Whatever Happened to Denver’s Whataburger?
If you’ve ever driven south on I-25 and spotted that bright orange-and-white “W” in Colorado Springs or Monument, chances are you’ve had the same thought: “When is Denver getting its Whataburger back?”
It’s a fair question — and one that’s been simmering for more than two decades.
Long before Whataburger became a social-media obsession and a road-trip must, it was part of Denver’s local landscape. The Mile High City actually had its own original Whataburger at 1505 South Federal Boulevard, which proudly served up burgers and fries until it was demolished in 2001. In its place now stands a Walgreens — a sore reminder for fans who still remember that signature spicy ketchup.
But that wasn’t the only one. The Denver area once had several Whataburger locations sprinkled across the metro:
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The Lakewood spot at 1335 Wadsworth Boulevard opened in 1972 and is now a Taco House.
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Aurora’s 523 Havana Street location became Little Panda.
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Westminster’s 7195 Federal Boulevard turned into Taco River.
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And the Thornton outpost at 595 East 88th Avenue is still slinging burgers — but now under the name Jim’s Burger Haven.
Back in the 1970s, Whataburger’s Colorado presence was operated by a franchise group called Whataburger of Colorado Inc., a subsidiary of Western World Foods. That partnership oversaw a handful of locations using a distinctive building design found only in the western states. The chain’s time here was short-lived, though. By the late ’70s, most of those Colorado restaurants had quietly closed, fading away just as fast as they’d appeared.
Fun fact: in 1976, Whataburger Denver even had its own softball team, which apparently went undefeated that season. So, they may have vanished, but they didn’t go down without a win.
After decades of absence, Whataburger made a comeback in February 2022, opening a brand-new location in Colorado Springs. Since then, the chain has expanded further south, adding more restaurants around the Springs and up into Monument — currently the northernmost stop for Coloradans craving their Whataburger fix.
But here’s the thing: still no Denver location.
While fans in Colorado Springs are ordering Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits at sunrise and double-meat Whataburgers at midnight, the rest of us in the metro area are left staring at our Google Maps and wondering what the hold-up is.
Maybe it’s zoning. Maybe it’s logistics. Maybe it’s just part of a slow statewide rollout. But whatever the reason, Denverites are getting impatient. We’ve proven we can support just about every burger brand on the map — In-N-Out, Shake Shack, Freddy’s, Smashburger — yet somehow, Whataburger keeps stopping short of the city limits.
It’s not just about the burgers, either. For longtime residents, Whataburger is a piece of nostalgia — a reminder of simpler times when drive-ins ruled Colfax, and the orange roofs of Western World Foods franchises dotted the Front Range.
So until that glorious day when the Mile High finally gets its own shiny new Whataburger again, fans will keep making the trek down to Monument. And when that first Denver sign does go up? You can bet the drive-thru line will be wrapped around the block.
Because in Denver, we’re not just hungry for Whataburger — we’re starving for its return.
