UnlockinG Menu Innovation: Whataburger’s Transition to Digital Menus
As Whataburger began transitioning from static, print-based menus to digital menu boards, I supported the brand’s first digital pilot as part of that shift. With one of the most expansive and customizable menus in QSR, the move to digital was essential not only for modernizing the drive-thru, but for unlocking new capabilities around promotion and in-market testing that print menus could not support.Whataburger pilot
SKILLS & SUbject Matter
Digital Menu Boards • Content Operations • LTO Enablement
Pilot Program Management • Campaign Management
overview
Supporting Whataburger’s transition from print to digital menus, I worked on the brand’s first digital menu board pilot across 10 locations in Texas. Rather than simply replacing static menus, the pilot was designed to unlock new capabilities around experimentation, allowing teams to test regional variations, pricing strategies, and limited-time offers in a live drive-thru environment.
The work centered on translating Whataburger’s large, highly customizable menu into flexible digital logic that could support rapid iteration without introducing operational risk. This required careful coordination across marketing, operations, and technology teams to ensure accuracy, reliability, and the ability to learn quickly from in-market performance.
My work included:
Translating Whataburger’s complex menu structure into scalable digital configurations that supported customization, pricing, and modifiers across pilot locations
Enabling regional and LTO testing by configuring dynamic content, scheduling logic, and campaign timelines to support rapid experimentation
Managing dayparting and sequencing logic to control how menus appeared throughout the day and during test windows
Supporting QA and validation efforts to ensure menu accuracy, system stability, and reliable performance during live testing
Partnering closely with marketing and operations teams to troubleshoot issues, refine configurations, and iterate quickly as learnings emerged from the pilot
The digital pilot shifted Whataburger from static menu execution to a more adaptive, test-and-learn model in the drive-thru. By enabling rapid iteration on regional offerings, pricing, and limited-time promotions, the work gave teams a practical way to validate menu strategies in market before broader rollout. The foundation established through this pilot positioned Whataburger to make more informed menu decisions, accelerate innovation, and scale digital menus with confidence.