From the Hamburg steak of the 19th century in Hamburg to global franchises such as McDonald’s, in just a few decades the burger has become a symbol of fast food and a universal dish. Now available in everything from fast food to fine dining, tens of billions of burgers are consumed worldwide every year.
Among pizzas, sushi, and fried chicken, one dish clearly stands out: the burger. This hot sandwich, consisting of a round bun cut in half and filled with protein, cheese, sauce, and raw vegetables, was the most ordered item on Uber Eats in 2025. A flagship fast-food product, it can be found everywhere: from small neighborhood shops to restaurant giants, not to mention gourmet restaurants. In just a few decades, the burger has conquered the world.
In the early 19th century, the inhabitants of Hamburg, Germany, ate Hamburg steak, a steak made from ground beef, sometimes smoked or salted. Popular with sailors for its shelf life, it crossed the Atlantic with German immigrants in the 1840s, arriving in New York, where it found its way onto menus… but often without bread, as a simple dish on a plate.
The fast-food boom
Several restaurateurs claim to have invented the modern burger: two slices of bread enclosing a grilled hamburger patty, easy to eat by hand. Among them were the Menches brothers, Charlie Nagreen, Louis Lassen, and Fletcher Davis.
In 1921, White Castle opened the first chain specializing in hamburgers, democratizing the dish with uniform portions, a fixed recipe, and affordable prices for the working class.
Two decades later, Richard and Maurice McDonald revolutionized the concept. Their restaurant proudly displayed “hamburgers” on the front window, with a limited menu, flame-grilled steaks, and simple packaging. Customers placed their orders at the counter and took their food away with them. Ray Kroc transformed McDonald’s into a global franchise in 1955, helping to make the burger a symbol of the American way of life.
The burger also appealed to more upscale circles. Hamburger Hamlet, founded in 1950 in Los Angeles, attracted celebrities such as Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Elizabeth Taylor to its comfortable setting. According to urban legend, in the 1950s and 1960s, some Hollywood stars could even order a “special” burger in fancy restaurants, proof that the sandwich already had a special aura.
Click here to read the full article on Luxus Magazine.
Featured photo : Unsplash
