Hamburger is a flattened ground beef patty between two halves of a bun or slices of bread. It ranks among the most popular sandwiches in the world. A hamburger often includes cheese, vegetables, and such condiments as ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. The sandwich may also include more than one beef patty.
The hamburger’s origins are unclear. Many cuisines have featured ground meat and bread for thousands of years. In the 1800’s, the “Hamburg steak” appeared in the United States. Hamburg is a city in Germany, the country from which the dish originated. The dish consisted of a seasoned meat patty without bread. By the early 1900’s, hamburger sandwiches had become popular at fairs and carnivals.
In 1921, White Castle opened in Wichita, Kansas. It became the first chain of restaurants to feature hamburgers. Numerous other chains, including McDonald’s and Burger King, soon opened across the United States. Such fast food restaurants established the hamburger as a popular American food. They also helped spread the popularity of the hamburger around the world.
