Other fast food chains might take note. While it’s difficult to imagine anyone decked out in Golden Arches, San Antonio-based Whataburger is now a fully fledged lifestyle brand. And it’s tapped into some synergy with its latest drop — a capsule collection with cult Austin activewear company Burlebo arriving in time for Father’s Day.
According to a news release, Whataburger’s latest collab will be available starting Thursday, May 29, through Burlebo’s website and the company’s online Whatastore. The line includes caps, infant onesies, and tops available in three prints, including a Gucci-style logo grid, a playful Western pattern, and the apparel company’s signature deer camo.
The hoodie sports Burlebo's signature deer camo print.Photo courtesy of Burlebo.
Burlebo audaciously introduced the collection in a May 28 Instagram Reel, draping one of Whataburger’s iconic A-frame buildings in camo cloth a la Christo and Jeanne-Claude. A bright orange helicopter swooped down to reveal the store and the team-up.
Although the Texas-based Harmon Dobson family sold its majority stake to Chicago-based investment company BDT Capital in 2019, Whataburger has kept true to its Lone Star roots. The chain’s headquarters remains in San Antonio, and it frequently partners with the state’s most recognizable brands like Igloo, James Avery, Jon Hart, Texas Standard, and Yeti. There’s even a crossover with the San Antonio Spurs.
Burlebo has vaulted to that list of household names. Founded in 2015 by Trey and Lexi Weir, the label quickly carved out a niche in the performance wear space by tapping into Texas’ rugged outdoor culture.
The button-up has a Western theme.Photo courtesy of Burlebo.
Should families want to go all-out on a Whataburger-themed Father’s Day, they can hightail it to the nearest location. The busy chain also announced the limited-time return of the Pico de Gallo Burger on June 3. The fan favorite, topped with pepper jack cheese, pico de gallo, and cilantro-lime sauce, is part of a year-long series of menu comebacks in celebration of the burger joint’s 75th anniversary.
So far, Whataburger hasn’t produced its own line of wrapping paper. Still, industrious gift-givers might consider asking an employee if they can swipe a few sheets of the sandwich wrappers to cover the Burlebo box.
