I Love WhataBurger. But is it REALLY Worth the Cost in Colorado?

If there was only one place I could get a burger from when it comes to a drive-thru or fast food, it is hands down Whataburger. There is simply no other choice for me. I love that place with a passion.

Why do I love Whataburger so much? There is just something about their burgers that makes me happy. I never heard of Whataburger until moving to Jacksonville, Florida. When I was living in Jacksonville, there was a Whataburger about a mile and a half from where I was working, and frequented that location quite often. I could get lunch fast and for just a little bit of money.

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Eventually, the time came to move away from a city that had Whataburger and back west. Years after moving back home to Colorado, Whataburger opened its first location in Colorado Springs in February 2022 and since then, the Texas-based burger chain has opened a few other locations in Colorado Springs. While I am a huge fan of Whataburger, I couldn't justify spending hours in the car for a fast food meal. I had to let the appeal of Whataburger wear off before having my first Whataburger meal in Colorado.

RELATED: MORE WHATABURGER LOCATIONS COMING TO COLORADO

That all changed this past weekend when my wife and I took an impromptu trip to Colorado Springs on Saturday night. I figured this was a good time to have something that I have been missing in my life for quite some time. A bacon cheese Whataburger with a side of fries and Whataburger spicy ketchup.

At around 7 p.m., we pulled into the Whataburger in Colorado Springs off of North Academy Boulevard and Montebello Drive West. When we pulled into the parking lot, it was surprisingly empty. There was also not a single vehicle in the drive-thru either.

We went inside to order our food and the dining area was nice, bright, and clean. We were excited. Our order at Whataburger is simple. Two #2 Whataburger combos with bacon, cheese, and green chiles burgers, fries, and a drink.

 It cost how much for a burger combo at a Colorado Springs Whataburger?

After ordering, I about choked when I heard the total for two combo meals. A staggering $41.27. No, that wasn't an accident. That was the actual price. Did we just really spend nearly $42 for two burger combo meals at a fast food restaurant?

How is that even possible? The menu states that the #2 Whataburger combo is only $12.29. So how did it end up being over $20 per combo meal? You see, cheese, bacon, and green chiles were add-ons and the menu states "for a little extra". Those add-on items for a little extra ended up costing us a little less than half of the total basic combo meal itself. We also didn't realize they defaulted the fries and drink to a large size until after we got our food.

What's the price difference between Colorado and Texas Whataburger locations?

This price tag got me thinking about one thing. Did Whataburger get expensive since my last visit or is it just a Colorado thing? Curiosity got the best of me and I did some research. I chose a location in Dallas, Texas, to compare prices to the Colorado Springs Whataburger location we visited this past weekend, and here is what I found. The prices below reflect the basic #2 combo with the add-ons and the large drink and fry options.

A Colorado Whataburger #2 combo with these specific add-ons is 44.5% more expensive than what you would pay at a Dallas, Texas Whataburger location. The Colorado Springs Whataburger location is also more expensive than buying the same combo meal at Whataburger inside of the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport by more than 21 percent. I love myself some Whataburger. I really do. However, I think I am going to save my future Whataburger experiences for the rare occasion I may be in Texas or until prices in Colorado don't align with an entree from a nationwide steakhouse chain for a cheeseburger combo.