Harmon Dobson

Harmon Archibald Dobson (October 8, 1913 – April 11, 1967) was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967.

Early life Harmon Dobson was born in 1913 in Wayne, Oklahoma, to Hugh and Ethel Dobson. Dobson was raised in a small rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas.

Whataburger

Dobson moved to Texas, where he co-founded the first Whataburger with Paul Burton, who was looking to open a hamburger restaurant. Dobson and Burton's goal was to make a burger that took two hands to hold and that tasted good. In June 1950, Dobson was granted the Whataburger name trademark. In August, they opened their first location on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, across the street from Del Mar College.

Dobson and Burton's business venture was short lived, their partnership ending in 1951 because of a dispute over Dobson's price raise of the burger from 25 to 30 cents.

By 1960, Whataburger stores had expanded and were operating across Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. Dobson, an avid pilot who was inspired by his time in the sky, designed the orange and white striped A-frame store in Odessa, Texas in 1961. According to witnesses, Dobson was apparently taking off in a steep climb when both engines on the plane failed at around in the sky and then plummeted back into the ground. The crash killed Dobson and his business associate.

In his will, Dobson left the company to his wife, Grace Dobson, who at the time was encouraged to sell the company.