My friend Patti was incredulous when I told her that I had never eaten a Whataburger. For the uninitiated, that’s the signature burger of the chain of the same name. It launched in Texas in 1950.

As far as Patti is concerned, few, if any, burgers rival a Whataburger. She was born and raised in Texas, so I might have written off her enthusiasm as local pride. But we share a taste for really good hamburgers, so I was eager to give Whataburger a try when we visited San Antonio.

From one burger stand in Corpus Christi, Whataburger now has outposts in 14 states, but none in New England. Transplanted Texans like Patti, who now lives in Whataburger-free Kentucky, often make the orange and white burger joint their first stop when they reach the Lone Star state. That’s what operating partner Brandon Hardee told Patti and me when we arrived at the Whataburger closest to our hotel (412 East Commerce Street).

So many burgers, so little time

Whataburger has tinkered with its menu to keep up with the times. It’s even added breakfast sandwiches on delicious biscuits. But the operation has wisely hewed close to the vision of founder Harmon Dobson. He was determined to wow diners with a burger so big that it required two hands — not to mention a hearty appetite. The signature Whataburger features a 5-inch beef patty topped with tomato, lettuce, pickles, diced onion, and mustard. This being Texas, I expected excellent beef and I wasn’t disappointed. Each patty is cooked to order, Hardee said, with fresh — never frozen — beef.

Good as the Whataburger was, I preferred the Patty Melt. It’s a big square patty sandwiched between slices of Texas toast and topped with Monterey Jack cheese, grilled onions, and a delicious creamy pepper sauce. The toppings enhanced, rather than masked, the rich flavor of the beef. The Patty Melt is one of only three offerings to make it to the Whataburger All-Time Favorites list. Speaking of accolades, in 2001 the Texas Legislature designated Whataburger as a Texas Treasure.

I almost forgot to mention that Whataburgers are open 24/7 every day but Christmas. (See whataburger.com for locations.) Next time I’m in Texas, I’ll be back. I need to try the Chili Cheese Burger.