Ahamburger, or simply aburger, is adish consisting of fillings—usually apatty of ground meat, typicallybeef—placed inside a slicedbun orbread roll. The patties are often served with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, or chilis withcondiments such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise,relish or a "special sauce", often a variation ofThousand Island dressing, and are frequently placed onsesame seed buns. A hamburger patty topped with cheese is called acheeseburger.[1] Under some definitions, and in some cultures, a burger is considered asandwich.
Hamburgers are typically associated withfast-food restaurants anddiners but are also sold at other restaurants, including high-end establishments. There are many international and regionalvariations of hamburgers. Some of the largest multinational fast-food chains feature burgers as one of their core products:McDonald'sBig Mac andBurger King'sWhopper have become global icons ofAmerican culture.[2][3]
Etymology and terminology
The termhamburger originally derives fromHamburg, the second-largest city in Germany; however, there is no specific connection between the dish and the city.[4]
The termburger can also be applied to a meat patty on its own. Since the termhamburger usually implies beef, for clarityburger may be prefixed with the type of meat or meat substitute used, as inbeef burger,turkey burger,bison burger, orportobello burger. In most English-speaking countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, a piece of chicken breast in a bun is achicken burger. Americans would call this achicken sandwich because the meat is not ground, whereas in other countries, anything with a bun is considered aburger and asandwich has sliced bread.[6][7][8]
Hamburg steak has been known as "Frikadelle" in Germany since the 17th century.The "Hamburger Rundstück" was popular already in 1869 and is believed to be a precursor to the modern Hamburger.Cheeseburger (with onions and tomatoes) at Louis' Lunch, New Haven, Connecticut
Versions of the meal have been served for over a century, but its origins are still unclear.[9] The 1758 edition of the bookThe Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy byHannah Glasse included a recipe called "Hamburgh sausage", suggesting that it should be served "roasted with toasted bread under it." A similar snack was also popular in Hamburg under the name of "Rundstück warm" ("bread roll warm") in 1869 or earlier,[10] and was supposedly eaten by emigrants on their way to America. However, this may have contained roasted beefsteak rather thanFrikadelle. It has alternatively been suggested that Hamburg steak served between two pieces of bread and eaten by Jewish passengers travelling from Hamburg to New York onHamburg America Line vessels (which began operations in 1847) became so well known that the shipping company gave its name to the dish.[11] It is not known which of these stories actually marks the invention of the hamburger and explains the name.
There is a reference to a "Hamburg steak" as early as 1884 inThe Boston Journal.[OED, under "steak"] On July 5, 1896, theChicago Daily Tribune made a highly specific claim regarding a "hamburger sandwich" in an article about a "Sandwich Car": "A distinguished favorite, only five cents, is Hamburger steak sandwich, the meat for which is kept ready in small patties and 'cooked while you wait' on the gasoline range."[12]
Claims of invention
The hamburger's origin is unclear, though "hamburger steak sandwiches" have been advertised in U.S. newspapers from New York to Hawaii since at least the 1890s.[13] The invention of hamburgers is commonly attributed to various people, including Charlie Nagreen, Frank and Charles Menches, Oscar Weber Bilby, Fletcher Davis, or Louis Lassen.[14][15]White Castle traces the origin of the hamburger to Hamburg, Germany, with its invention by Otto Krause.[16] Some have pointed to a recipe for "Hamburgh sausages" on toasted bread, published inThe Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse in 1758.[13] Hamburgers gained national recognition in the U.S. at the1904 St. Louis World's Fair when theNew York Tribune referred to the hamburger as "the innovation of a food vendor on the pike."[15] No conclusive argument has ended the dispute over invention. An article fromABC News sums up: "One problem is that there is little written history. Another issue is that the burger spread happened largely at the World's Fair, from tiny vendors that came and went instantly. And it is entirely possible that more than one person came up with the idea at the same time in different parts of the country."[17]
Louis Lassen
Although debunked byThe Washington Post,[13] a popular myth recorded by Connecticut CongresswomanRosa DeLauro stated the first hamburger served in America was by Louis Lassen, a Danish immigrant, after he openedLouis' Lunch inNew Haven in 1895.[18] Louis' Lunch, a small lunch wagon inNew Haven, Connecticut, is said to have sold the first hamburger andsteak sandwich in the U.S. in 1900.[19][20][21]New York Magazine states that "The dish actually had no name until some rowdy sailors from Hamburg named the meat on a bun after themselves years later", also noting that this claim is subject to dispute.[22] A customer ordered a quick hot meal and Louis was out of steaks. Taking ground beef trimmings, Louis made a patty and grilled it, putting it between two slices of toast.[15] Some critics such as Josh Ozersky, a food editor forNew York Magazine, claim that this sandwich was not a hamburger because the bread was toasted.[23]
Charlie Nagreen
One of the earliest claims comes fromCharlie Nagreen, who in 1885 sold a meatball between two slices of bread at the Seymour Fair[24] now sometimes called the Outagamie County Fair.[23] The Seymour Community Historical Society ofSeymour, Wisconsin, credits Nagreen, now known as "Hamburger Charlie", with the invention. Nagreen was 15 when he reportedly sold pork sandwiches at the 1885 Seymour Fair so customers could eat while walking. The Historical Society explains that Nagreen named the hamburger after the Hamburg steak with which local German immigrants were familiar.[25][26]
Otto Krause
According toWhite Castle, Otto Krause was the inventor of the hamburger. In 1891, he created a beef patty cooked in butter and topped with a fried egg. German sailors later omitted the fried egg.[15]
Oscar Weber Bilby
The family of Oscar Weber Bilby claims the first-known hamburger on a bun was served on July 4, 1891, on Grandpa Oscar's farm. The bun was a yeast bun.[27][28][29] In 1995, GovernorFrank Keating proclaimed that the first true hamburger on a bun was created and consumed inTulsa, Oklahoma in 1891, calling Tulsa, "The Real Birthplace of the Hamburger".[30]
Frank and Charles Menches
A bacon cheeseburger, from a New York City diner
Frank and Charles Menches claim to have sold a ground beef sandwich at the Erie County Fair in 1885 inHamburg, New York.[23] During the fair, they ran out of pork sausage for their sandwiches and substituted beef.[24] The brothers exhausted their supply of sausage, so they purchased chopped-up beef from a butcher, Andrew Klein. Historian Joseph Streamer wrote that the meat was from Stein's market, not Klein's, despite Stein's having sold the market in 1874.[24] The story notes that the name of the hamburger comes from Hamburg, New York, not Hamburg, Germany.[24] Frank Menches's obituary inThe New York Times states that these events took place at the 1892 Summit County Fair inAkron, Ohio.[31]
Fletcher Davis
Fletcher Davis ofAthens, Texas claimed to have invented the hamburger. According to oral histories, in the 1880s, he opened a lunch counter in Athens and served a 'burger' of fried ground beef patties with mustard and Bermuda onion between two slices of bread, with a pickle on the side.[15] The story is that in 1904, Davis and his wife Ciddy ran a sandwich stand at the St. Louis World's Fair.[15] Historian Frank X. Tolbert noted that Athens resident Clint Murchison said his grandfather dated the hamburger to the 1880s with Fletcher "Old Dave" Davis.[24] A photo of "Old Dave's Hamburger Stand" from 1904 was sent to Tolbert as evidence of the claim.[24]
Other hamburger-steak claims
Various non-specific claims of the invention relate to the term "hamburger steak" without mention of its being a sandwich. The first printed American menu listing hamburgers is an 1834 menu fromDelmonico's in New York.[32] However, the printer of the original menu was not in business in 1834.[29] In 1889, a menu from Walla Walla Union in Washington offered hamburger steak as a menu item.[15]
Between 1871 and 1884, "Hamburg Beefsteak" was on the "Breakfast and Supper Menu" of the Clipper Restaurant at 311/313 Pacific Street inSan Fernando, California. It cost 10 cents—the same price as mutton chops, pig's feet in batter, and stewed veal. It was not, however, on the dinner menu. Only "Pig's Head", "Calf Tongue", and "Stewed Kidneys" were listed.[33] Another claim ties the hamburger to Summit County, New York, or Ohio. Summit County, Ohio, exists, but Summit County, New York, does not.[24]
1921:White Castle,Wichita, Kansas. Due to books by Upton Sinclair and Arthur Kallet discrediting the cleanliness and nutritional value of ground beef, hamburger meat was unpopular with families until the White Castle restaurant chain took it upon themselves to market the cleanliness and quality of their food through scientific studies and preparing the food in full view of customers with spotlessly clean buildings. They also reported in local newspapers how they carefully selected their meat, and opened the "Food Experiment Department" as a test kitchen and quality-control laboratory.[34] They marketed and sold large numbers of small 65 mm (2+1⁄2 in) square hamburger sandwiches, known as sliders and created five holes in each patty, which helped them cook evenly and eliminated the need to flip the burger. In 1995, White Castle began selling frozen hamburgers in convenience stores and vending machines.[35]
1923:Kewpee Hamburgers, or Kewpee Hotels,Flint, Michigan. Kewpee was the second hamburger chain and peaked at 400 locations beforeWorld War II. Many of these were licensed but not strictly franchised. Many closed during WWII. Between 1955 and 1967, another wave of restaurants closed or changed names. In 1967, the Kewpee licensor moved the company to a franchise system. Currently, only five locations exist.
1936:Big Boy. In 1937, Bob Wian created the double-deck hamburger at his stand in Glendale, California. Big Boy would become the name of the hamburger, mascot, and restaurant. Big Boy expanded nationally through regional franchising and subfranchising. Primarily operating as drive-in restaurants in the 1950s, interior dining gradually replaced curb service by the early 1970s. Many franchises have closed or operated independently, but the Big Boy double-deck hamburger remains the signature item at the remaining American restaurants.
Hamburger preparation in a fast food establishmentA hamburger with fries bought as take-away, with the hamburger and the fries in separate containers
Hamburgers are often a feature offast foodrestaurants. In the United States, the hamburger patties served by major fast food chains are usually mass-produced in factories and frozen for delivery to the site.[38] These hamburgers are thin and of uniform thickness, differing from the traditional American hamburger prepared in homes and conventional restaurants, which is thicker and prepared by hand fromground beef. Most American hamburgers are round, but some fast-food chains, such asWendy's, sell square-cut hamburgers. Hamburgers in fast food restaurants are usually grilled on a flat top, but some firms, such asBurger King, use a gas flame grilling process. At conventional American restaurants, hamburgers may be ordered "rare" but normally are served medium-well or well-done for food safety reasons. Fast food restaurants do not usually offer this option.
Some restaurants offer elaborate hamburgers using expensive cuts of meat and various cheeses, toppings, and sauces. One example is theBobby's Burger Palace chain founded by well-known chef andFood Network starBobby Flay.
Hamburgers are often served as a fast dinner, picnic, or party food and are often cooked outdoors on barbecue grills.
According toBloomberg News, the average price of a fast-food restaurant burger in the United States increased by 16% between 2019 and 2024, reaching $8.41 in the second quarter of 2024. Specifically, the iconic Big Mac at McDonald's cost $5.29 during the same period, representing a 21% price increase over the same five-year span.[42]
Safety
Raw hamburgers may contain harmful bacteria that can produce food-borne illnesses such asEscherichia coli O157:H7, due to the occasional initial improper preparation of the meat, so caution is needed during handling and cooking. Because of the potential for food-borne illness, theUSDA, recommends hamburgers be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 °F (71 °C).[43] If cooked to this temperature, they are consideredwell-done.[44]
Burgers can also be made with patties made from ingredients other than beef.[45] For example, aturkey burger uses groundturkey meat, achicken burger uses groundchicken meat. Abuffalo burger uses ground meat from abison, and anostrich burger is made from ground seasonedostrich meat. A deer burger uses groundvenison fromdeer.[46]
Vegetarian and vegan burgers can be formed from ameat analogue, a meat substitute such astofu,TVP,seitan (wheat gluten),quorn, beans, grains or an assortment of vegetables, ground up and mashed into patties.
Vegetable patties have existed in variousEurasian cuisines for millennia and are a commonplace item inIndian cuisine.
In the 1900s, some companies began making soy-based burgers, including theBoca Burger andLightlife. Other producers entered business with new burgers in the 2000s, includingGardein,Impossible Foods,Beyond Meat, and Meati. These products are primarily made of peas, soy, mushrooms, yeast, beans, and/or nuts.
In the United States, asteak burger is a marketing term for a hamburger claimed to be of superior quality.[47][48][49] Elsewhere, it is a burger containing asteak.
Use of the term "steakburger" dates to the 1920s in the United States.[50] In the U.S. in 1934, A.H. "Gus" Belt, the founder ofSteak 'n Shake, devised a higher-quality hamburger and offered it as a "steakburger" to customers at the company's first location inNormal, Illinois.[51] This burger used a combination of ground meat from the strip portion ofT-bone steak andsirloin steak in its preparation.[51] Steakburgers are a primary menu item atSteak 'n Shake restaurants,[51] and the company's registeredtrademarks included "original steakburger" and "famous for steakburgers".[52] Steak 'n Shake's "Prime Steakburgers" are now made ofchoice grade brisket and chuck.[53]
Beef is typical, although other meats such as lamb and pork may also be used.[54] The meat is ground[55] or chopped.[56]
In other places - including Australia and New Zealand - a steak burger contains a whole steak, not ground meat.[57]
Steakburgers may be served with standard hamburger toppings such as lettuce, onion, and tomato.[58] Some may have various additional toppings such as cheese,[58] bacon, fried egg, mushrooms,[59] additional meats,[60] and others.
Burger King introduced theSirloin Steak sandwich in 1979 as part of a menu expansion that, in turn, was part of a corporate restructuring effort for the company.[50] It was a single oblongpatty made of chopped steak served on a sub-style sesame seed roll.[66][67] Additional steak burgers that Burger King has offered are the Angus Bacon Cheddar Ranch Steak Burger, the Angus Bacon & Cheese Steak Burger, and a limited edition Stuffed Steakhouse Burger.[50]
In 2004,Steak 'n Shake suedBurger King over the latter's use of the termSteak Burger in conjunction with one of its menu items, claiming that such use infringed on trademark rights.[68][69](According to theSt. Louis Post-Dispatch, Burger King's attorneys "grilled" Steak 'n Shake's CEO in court about the precise content of Steak 'n Shake's steakburger offering.)[68] The case was settled out of court.[70]
A hamburger served in New York witharugula on aciabatta rollMiniature hamburgers ("sliders")
The hamburger is considered a national dish of the United States.[71] In theUnited States andCanada, burgers may be classified as two main types: fast food hamburgers and individually prepared burgers made in homes andrestaurants. The latter are often prepared with a variety of toppings, includinglettuce,tomato,onion, and often slicedpickles (or pickle relish).French fries (or commonlyPoutine in Canada) often accompany the burger.Cheese (usuallyprocessed cheese slices but oftenCheddar,Swiss,pepper jack, orblue), either melted directly on the meat patty or crumbled on top, is generally an option.
Standard hamburger toppings may depend on location, particularly at restaurants that are not national or regional franchises.
Restaurants may offer hamburgers with multiple meat patties. The most common variants are double and triple hamburgers, but California-based burger chainIn-N-Out once sold a sandwich with one hundred patties, called a "100x100".[72]
Apatty melt consists of a patty,sautéed onions and cheese between two slices ofrye bread. The sandwich is then buttered and fried.
Aslider is a tiny square hamburger patty served on an equally small bun and usually sprinkled with diced onions. According to the earliest citations, the name originated aboardU.S. Navy ships due to how greasy burgers slid across the galley grill as the ship pitched and rolled.[74][75] Other versions claim the term "slider" originated from the hamburgers served by flight line galleys at military airfields, which were so greasy they slid right through one, or because their small size allowed them to "slide" right down the throat in one or two bites.
InAlberta,Canada, a "kubie burger" is a hamburger made with a pressed Ukrainian sausage (kubasa).[76]
A butter burger, found commonly throughoutWisconsin and the upper midwest, is a normal burger with a pad of butter as a topping or a heavily buttered bun. It is the signature menu item of the restaurant chainCulver's.[77]
TheFat Boy is an iconic hamburger with chili meat sauce originating in the Greek burger restaurants ofWinnipeg,Manitoba[78]
InMinnesota, a "Juicy Lucy" (also spelled "Jucy Lucy"), is a hamburger having cheese inside the meat patty rather than on top. A piece of cheese is surrounded by raw meat and cooked until it melts, resulting in a molten core within the patty. This scalding hot cheese tends to gush out at the first bite, so servers frequently instruct customers to let the sandwich cool for a few minutes before consumption.
Alow-carb burger is a hamburger served without a bun and replaced with large slices of lettuce, with mayonnaise or mustard being the sauces primarily used.[79][80][81]
A ramen burger, invented by Keizo Shimamoto, is a hamburger patty sandwiched between two discs of compressed ramen noodles in lieu of a traditional bun.[82]
Luther Burger is a bacon cheeseburger with two glazed doughnuts instead of buns.[77]
Steamed cheeseburger is a cheeseburger in which the burger is steamed instead of grilled. It was invented in Connecticut.[77]
France
In 2012, according to a study by the NDP cabinet, the French consume 14 hamburgers in restaurants per year per person, placing them fourth in the world and second in Europe, just behind the British.[83]
According to a study by Gira Conseil on the consumption of hamburgers in France in 2013, 75% of traditional French restaurants offer at least one hamburger on their menu, and for a third of these restaurants, it has become the leader in the range of dishes, ahead of rib steaks, grills or fish.[84]
Mexico
In Mexico, burgers (calledhamburguesas) are served withham[85] and slices ofAmerican cheese fried on top of the meat patty. The toppings includeavocado,jalapeño slices, shreddedlettuce,onion, andtomato. The bun hasmayonnaise,ketchup, andmustard.Bacon may also be added, which can be fried or grilled along with the meat patty. A slice ofpineapple may be added to a hamburger for a "Hawaiian hamburger".
Hamburgers in the UK and Ireland are very similar to those in the US, and the same big two chains dominate theHigh Street as in the U.S. — McDonald's and Burger King. The menus offered to both countries are virtually identical, although portion sizes tend to be smaller in the UK. In Ireland, the food outletSupermacs is widespread throughout the country, serving burgers as part of its menu. In Ireland,Abrakebabra (started out selling kebabs) andEddie Rocket's are also major chains.
An original and indigenous rival to the big two U.S. giants was the quintessentially British fast-food chainWimpy, originally known as Wimpy Bar (opened 1954 at the Lyon's Corner House in Coventry Street London), which served its hamburgers on a plate with British-stylechips, accompanied bycutlery and delivered to the customer's table. In the late 1970s, to compete with McDonald's,[86] Wimpy began to open American-style counter-service restaurants, and the brand disappeared from many UK high streets when those restaurants were re-branded as Burger Kings between 1989 and 1990 by the then-owner of both brands,Grand Metropolitan. Amanagement buyout in 1990 split the brands again, and now Wimpy table-service restaurants can still be found in many town centres, whilst new counter-service Wimpys are now often found at motorway service stations.
Hamburgers are also available from mobilekiosks, commonly known as "burger vans", particularly at outdoor events such asfootball matches. Burgers from this type of outlet are usually served without any form of salad — only fried onions and a choice of tomato ketchup, mustard, or brown sauce.
Chip shops, particularly in the West Midlands and North-East of England, Scotland, and Ireland, serve battered hamburgers called batter burgers. This is where the burger patty is deep-fat-fried in batter and is usually served with chips.
Hamburgers andveggie burgers served with chips, and salad is standardpub grub menu items. Many pubs specialize in "gourmet" burgers. These are usually high-quality minced steak patties topped with things such as blue cheese, brie, avocado, anchovy mayonnaise, et cetera. Some Britishpubs serve burger patties made from more exotic meats, includingvenison burgers (sometimes nicknamed Bambi Burgers),bison burgers,ostrich burgers, and in some Australian-themed pubs evenkangaroo burgers can be purchased. These burgers are served similarly to the traditional hamburger but are sometimes served with a different sauce, including redcurrant sauce, mint sauce, and plum sauce.
In the early 21st century, "premium" hamburger chains and independent restaurants have arisen, selling burgers produced from meat stated to be of high quality and oftenorganic, usually served to eat on the premises rather than to take away.[87] Chains includeGourmet Burger Kitchen, Ultimate Burger, Hamburger Union and Byron Hamburgers in London. Independent restaurants such as Meatmarket and Dirty Burger developed a style of rich, juicy burger in 2012 which is known as adirty burger orthird-wave burger.[88]
In recent yearsRustlers has sold pre-cooked hamburgers reheatable in amicrowave oven in the United Kingdom.[89]
In the UK, as in North America andJapan, the term "burger" can refer simply to the patty, be it beef, some other kind of meat, or vegetarian.
Australia and New Zealand
This hamburger in a fast food restaurant inAuckland, New Zealand, containsbeetroot for flavor.
Fast food franchises sell American-style fast-food hamburgers in Australia and New Zealand. The traditionalAustralasian hamburgers are usually bought fromfish and chip shops or milk bars rather than from chain restaurants. These traditional hamburgers are becoming less common as older-style fast food outlets decrease in number. The hamburger meat is almost always ground beef, or "mince", as it is more commonly referred to in Australia and New Zealand. They commonly include tomato, lettuce, grilled onion, and meat as minimum—in this form, known in Australia as a "plain hamburger", which often also includes a slice of beetroot—and, optionally, can include cheese,beetroot, pineapple, a fried egg, and bacon. If all these optional ingredients are included, it is known in Australia as a "burger with the lot".[90][91]
In Australia and New Zealand, as in the United Kingdom, the wordsandwich is generally reserved for twoslices of bread (from a loaf) with fillings in between them – unlike in American English where asandwich is fillings between two pieces of any kind of bread, not only slices of bread – as suchburgers are not generally considered to besandwiches.[6] The termburger is applied to any cut bun with a hot filling, even when the filling does not contain beef, such as a chicken burger (generally with chicken breast rather than chicken mince), salmon burger, pulled pork burger, veggie burger, etc.
The only variance between the two countries' hamburgers is that New Zealand's equivalent to "The Lot" often contains a steak (beef). The condiments regularly used are barbecue sauce andtomato sauce. The traditional Australasian hamburger never includes mayonnaise. TheMcDonald's "McOz" Burger is partway between American and Australian style burgers, having beetroot and tomato in an otherwise typical American burger; however, it is no longer a part of the menu. Likewise, McDonald's in New Zealand created aKiwiburger, similar to a Quarter Pounder, but features salad, beetroot, and a fried egg. TheHungry Jack's (Burger King) "Aussie Burger" has tomato, lettuce, onion, cheese, bacon, beetroot, egg, ketchup, and a meat patty, while adding pineapple is an upcharge. It is essentially a "Burger with the lot" but uses the standard HJ circular breakfast Egg rather than the fully fried egg used by local fish shops.[92]
In China, due to the branding of their sandwiches byMcDonald's andKFC restaurants in China, the word "burger" (汉堡) refers to all sandwiches that consist of two pieces of bun and a meat patty in between. This has led to confusion when Chinese nationals try to order sandwiches with meat fillings other than beef in fast-food restaurants in North America.[93]
A popular Chinesestreet food, known asroujiamo (肉夹馍), consists of meat (most commonly pork) sandwiched between two buns.Roujiamo has been called the "Chinese hamburger".[94] Since the sandwich dates back to theQin dynasty (221–206 BC) and fits the aforementioned Chinese word for burger, Chinese media have claimed that the hamburger was invented in China.[95][96][93]
In Japan, hamburgers can be served in a bun, calledhanbāgā (ハンバーガー), or just the patties served without a bun, known ashanbāgu (ハンバーグ) or "hamburg", short for "hamburg steak".
Hamburg steaks (served without buns) are similar to what are known asSalisbury steaks in the US. They are made from minced beef, pork, or a blend of the two mixed with minced onions, eggs, breadcrumbs, and spices. They are served withbrown sauce (ordemi-glace in restaurants) with vegetable or salad sides, or occasionally inJapanese curries. Hamburgers may be served in casual, western-style suburban restaurant chains known in Japan as "family restaurants".
On the other hand, Hamburgers in buns are predominantly the domain of fast food chains. Japan has homegrown hamburger chain restaurants such asMOS Burger,First Kitchen, andFreshness Burger. Local varieties of burgers served in Japan includeteriyaki burgers,katsu burgers (containingtonkatsu) and burgers containing shrimpkorokke. Some of the more unusual examples include therice burger, where the bun is made of rice, and the luxury 1,000-yen (US$10) "Takumi Burger" (meaning "artisan taste"), featuringavocados, freshly gratedwasabi, and other rare seasonal ingredients. In terms of the actual patty, there are burgers made withKobe beef, butchered from cows that are fed with beer and massaged daily. McDonald's Japan also recently[when?] launched a McPork burger made with USpork. McDonald's has been gradually losing market share in Japan to these local hamburger chains due partly to the preference of Japanese diners for fresh ingredients and more refined, "upscale" hamburger offerings.[97]Burger King once retreated from Japan, but re-entered the market in summer 2007 in cooperation with the Korean-owned Japanese fast-food chain Lotteria.[citation needed]
Denmark
The modern Danish bøfsandwich
In Denmark, the hamburger was introduced in 1949, though it was called thebøfsandwich. There are many variations. While the original bøfsandwich was simply a generic meat patty containing a mix of beef and horse meat, with slightly different garnish (mustard, ketchup, and soft onions), it has continued to evolve. Today, a bøfsandwich usually contains a beef patty, pickled cucumber, raw, pickled, fried or soft onions, pickled red beets, mustard, ketchup,remoulade, and perhaps most strikingly, is often overflowing with brown gravy, which is sometimes even poured on top of the assembled bøfsandwich. The original bøfsandwich is still on the menu at the same restaurant from which it originated in 1949, now run by the original owner's grandson.[98]
Following the popularity of the bøfsandwich, many variations sprung up, using different types of meat instead of the beef patty. One variation, theflæskestegssandwich, grew especially popular. This variation replaces the minced beef patty with slices of pork loin or belly and typically uses sweet-and-sour pickled red cabbage, mayonnaise, mustard, and pork rinds as garnish.[99]
Today, the bøfsandwich, flæskestegssandwich, and their many variations co-exist with the more typical hamburger, with the opening of the first Burger King restaurant in 1977 popularizing the original dish in Denmark. Many local, high-end burger restaurants dot the major cities, includingPopl, an offshoot ofNoma.
East Asia
Korean-style bulgogi burger
Rice burgers mentioned above are also available in several East Asian countries such as Taiwan and South Korea.Lotteria is a big hamburger franchise in Japan owned by the South KoreanLotte group, with outlets also in China, South Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan. In addition to selling beef hamburgers, they have hamburgers made from squid, pork, tofu, and shrimp. Variations available in South Korea includeBulgogi burgers andKimchi burgers.
Chicken burger with rice bun (sold in Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, Macao, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore). Note that the "bun" is composed of cooked rice.
In the Philippines, a wide range of major U.S. fast-food franchises are well represented, together with local imitators, often amended to the local palate. The chainMcDonald's (locally nicknamed "McDo") has a range of burger and chicken dishes often accompanied by plainsteamed rice or French fries. The Philippines boasts its own burger chain calledJollibee, which offers burger meals and chicken, including a signature burger called "Champ". Jollibee now has several outlets in the United States, the Middle East, and East Asia.
India
Vada pav or "Indian Burger" is made of potatoes and spices.
In India, burgers are usually made from chicken or vegetable patties due to cultural beliefs against eating beef (which stem fromHindu religious practice) and pork (which stems fromIslamic religious practice). Because of this, most fast food chains and restaurants in India do not serve beef. McDonald's in India, for instance, does not serve beef, offering the "Maharaja Mac" instead of the Big Mac, substituting the beef patties with chicken. Another version of the Indian vegetarian burger is thewada pav, consisting of a deep-fried potato patty dipped in gram flour batter. It is usually served with mint chutney and fried green chili. Another alternative is the "Buff Burger", made with buffalo meat.[100]
Pakistan
In Pakistan, apart from American fast food chains, burgers can be found in stalls near shopping areas, the best known being the "shami burger". This is made from "shami kebab", made by mixing lentils and minced lamb.[101] Onions, scrambled eggs, and ketchup are the most popular toppings.
Malaysia
In Malaysia, there are 300 McDonald's restaurants. The menu in Malaysia also includes eggs and fried chicken on top of regular burgers. Burgers are also easily found at nearby mobile kiosks, especiallyRamly Burger.
Mongolia
In Mongolia, a recent fast food craze due to the sudden influx of foreign influence has led to the prominence of the hamburger. Specialized fast food restaurants serving to Mongolian tastes have sprung up and seen great success.
In Turkey, in addition to the internationally familiar offerings, numerous localized variants of the hamburger may be found, such as the Islak Burger (lit. "Wet-Burger"), which is a beef slider doused in seasoned tomato sauce and steamed inside a special glass chamber, and has its origins in the Turkish fast food retailer Kizilkayalar. Other variations include lamb burgers andoffal-burgers, which are offered by local fast food businesses and global chains alike, such as McDonald's andBurger King. Most burger shops have also adopted a pizzeria-like approach to home delivery, and almost all major fast food chains deliver.
Yugoslavia and Serbia
In the former Yugoslavia, and originally in Serbia, there is a local version of the hamburger known as thepljeskavica. It is often served as a patty but may also have a bun.
Belgium and Netherlands
Throughout Belgium and in some eateries in the Netherlands, a Bicky Burger is sold that combines pork, chicken, and horse meat.[102][103] The hamburger, usually fried, is served between a bun, sprinkled with sesame seeds. It often comes with a specificBickysaus (Bicky dressing) made with mayonnaise, mustard, cabbage, and onion.[102]
Unusual hamburgers
In May 2012, Serendipity 3 was recognized as theGuinness World Records holder for serving the world's most expensive hamburger, the $295 Le Burger Extravagant.[104]
At $499, the world's largest hamburger commercially available weighs 185.8 pounds (84.3 kg) and is sold atMallie's Sports Grill & Bar inSouthgate, Michigan. Called the "Absolutely Ridiculous Burger", it takes about 12 hours to prepare. It was cooked and adjudicated on May 30, 2009.[105]
A $777Kobe beef andMaine lobster burger, topped with caramelized onion, Brie cheese, and prosciutto, was reported available at Le Burger Brasserie, inside theParis Las Vegas casino.[106]
On August 5, 2013, the first hamburger from a meat lab grown from cow stem cells was served. The hamburger was the result of research in the Netherlands led by Mark Post atMaastricht University and sponsored by Google's co-founderSergey Brin.[107]
Slang
"$100 hamburger" ("hundred-dollar hamburger") is aviation slang for ageneral aviation pilot needing an excuse to fly. A $100 hamburger trip typically involves flying a short distance (less than two hours), eating at an airport restaurant, and flying home.[108]
^ab"Recipes for tasty, crunchy & saucy American style sandwiches".Unilever Food Solutions. Archived fromthe original on February 9, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 9, 2022.Expect a blank look if you're in the States and ask for a chicken burger 'cause they ain't got a clue what the hell you're talking about... It's just what we call burgers, which Americans call sandwiches...
^Murphy, Lynne (March 29, 2018).The Prodigal Tongue: The Love–Hate Relationship Between British and American English. Oneworld Publications. p. 211.ISBN978-1-78607-270-2....the British are so particular about sandwiches that they use the wordless than Americans do. In Britain, asandwich is some filing between twoslices of bread. Not a roll. Not a bagel. Not a baguette. Without sliced bread, it's not a sandwich. The Americansandwich prototype is much like the British: savoury filings within two slices of bread. However, American sandwiches are allowed to wander further from the prototype because they interpret the 'bread' requirement more loosely. An American sandwich can be on a roll, on a bagel, on a bun, on a croissant, and at breakfast time, on an English muffin...
^"Obituary: Charles Menches." The New York Times. October 5, 1951.
^Grivetti, Louis E.; Corlett, Jan L.; Gordon, Bertram M.; Lockett, Cassius T. (January–February 2004). "Food in American History, Part 6-Beef (Part 1): Reconstruction and Growth Into the 20th Century (1865–1910)".Nutrition Today.39 (1):18–25.doi:10.1097/00017285-200401000-00006.ISSN0029-666X.PMID15076706.
^Ronald R. Butters, "Trademark linguistics: Trademarks: Language that one owns," in Malcolm Coulthard, Alison Johnson,The Routledge Handbook of Forensic Linguistics, p. 360
^George Motz,Hamburger America, 2011ISBN0762440708, p. 17, 41
^Thomas Riggs,Encyclopedia of major marketing campaigns,2:456
^The Canadian Oxford Dictionary has headwords for the Canadianisms "kubasa," "kubie" (as ahot dog), and "kubie burger," the latter two being specific toAlberta.
.jpg)
.jpg)
