some mention their favorite is to add grilled onions and jalapeños, for a pleasant pop of spice. Others suggest switching the regular bread out for Texas toast, adding creamy pepper sauce, or even asking for a fried egg to be placed within the sandwich. Just as with the gravy situation at Whataburger, there are no wrong ideas when it comes to the grilled cheese.

As with most fast food restaurants these days, Whataburger has a loyalty program tied to its mobile app. Those who pull the trigger and sign up receive benefits like earning points with each order placed, which they can then redeem for free Whataburger items. If the prospect of getting free food in your future isn't enough to convince you to download the app, then be warned that you will also be missing out on immediate rewards. 

Each new person to sign up for the application receives a free coupon for a Whataburger, just for daring to enter their information into the sign-up form. When ordering, all you have to do is scan the coupon on your mobile device at the cash register when placing the order, and you'll be handed a free burger (not a single purchase necessary).  

Even if you aren't entirely enamored by the wonder of Whataburger yet, or if it's your first visit, there is no harm in getting free food, and earning points. What's more, there are other benefits to using the app, such as creating a favorite order list, placing your order ahead of time, and entering exclusive contests for members. 

Yes, this might sound a little off-putting at first, but hear the Whataburger customer base out on this one. To complete this hack, you will need to order a side of gravy and ask for ketchup packets with your meal. A side note to keep in mind here is that, depending on what your order is, a side of gravy may already be included (for example, the Whatachick'n Strips automatically come with a gravy). If it is, then you won't need to order an additional side unless you anticipate you will eat the entire container (no judgment here).

Next, just squeeze that ketchup right into the gravy container and mix. Bonus: If you ordered fries with your meal, you can use a fry to stir the sauces together. Some people prefer to use spicy ketchup to amp up the heat (which also appears to be a favorite of the fan base), but you can do this hack with the regular stuff as well. The result after mixing will be a slightly off-color gravy, but try not to let this turn you off the hack. The flavor is so good that one influencer on TikTok even describes it as "the perfect sweet, savory, rich, and tangy dip," a claim that certainly sounds convincing.   

Most fast food restaurants have a clear line they draw in the sand where the dinner and lunch menu switches to breakfast food and vice versa. Unfortunately, food cravings just don't follow these time lines. Whether you're a night shift worker craving an early morning burger fix or just a night owl, there are times when burgers can and should be devoured in the early hours of the morning. The dilemma, though, is finding out where one can get burgers during fast food breakfast hours, as not all eateries provide the full dinner menu 24/7.

Thankfully, Whataburger is one of these places offering lunch or dinner menu items to customers without time constraints. Even if the restaurant has a policy about only serving breakfast items for a specific time period, the good news is that the same is not true for serving dinner during breakfast hours. This is certainly excellent news for anyone who's ever had a hankering for a patty melt at 3 am. 

If you're worried about whether this type of order during breakfast hours will cause annoyance for kitchen staff, one Reddit user directed this exact question to Whataburger employees. Commenters resoundingly gave the practice green flags. They mention it's actually easier to make than some of the breakfast menu items. With that in mind, go ahead and let your food cravings run wild.