Keep Austin…wired? The country’s burgeoning new tech scene is the home to the latest innovation in fast food: the digital kitchen.
This past Tuesday, Whataburger debuted its first completely digital kitchen in Austin. The outpost located at 3201 Bee Caves Road #180 in Austin is pitched as “the ultimate on-the-go experience” via online ordering, cashless payments and reduced drive-thru waits.
According to Whataburger, the kitchen will be staffed with 50 employees, although it will not offer interior dining. Instead, customers will have to order online through the app beforehand, or via the exterior kiosk.
The formerly-Texan-owned franchise assures that the system will reduce drive-thru wait times, facilitating the on-the-go pick-up process.
The digital kitchen will also feature on-site temperature-controlled lockers dubbed the “Digital Pick-up Lane”, where customers who placed their orders in advance can pick up their meals.
“Making Whataburger quicker and more convenient for our guests means fully embracing the digital restaurant experience — but not forgetting who we are at our core: A Hometown Whataburger,” Whataburger President and CEO Ed Nelson stated in a release.
“Our Austin guests were early to embrace other digital innovations, making it a perfect fit for our first Whataburger Digital Kitchen.”
The digital Whataburger will be open 24 hours daily with the exception of Christmas Day. Breakfast will be available between 11 pm and 11 am.
Whataburger recently celebrated its inaugural holiday, National Whataburger Day on August 8.
In other Austin, burger-related news: famed Austin hamburger joint, P. Terry’s, is slated to open a Houston location this coming year.