Why Fans Leave Whataburger Food At Selena Quintanilla's Monument
Selena Quintanilla-Perez, the Queen of Tejano music, was a music star on the rise whose life was snuffed out. The singer sometimes called the "Mexican Madonna” sold millions of albums around the world and to this day is considered to be one of the greatest-of-all-time Latin artists (per Billboard).
Like Madonna, Selena was known simply by her first name (per Texas Monthly). She was murdered in 1995, a few weeks before turning 24, and her legions of fans remember every detail of the story. She was shot inside a Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas, by Yolanda Saldivar, a fan who had formed the Selena Fan Club in her honor (per KDBC). Her father, Abraham Quintanilla, had uncovered information that showed Saldivar was siphoning money from the Tejano star and her businesses.
Not surprisingly, there is a memorial in Corpus Christi where fans can converge, reflect, and show endless love to Selena. The memorial, named "Mirador de la Flor," features a life-size bronze tribute statue of the singer, where visitors pay their respects and leave flowers and food, including one of her favorites, Whataburger.
Selena: 'Whataburgers for everybody!'
Selena had an appetite for life, music, and food. She loved The Olive Garden and Pizza Hut, had a thing for tacos from Jack in the Box when she was on the road (per Selena Forever) and went in big for Whataburger, the super-popular regional fast food chain based in Texas (per Texas Monthly).
It's unclear whether she craved bacon burgers, double-meat burgers, the classic Whataburger, or other popular menu items, but Selena's dedication to Whataburger was well known. She worked closely with her family, and her father did double duty as her manager. There was even a time he paid the singer and her musicians in Whatameals rather than money.
According to Texas Monthly, Selena's reaction upon receiving the female vocalist of the year award at the Tejano Music Awards in 1989 says it all. She was all of 17 years old and her reaction was also a win for Whataburger: "I'm celebrating tonight. Whataburgers for everybody!”