Robert G.
Yelp
I like Whataburger a lot. While founded in Texas, and in Corpus Christi right on the Gulf of Mexico, it has expanded to the Southeast as well, be it inland, on the Gulf Coast, and in North Florida (read: Jacksonville).
Despite being a native Californian, none of my friends and acquaintances talked about In 'N' Out Burger all that much. We would just end up at In 'N' Out no more and no less than at any other chain. In 'N' Out might be the West Coast equivalent of Whataburger in a loose sort of way but I never quite understood salivating over In 'N' Out.
Whataburger has the same sort of lore and pull for me ... and possibly for others. However, their menu is much more vast and their business model is therefore different. As such, the compare/contrast probably stops there.
Whataburger sort of starts out with a 3.5 stars. I like their simple burgers, their more decked out burgers, their onion rings, and that they have other types of sandwiches. I like that they seem like they were cooked at a backyard barbecue. At this location, I remember that the people working there were polite, that the food arrived quickly, that the prices were fair, and that the restaurant was very clean.
However, let me go on about the building. The restaurant's building takes this Whataburger into 4 star terrain. I read some of its history inside the store and this novel Whataburger appears to have been (re)built on the site of the very first one, overlooking the water and the Ts (these fingers into the Gulf with roads) and featuring two levels in a weird A-frame shape with balconies and patios. I can't forget the palm trees, either, but then those are indigenous to that area.
Also, go ahead and take photos. This Whataburger is a landmark and an icon. And many others seem to be taking photos of it, too.