What-A-Burger's Witch Doctor: The Pickle Drink Only On North Carolina Menus

While the What-A-Burger (not to be confused with the Texas franchise Whataburger) may be known for its assortment of burgers, fries, and shakes, the chain has one regional favorite — the witch doctor. If you've never heard of the drink, then you've probably never visited the North Carolina towns of Concord or Kannapolis. The Whataburger in Kannapolis serves the local drink, which is a mix of just about everything and pickle juice. 

That's right the witch doctor features a combo of all the sodas in the drink machine. It's not a novel idea, having been done countless times. Mixing all the sodas together has also been called suicide, swamp water, and graveyard over the years. But, what makes the witch doctor unique are the added pickle juice and pickle slices. The vinegar of the pickles combines with the sugary syrup of the sodas for something that assaults the taste buds, but over the years, the witch doctor has found its fans. For instance, one person on Reddit shared, "I've been told by a coworker to try a drink called the witch doctor when I'm there." Meanwhile, locals swear by it. In an interview with the Independent Tribune, one person said, "You can tell it's got all different drinks in it, and you can tell it's got a pickle in it."

While the witch doctor may be known as a What-A-Burger drink these days, its origins actually date beyond the establishment. According to locals, North Carolinian Don Frye created the concoction during one summer in the 1950s. Frye combined several sodas together with pickles. His wife Nell ended up coming up with the name for the concoction. (Some sources suggest the drink's name could have a connection to the 1958 song "Witch Doctor.") As Don's daughter-in-law Sandra Frye recounted to the Independent Tribune, "Mr. Frye was always trying new things."

It became a popular drink at Frye's Roller Rink and over the years its popularity boomed throughout the region. These days, of course, it's mostly known as a drink at What-A-Burger. If you want to try the drink yourself, then you don't have to go all the way to North Carolina. Just mix up several different sodas and combine them with some pickle juice. Slice a few pickles for relish, and you have the witch doctor. Of course, if the witch doctor isn't quite your speed, then you may want to consider pickle soda instead. The drink combines the vinegar tartness of pickles with the sweetness of soda, but like the witch doctor, it may be an acquired taste.