Indeed, it is just another chain restaurant. Not all that different from McDonald?s or Burger King or whatever.
But, if I?m grabbing a burger from a fast food joint and there is a McDonald?s, a Wendy?s, a Burger King, a Hardee?s/Carl?s Jr, and a Whataburger all side by side then I pick Whataburger.
There isn?t necessarily anything special or magical about the place but the fact that for the last 20+ years I couldn?t just run down the street and pick some up kind of makes it like a special treat.