NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After years of online petitions, Whataburger is finally returning to Middle Tennessee.
The beloved Texas burger chain submitted plans to the Metro Planning Commission for a location in Hermitage. According to the plans, Whataburger would open at the former Applebee's at 5055 Old Hickory Boulevard.
Middle Tennessee may be getting five locations in total. As of Thursday morning, there are five general manager positions posted on Whataburger's job site for Tennessee: Murfreesboro, Gallatin, Lebanon, Madison and Hermitage.
A spokesperson for Whataburger confirms that their real estate team is reviewing several potential locations in the Greater Nashville region. They also confirmed they're starting to hire some staff members for Nashville area locations and are excited to enter a market where there's so much excitement for their chain.
Micah Johnson is a lifelong fan of Whataburger. He grew up in New Mexico where there were several locations, but now lives in Nashville where there aren't any -- for now.
"How do you explain the taste of an angel’s wings? You just can’t," said Johnson. "I would always just tell people, if you help me get it here, you’ll see what all the jazz is about and you’ll be thankful for it later."
Last year, Johnson decided to launch a Change.org petition called -- We Want Whataburger in Nashville. It got more than 6,000 signatures and may have gotten the attention of the right people. "I either really got the fire going on this bad boy or it just so happened to be the best timing ever," he said.
It's safe to say, he's excited about the news. "I plan on visiting every location multiple times, no matter where I live in the Tennessee area," said Johnson.
There's no word yet on when construction might begin on any of the locations.
