Ah, cheeseburgers—one of the most American things to ever be “American.” This delightful mixture of delicious beef patties adorned with that beautiful creamy cheese is truly a wonderful invention. But, indeed, who did invent the cheeseburger, and where exactly was it invented? Let’s find out all this and more in this article.
Where Was the Cheeseburger Invented and By Whom?
The cheeseburger was invented just outside the city of Los Angeles, in Pasadena, California. According to locals, the first recorded time a customer was served a cheeseburger was in 1924 at the Rite Spot in Pasadena.
The locals also say that, according to legend, a young Lionel Sternberger was working the grill at his father’s stand when he burned one side of the burger. Instead of throwing it away, he covered the burnt side with some cheese and served it to a customer. Another version of the story has it that a hobo came to the stand and wanted to get a burger with everything on it, including cheese.
No matter what the real story is, the cheeseburger became a part of the menu. Its official title was the “Aristocratic Hamburger: The Original Hamburger with Cheese.” It’s also a fun coincidence that Lionel Sternberger created the first cheeseburger, considering they both have a variation of “burger” in their names!
Not everyone agrees that Pasadena had the first cheeseburger. Some think that they were the first to create the cheeseburger, like the 80/20 @ Kaelin’s in Louisville, Kentucky, who claim they created the first commercially sold cheeseburger in 1934—and that’s just one claim among many!
The city of Pasadena has a plaque at the original Rite Spot location in Pasadena. This was made to commemorate their part in cheeseburger history. Rite Spot itself closed down many years ago, but the city still holds an annual Cheeseburger Week in January!
Where Was the World’s Largest Cheeseburger Made and By Whom?
If you’re looking for the biggest cheeseburger, look no further than Mallie’s Sports Grill & Bar. They cooked a massive burger that weighed nearly 1800 pounds or 816 kilos.
The story of why they made such a massive burger is truly patriotic. The owner, Mallie, noticed that, according to the Guinness World Records, the largest cheeseburger at the time was found in Japan. As an American citizen that knows how American cheeseburgers are, it didn’t sit right with him that the biggest version of an American icon was found in Japan. So he and his team created a 236-pound or 107-kilo cheeseburger in 2006.
This didn’t satisfy them, though, as they continued making that burger bigger each year until, eventually, they had to use shipping containers to create a convection oven big enough to cook their burger. This last burger was 30 inches tall and 6 feet wide. To cook the whole thing, they had to wait for 16 hours! So far, they haven’t made another burger that big.
In case you’re curious—yes, you can actually buy this cheeseburger. You have to pay $10,000 dollars, and no one has quite managed to scrounge up the funds to do so yet—so you could be the first to take on that big dare!
Conclusion
Cheeseburgers are truly a wonderful invention. I’m sure this article has made you hungry. Why not check out the local food spots near your area? You can find cheeseburgers and more—and you’d be supporting your local businesses too!
Are you looking for gyros, burgers, and more delicious food within the Chesterton, Indiana area? George’s Gyro Spot is the place to be! We serve all our food quickly with exceptional service—and you’re sure to get your belly filled with all that goodness! Get in touch with us today to find out more about our menu.