Burger Facts and History

Burger trivia galore!

Hamburgers are one of the most beloved foods in the world. Indeed there are those who are completely obsessed with them. Obsessed may seem like a strong word, but if you don’t believe it, just check out some of this list of burger trivia.

Veggie burger speed eating contest#1: Name game

The first known juicy hamburger patty was made in Hamburg, Germany…thus the name! Although it wasn’t sandwiched by two buns yet, it was originally called the Hamburg steak

#2: Want to know how many burgers are eaten every year?

Sources vary on the exact amount, but according to the world’s largest hamburger chain, McDonald’s, they claim that they serve about 100 billion burgers each year worldwide!!! That’s the equivalent of about 75 burgers per second!

#3: USA — the burger kings

In America alone, people chow about 13 billion burgers annually, making them the undisputed hamburger consumers in the world.

#4 – Burger nutritional data

4. Depending upon the restaurant, the hamburger’s nutritional facts vary:

  • McDonald’s Big Mac has about 540 calories, while their Quarter Pounder with cheese contains 740 calories.
  • The In-N-Out’s Protein Style burger has the least number of calories with 240, slightly lower than Burger King’s Veggie Burger with 410. That’s because the lettuce replaces the regular bun. But its Double Double has the calorie count of 670, slightly higher than a Big Mac’s.
  • So far, Burger King is “King of the Calories”, with its Double Whopper packing in 900 calories!! Wow! That burger could feed a family for a week!

Hamburger Rundstück#5: The uber-upscale burger

5. The most expensive burger can be found at a Las Vegas restaurant called Fleur (formerly Fleur de Lys), in Mandalay Bay. The patty itself is made of the world-renowned Kobe beef and topped with foie gras and truffles, then served with a drizzle of special sauce, french fries and more truffles on the side. The price? Only $5,000 (no, that’s not a typo)!!!! Well the meal does include 1990 Chateau Petrus wine. Yeah, wow! Does it also include a flat screen TV or a necklace from Tiffany’s as part of your “happy meal combo”? I think not!

#6: Biggest burger that you can order

According to Guinness, the largest commercially available hamburger to date was recorded in the USA (of course) in 2009. At a Southgate, Michigan joint called Mallie’s Sports Bar and Grill, they named their humongous item the “Absolutely Ridiculous Burger“. The burger weighs 84.3 kg (equivalent to 185.8 lbs) and is also included on the restaurant’s menu. I guess the person eating that burger won’t have room for fries and a shake.

#7: Biggest burger yet ever!

Still talking about the largest burger, the king of artery-clogger emerged in 2012 when Black Bear Casino Resort near Carlton, Minnesota, cooked up and unveiled a really MONSTER burger. It weighed an unbelievable 2,014 lbs (or 914 kgs), measured 10 feet in diameter. This colossal burger had all the usual trimmings such as onions, pickles and lettuce and cheese.

#8: Honoring the burger

Americans love hamburgers so much that many people even designate their own day to pay homage to their beloved fast food dish – the National Hamburger Day. Many people hold this “event” on December 21st, some on July 28th, but they celebrate it most on the 28th of May.

#9: The first-ever US fast-food burger joint

White Castle is the United States’ first hamburger fast food chain, established in 1921. At that time their burgers were sold for five cents each.

#10: Burger during a war

10. During the First World War, American soldiers called hamburgers “liberty sausage.” (and sauerkrauts as “liberty cabbage” because they refused to call them sauerkrauts since the word is German — the language of their enemies)

#11: You think vegans will miss their burgers?

Burgers fans are not limited to carnivores. In fact, the burger has a growing fan base among vegetarians and vegans. Today, many restaurants serve delicious vegan burgers that provide protein rich and low fat alternatives to their meaty counterparts.

#12: Who made the first cheeseburger?

The invention of the cheeseburger also leads to several claims, but the most well-known of all is the story of Lionel Sternberger. Sternberger is said to have created the first cheeseburger in 1926, when he was 16 years old.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our little tidbits regarding your favorite burger! Rest assured that we will come up with more interesting burger trivia in the future.