If you’ve ever seen a Whataburger commercial, you can tell by the longstanding spokesman’s southern twang that this beloved burger joint is Texas-born.

Their delicious menu has those tried-and-true burgers, but they have also come up with plenty of new and diverse American comfort food favorites for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
While the menu continues to expand and diversify, certain favorites have to be retired to make room for new ones.
Certain menu items are just too good to be forgotten, so I’ve come up with the following list of my favorite Whataburger secret menu items to request if you’re feeling nostalgic or want to try something that you never knew you missed.
Ask if your local Whataburger can make these secret menu items so that you can try something new!
Chicken and Pancakes
A Southern breakfast classic that has become a nationwide hit is fried chicken and waffles.
Whataburger has its own unique take. By subbing fluffy pancakes for the standard Belgian waffles, you can enjoy this sweet and savory secret menu breakfast item.
There’s nothing more decadent than breaded and fried chicken strips smothered with maple syrup over a short stack of fluffy pancakes.
To order Chicken and Pancakes, you have to break it down into parts, ordering Whatachicin strips with an order of buttermilk pancakes.
You’re responsible for the plating! You could even forgo the utensils and create a fried chicken pancake taco if you’re so inclined.
Grilled Cheese with Grilled Vegetables
As a Texas-born burger joint, Whataburger proudly offers thick slices of Texas toast as a side dish for fried baskets or as sandwich bread.
Texas toast is the perfect bread for grilled cheese, and while it’s not on the menu, Whataburger has all the necessary ingredients to make one.
You can request a grilled cheese and the Whataburger kitchen will be happy to oblige, using their Texas toast and a few slices of American cheese.
You can add grilled vegetables like onions, peppers, and tomatoes to add a gourmet twist to a classic comfort food sandwich.
Breakfast on a Bun Ranchero
Breakfast on a Bun is a signature Whataburger breakfast menu item that comes on a small buttery bun with a sausage patty, melted American cheese, and a folded egg.
It’s a delicious and simple American breakfast sandwich. Whataburger gives you a million different suggestions to modify it with the addition of extra ingredients and sauces.
One clever way to dress up this straightforward sandwich is by marrying Southern and southwestern flavors to create the Breakfast on a Bun Ranchero.
To spice things up a bit, ask for your Breakfast on a Bun with grilled jalapenos and a side of Picante sauce.
Bun-less Bacon and Cheese
If you’re on a gluten-free kick or are trying to cut back on carbs, you can still enjoy a mouthwatering burger with bun-less bacon and cheeseburger.
You order a classic Whataburger bacon cheeseburger without the bun and add an order of bacon.
Your server will pile a plastic to-go platter high with all the fix-ins including lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles, and any of the sauces you like alongside a beef patty with melted cheese and crispy bacon.
You could even ask for extra lettuce and make lettuce wraps if you still want a hand-held burger experience.
Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich
Whataburger may be a classic Texas burger joint, but you can make it into your favorite fast-food barbecue joint with this hearty and delicious secret menu sandwich.
The Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich includes Whataburger’s breaded, fried chicken strips doused in a heaping portion of barbecue sauce between two thick slices of Texas toast.
There are two ways of ordering this secret menu sandwich. The first is to order the honey butter chicken sandwich from the permanent menu and sub the honey butter for barbecue sauce.
You could also order the three-piece chicken tender meal that comes with Texas toast and request lots of barbecue sauce to assemble the sandwich yourself.
I like to add Swiss cheese and bacon to make it extra flavorful.
The Whataburger Hulk
Burgers and fries are a greasy, juicy pleasure, but you’ll need to wash them both down with a cold and refreshing beverage.
No matter your age, there’s nothing more fun and special about eating at a fast-food restaurant than making your own fountain drink creations.
There’s no one to stop you from combining lemonade and root beer if that’s your pleasure.
The Whataburger Hulk is a beverage creation that you can only get at Whataburger because Whataburger is the only fast-food restaurant that carries both its main ingredients: Powerade and Vault.
To make the Hulk, you fill your cup up a fourth of the way with blue Powerade and then fill up the rest with Vault. After downing a burger, the Hulk will give you enough energy to run it off in a marathon!
Veggie Sandwich
While many fast-food chains have come out with Impossible burgers or trademark veggies patties, Whataburger remains a meat purist, refusing to imitate the amazing taste of its succulent beef patties.
If you’re a vegetarian, you’re still welcome. They just have a simpler option that might even be more to your liking.
As opposed to imitation meat, the Veggie Sandwich uses Whataburger’s hash brown sticks as a centerpiece. You can load on all the veggie fix-ins, sauces, cheese, and avocados.
I find the hashbrowns to have a meaty texture and plenty of heft that tastes amazing with whatever other veggies or sauces you want to throw on there.
Whataburger opened in the friendly Texas coastal town of Corpus Christi in 1950 as a unique burger stand selling Texas-sized burgers you’d need two hands to hold.
Owner Harmon Dobson and his wife Grace wanted to make a burger so big and delicious that customers would exclaim, “what a burger” with every mouthwatering bite. Whataburger soon captured the hearts and stomachs of Corpus, expanding rapidly around Texas and the southern states.
Over 70 years later, Whataburger is still a family-owned and operated burger joint with over 800 locations around the U.S.
Whataburger’s menu has expanded to include fish and chicken sandwiches, shakes, and all-day breakfasts. You can customize your burgers to your liking, or even create your own vision of the perfect meal. The sky is the limit!
My list of Whataburger secret menu items is a testament to the creative culinary license you can take to make your fast food dreams into an indulgent reality.