Every May 28, National Hamburger Day celebrates America’s most iconic food. Americans eat over 50 billion burgers a year, so it’s only fitting we set aside a whole day for these special sandwiches. Originating in Hamburg, Germany, the hamburger as we know it was developed in Seymour, Wisconsin, a town still famous for its hamburger heroics.
National Hamburger Day - Tuesday, May 28, 2024
History of National Hamburger Day
Ah yes, the hamburger. A baked bun, beef patty, mustard, ketchup, onion, pickles, with optional cheese. Convenient, cheap, and delicious, the world-famous burger has a storied and uncertain history. No one is quite sure about the origins of the hamburger, other than that it is eponymously named for the town of Hamburg in Germany.
People have been eating cooked meat on bread for centuries, but the association with Hamburg seems to stem from a 1758 recipe for a dish called the “Hamburg Sausage.” Others think the name originates from a cruise company known as the Hamburg America Line, which served its passengers similar sandwiches in the Mid-1800s. To this day, there is little agreement over who actually created the iconic food.
Numerous deli and diner owners across the United States claim that their joint is responsible for inventing the burger. However, there seems to be some consensus amongst historians that the food as we know it today truly gained popularity at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, an event that also gave us the ice-cream cone. However it happened, the hamburger has grown to be one of the world’s most widely consumed food items, found on menus from Texas to Thailand. They can be had for a dollar apiece or made from gourmet ingredients that cost hundreds. However you decide to chow down, this day is for you. Fire up the grill, gather round your friends, and cook up some delicious burgers.
National Hamburger Day timeline
- 2019
Doing the Impossible
In partnership with Impossible Meats company, Burger King begins serving the Impossible Burger, made entirely from plants, at locations worldwide.
- 1940
Old McDonald
Mcdonald’s restaurant opens in San Bernardino, California. The McDonald brothers would become fast food pioneers, responsible for launching the humble burger to the position it occupies today.
- 1921
King of the castle
White castle becomes one of the first major hamburger chains, marketing their square burgers as “sliders.”
- 1896
Grilled and pressed
A Chicago daily tribune article makes a reference to the growing popularity of the “hamburger sandwich” amongst rail commuters.
National Hamburger Day FAQs
What if I’m vegetarian?
There are plenty of excellent veggie burger or garden burger recipes — check a cookbook or the internet and find your favorite!
Isn’t this unhealthy?
Hamburgers don’t have to be the fatty, rich indulgences we know them as. Using thinner patties, more veggies, and grilling instead of frying your burgers helps keep things on the lighter side.
Are restaurants participating?
Every year, major chains including White Castle and Dairy Queen, run special promotions for the holiday. Check around at your favorite joints to see if you can catch a deal!
5 Mouth-Watering Burger Facts
Popular sandwiches
Over half of all sandwiches sold worldwide are burgers.
A burger for a king
The world’s most expensive burger retails for over $5,000.
Let freedom ring
During the first World War, hamburgers were called “Liberty Sandwiches”
MVP
There is a hamburger hall of fame in the purported birthplace of the sandwich, Seymour, Wisconsin.
America’s favorite sandwich
Americans eat, on average, 3 hamburgers a week.
National Hamburger Day Activities
Fire up the grill
Of course! Set up the lawn chairs, ice up the coolers, and get to grilling. The best way to enjoy a homemade burger is surrounded by friends and family.
Eat a gourmet burger
Get fancy with it — many fine dining establishments serve high-end burgers on their menus. Sample a burger made with Wagyu beef, or coated in gold leaf.
Drive thru!
The fast-food hamburger is nearly synonymous with the food itself. Sometimes, you want it cheap and fast. Pull around to your local fast-food joint and score some inexpensive, but delicious, eats.
Why We Love National Hamburger Day
It’s delicious!
Do you need another reason? Hamburgers are popular for a reason; they taste great. Today is a great excuse to munch on some tasty burgers.
It brings us closer
Hamburgers are synonymous with summertime cookouts and beach picnics. Pulling out the grill and offering to cook up some burgers is an excellent way to spend time with friends and family.
It lets us get creative in the kitchen
The recipe for the hamburger is so well established — why not have some fun with it? Let today be your opportunity to come up with all kinds of crazy burgers, and have some fun cooking.
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