ham·burg·er (ham'bûrg?r), also ham·burg (-bûrg)
noun

1. Ground meat, usually beef. A patty of such meat.
2. A sandwich made with a patty of ground meat usually in a roll or bun.

- In 1921, Walter A. Anderson (a short-order cook) and E.W. Ingram (an insurance executive) founded White Castle in Wichita, Kansas. It is the oldest hamburger chain. They served steam-fried hamburgers, 18 per pound of fresh ground beef, cooked on a bed of chopped onions, for a nickel.

- The Big Mac was introduced in 1968. The price was 49 cents. In

- 1999 there were more than 25,000 McDonald's in 115 countries.

- Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers comprise 71% of the beef servings in commercial restaurants. (2001)

- Burgers account for 40% of all sandwiches sold. (2001)

- 8.2 Billion burgers were served in commercial restaurants in 2001.

- 65% of all hamburgers and cheeseburgers are consumed away from home. (2001)

- The record for the largest hamburger is in Seymour, Wisconsin in 1989 and that the weight was over 5000 lbs. To this day it is uncontested.

- The Hamburger hall of fame is located in Seymour, Wisconsin.

- Denny's Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, Pennsylvania has offered a 6 pound hamburger, named Ye Olde 96er (6 pounds = 96 ounces) since 1998. It comes garnished with 2 whole tomatoes, 1/2 head of lettuce, 12 slices of American cheese, a cup of peppers, 2 whole onions, plus large quantities of mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard. No one has been able to finish one. (see picture at right -->)

- Liberty Cabbage was the alternative name created during World War I, used to refer to Sauerkraut, to avoid using words from the enemies language. A hamburger was referred to as a 'Liberty Sandwich,' and German Measles were 'Liberty Measles.'

- On average, Americans eat 3 hamburgers a week.

- June is the biggest month for beef sales in restaurants, with nearly 800 million pounds of beef consumed in this month alone in 2005.

- White Castle was America’s first fast-food hamburger chain.

- In 1921, a burger from America’s first fast-food restaurant cost 5 cents.