Whatabirthday: Whataburger celebrates 74 years with special shake

In 1950, the world looked a lot different. A McDonald's hamburger was 15¢, Dunkin' Donuts opened for the first time, the first Peanuts strip appeared in nine newspapers, and Sam Walton opened his five-and-dime store that eventually inspired Walmart. And that same year, a beloved fast-food chain began its journey in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Tomorrow, 74 years later, Whataburger is celebrating its birthday. And like any celebration, they will reward the burger-loving fans who have supported the company with a treat. The celebratory item is a 20oz Orange Birthday Shake that features the classic Vanilla Shake base -- orange appearance like the Whataburger brand -- and topped with whipped cream and orange sprinkles.

"With its signature orange color, whipped cream, and sprinkles, it looks like a party in a cup," Whataburger SVP and Chief Marketing Office Scott Hudler said in a press release. "The icing on the shake is that Whataburger Rewards program members can celebrate this milestone with us by getting their shake entirely for free, no purchase necessary."

As mentioned above, there is one catch to this offer. You must join the Whataburger members program to receive the shake for free, with the promotion lasting the whole day tomorrow. After that, you can still potentially find it for a few more days until the limited-time item leaves stores, but it will no longer be at no cost.

Looking back at 74 years of Whataburger's greatness, it is crazy to think it has been around that long. I remember when I first tried it in Dallas eight years ago, and now it has expanded further east to places like Nashville.

That said, if there was ever a time to download a rewards app, it's now. If Whataburger is in your area, will you celebrate with a shake? Happy 74th Birthday, Whataburger! Here's to many more years of satisfying our cravings.