I have no idea if it’s similar but since you specifically mentioned it, there is a Hardees.

We have Rallys

No regional burger chain in Pittsburgh. Five guys maybe the closest?

Hardee's in Millvale

No Whataburger is a south thing, like Texas and Florida.

The bad news: We don't really have a lot of presence in food chains, especially in the city. The suburbs have more.

The good news: That's because we have outstanding Ma & Pa places all over that beat the pants off of chains, and the chains just can't compete. I worked on the south side for a while and loved Over the Bar.

Are there more of them than the one in that millvale/shaler corridor?

Nope. Millvale is the only Hardee’s in the area

…there’s a Hardee’s in Millvale!?! How did I not know this!?

I think OP wasn't looking for Hardees specifically, they were just saying that Hardees and Carl's Jr are basically the same place with different names. So they want a Whataburger under another name, if there were such a thing.

My god I would love a Krystal’s or White Castle in Pittsburgh.

Rally’s is pretty close.

I miss Whataburger. Jack in the box. Del taco.

I saw In n Out is slowly moving east.

I think Burgatory has really decent burgers. My folks love Tessaros but I haven’t been in years.

Been there a few times, but rarely out there during meal times. I prefers Ma's Honey, which I get breakfast stuff. Wish they would have eat in again, since they use to offer caribbean dishes before covid.

I would kill for a White Castle.

Lived in Texas.. Whataburger is just a McDonald’s/Burger King knockoff minus the patty melt.

Just go to McDonald’s??

I guess we’re getting some chicken finger place.

I’ve never been, but I hear what we need is a Culver’s

Rallys in Penn Hills?

Raising Cane’s is the chicken place you’re thinking of.

Moonlit burgers in Dormont has smash burgers, (never had in and out or what a burger)

OTB had some of the best fries I ever had! Burgers are tasty also

Culver’s has deep fried cheese curds that are pretty good

Yeah those fries are seasoned so well that ketchup is almost a disservice.

I like Burgatory burgers but their sides are not very good. The shakes are good, but those must be hard to mess up.

Culver's is excellent.

Whataburger's way better than McDonald's. Better than Hardees. Not better than Five Guys and a lot of the more modern "better burger" chains, though.

I hate that one. I've never eaten in there but I hope it burns to the ground. When it first opened, it drew so many people that the whole area was gridlocked. Hours at a time, every day, for weeks. I'll never get those hours back where I just wanted to get home from work but no, the drive through line spilled into the road for 300 yards in both directions. Jammed the entirety of Rodi road, from the Parkway to Frankstown.

I could obliterate a sackfull right now

Not really except for maybe five guys. But what you should absolutely get instead is Moonlit Burgers. You can thank me later

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I grew up with Krystal (southern transplant here). I prefer them to White Castle.

Ditto, but I’ll take what I can get. Love those Krystal chili cheese pups as a palate cleanser.

Go to Moonlit Burgers for a beautiful smash burger

That was a lot of words to say I have shitty tastebuds.

Hardees in Millvale

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Raising Cane’s is terrific!

It’s no Bojangles.

I always found their chicken too greasy. Buds Chicken in Florida is the best hands down

It’s really good for a fast food burger. I don’t know how they aren’t more successful as a company.

It’s super close to the Rita’s. Good double shot in the summer.

I’ll keep my eyes open next time I’m down there. If there’s two things we lack in Pittsburgh, it’s good fried chicken and BBQ.

Yeah, it’s the only thing I miss about the South

Couldn’t agree more, let’s start our BBQ and fried chicken Pittsburgh empire!

Definitely not like Whataburger at all…but still excellent.

You can do what I do, and…..travel to the panhandle to visit my parents and always get Whataburger and/or Culver’s.

I found this out like 5 years ago, Im from the south hills and it's really tucked back in Millvale. A nice surprise.

How would your parents feel about me showing up?

I'm a Texan living in Pittsburgh and the answer is........No, not even close. I've heard Moonlit is good but I haven't tried it yet.

Forget Moonlit. It’s only good because Pittsburgh proper has no similar alternatives.

You want a real smash burger? Then you’ll have to broaden your horizons and expand your search.

Go to Freddy’s Frozen Custard. The closest one is technically in Dover, Ohio, but it’s faster to drive to the Akron location. Great stuff. Stellar fries if you ask for seasoning. Pro tip: their hot dogs are from Vienna Beef.

And, if you do go to Ohio, you can, indeed, hit a Culver’s, but other than their cheese curds and krinkle kut fries, they are inferior to Freddy’s, though still a step above Moonlit.

If it were the Spring, the real answer is Greensburg’s own Tastyland, whose burgers not only fully eclipse Moonlit, but Freddy’s, Culver’s, and crossover to blow cheffy, pub, and other local offerings right off the grill. Pro tip: bacon double with onions, ketchup on the side, with a bag of carnival-like fries and a Dole Whip for dessert.

Can’t wait and don’t wanna drive? Go get a cast iron skillet, commercial flipper, Martin’s Potato Buns, Cooper American, and the best damn ground Chuck you’ve ever had from Bardine’s Country Smokehouse and learn how to make your own.

You can thank me later.

I love it, and their crinkle fries are perfection.

BRGR’s sides are generally better. Their poutine is good though not quite authentic.

Burgatory's poutine? That's probably their best side.

Texan also living in Pittsburgh and to put it plainly, no. Pittsburgh food ain’t it. Especially the Mexican food.

Sounds like a party

Whataburger is not that good. We need an In N Out here before mehburger

There is a place on 51 “Pittsburgh BBQ” (I think) that makes a mean smoked chicken if you miss Texas bbq. It probably won’t be as good as home but it’s the best we got.

I’ll check it out thanks

They have one right across from Duquesne campus. Right down from the basketball arena.

In n out taste like Steak 'n Shake

No, BRGR's.

Probably wouldn't exist if it wasn't the only Hardee's in town!

Bc you're a mustard person. Also the reason why I enjoy them way more than the ketchup smothered White Castle

In n Out coming to TN, apparently a warehouse too to possibly expand on the east coast. Would love one of those!

Honest to god, good place to get great burgers or dogs for a great price. Dog and burger in Bloomfield. Beats McDonald’s prices and surely beats the taste. My bust suggestion next to five guys.

The best smash burger I’ve had in the Pittsburgh area is absolutely one I’ve made at home. One of the easiest meals in my repertoire.

Canes is over priced. The tea and lemonade are excellent. The chickens just good.

No and we don't have anything close.

We have almost (or maybe actually) zero 24 food places. We have few drive throughs and none of them are compelling. There is great food in PGH but it's not cheap, not fast, and not available late.

I did not know that

moonlit is good but not really comparable to whataburger. It's more like a 5 guys

I'm embarrassed for my pgh brethren for they know not what a whataburger is.

All of the suggestions here are bad. There is nothing like a whataburger in PGH.

Yes, there are lesser fast food burgers and there are fast casual burger joints with decent burgers. But nothing even close to a Whataburger.

Never been to Moonlit, but Burgh'ers Brewing has some great smashburgers. Their rosemary fries are great too.

I would do anything for a Bojangles near pgh

Used to be a White Castle in Oakland.

No way in n out is way better and cheaper 👀👀

Who needs in and out when we have pittsburgh sandwich society.

Next time I am headed to Mr Smalls I am checking that place out

Wasn’t there in in the North Side too by the Dirty Bird?

Agreed, I’ve honestly looked into how much a franchise is, but don’t have the money or the will to run a fried chicken place. Haha

Nothing close to Whataburger here. A few Culver's in Ohio, which are pretty good but a little over an hour away.

Jerry's Curb Service in Beaver is pretty good though.

Gtfo you Whataburger heathen!

J/k both are at various times fantastic and mediocre.

Whataburger, to me, tastes just like Sonic. If you want to stick with fast food, I’d go there

Also just opened one in Oakland, or broke ground. Can't remember

My father was from Texas and loved whataburger. I tried it a few times in Mississippi and was not really impressed. In N Out in Texas was good but there is something about a San Diego or Los Angeles In N Out that holds a special place in my heart (probably the cholesterol clogging it)

bottom of the fast food chain

Not sure. I used to be in Oakland all the time.

That’s a high bar Tex

No. You won’t be happy with any of the alternatives. I suggest that you take this as an adventure and try out the local flavor. You may or may not like it and either way is fine but don’t try to replace things you already know or else you’ll just end up disappointed.

Burgatory is a local chain, pretty solid burgers and milkshakes

At this point in time just about everywhere is overpriced.

Give us the names of a few that have great (1)chicken tenders and fries,(2) fried chicken (3) burgers I know of Hotdog shoppe re. burgers but I don't know any that have good fried chicken or tenders and fries.

You would think that would be reversed re. Texas and CA In-N -Out and cholesterol.

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Mom?

Pittsburgh has great food. Just not whataburger or Mexican. Texan here. Way more food options than Austin.

A whataburger substitute needs a thin patty & mustard. Lots of good burgers here but no similar burger encountered so far.