It's time to continue our conversation about the history of the sandwich and its place in the modern world. Today, as I promised last time, we will talk about the history of the hamburger as one of the varieties of closed sandwich, and in a broader sense, about the history of fast food in the USA. I’m not a big fan of this type of nutrition, but since it exists and is very popular among a certain part of the population in different parts of the world, this topic cannot be avoided. As they say, you can’t erase a word from a song. I tried, if possible, to cover this topic impartially and objectively. Whether I succeeded in this is up to you, my dear friends, to decide.
Ugolieok
HISTORY OF THE HAMBURGER
The hamburger emerged at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in response to the culinary needs of a rapidly changing society. Industrialization left people less and less time to prepare food, as well as to consume it.
The Americans claim that they were the first to combine two slices of bread and a ground beef steak into a “hamburger sandwich,” later adding onions, lettuce and chopped pickles to the original ingredients. It is in this form that it is known now. Gradually, the hamburger, like the fast food style of cuisine itself, became easily associated with the United States. Along with fried turkey and apple pie, the hamburger has become a culinary icon in the United States.
Regardless of whether the hamburger we know today was created in America or was brought from Europe, one thing is certain - its invention had several stages that occurred between 1885 and 1904. Several prerequisites had to arise for this sandwich to become so popular and spread throughout the world.
One possible father of the hamburger may have been Charlie Nagreen (1870-1951), Seymour, Wisconsin, who first sold Hamburg Steaks at the annual Outagamie County Fair at age 15. According to him, he started by selling steaks. However, they were not particularly successful as people wanted to move freely around the fair rather than eat while standing at the counter. This gave him the idea of sandwiching a hamburger steak between two pieces of bread. Such a sandwich did not tie people to the bench; they could enjoy it anywhere at the fair. Nagrin sold the first sandwich in 1885, and they became known as "Hamburger Charlie" and were sold at the fair until the author's death in 1951. Thus, thanks to Charlie Nagrin, the hamburger spread massively throughout all states. By the way, Seymour is still considered the capital of hamburger and to this day, in honor of Nagrin's achievement, the city celebrates the annual "Burger Fest".
The first cutlet in a bun, as we now imagine a hamburger, appeared in 1904 in St. Louis at the World's Fair.
By the way, hamburger - in English and German - is an adjective and means “Hamburg”. The term "steak hamburger" was replaced by "hamburger" in 1930. Currently used as a suffix for various hamburger variants, including cheeseburger, porkburger, etc. There are other products whose names are derived from German cities - for example, Frankfurter. But it was the hamburger that, from the beginning of the 20th century and over the next hundred years, spread throughout the world. Its popularity grew along with the popularity of other national dishes, such as Turkish Doner Kebab, Italian pizza, Japanese sushi. This was largely due to the globalization of food. Now it is difficult to imagine a world without fast food restaurants, hamburgers, pizza and other culinary products of civilization.
In 1921, an enterprising chef from Wichita, Kansas, Walt Funderson, pioneered the concept of a "Hamburger Restaurant." It was he who convinced financier Billy Ingram to invest $700 to create the White Castle restaurant chain, and it brought success. And then - this is McDonald's history.
By the way, the filling of a hamburger consists of 70-80% meat, and the rest is fat and spices.
The burger's heyday dates back to the early 1930s, when Walter Anderson of Kansas founded the first White Castle Hamburger chain, which featured hamburgers as its main dish. And the final success of the new fast food was facilitated by the Wimpy Grills cafe chain, which endowed hamburgers with two main advantages that became the philosophy of fast food enterprises: firstly, hamburgers began to be sold at extremely low prices, and secondly, in-line cooking technology was used, which allowed us to spend less than one minute serving each visitor. This is what created a completely new type of catering, which was adopted by thousands of entrepreneurs across the country.
The advent of drive-in restaurants further increased the popularity of hamburgers and allowed them to finally become the main dish of fast food. The rapid motorization of the New World, when the car became accessible to many and turned into a fetish, pushed eatery owners to the idea of serving customers directly in the car, so that payment and delivery could be done through a window system.
The history of the most successful hamburger business began in 1948, when brothers McDonald and Ray Kroc, the inventor of the milkshake mixing machine, met in San Bernardino, California. As a result, McDonald's was created, the network of which began to grow at a breakneck pace thanks to the franchising system introduced by the company's management.
McDonald's and their hamburgers have become a barometer for the American and world economy and a symbol of globalization. Since 1986, the leading business magazine The Economist has compared the cost of living in different parts of the world using its "Big Mac Index", which estimates the cost of the hamburger of the same name sold in the McDonald's chain around the world, and on the basis of which many economic indicators of the state are assessed. The company's logo, recognizable all over the world, does not just mean fast food; it is an important sign of the American way of life that is attractive to many. McDonald's and other similar chains, oddly enough, are most successful in countries with strong culinary traditions of their own. In Spain and Korea there are more of them than national restaurants, and in Japan McDonald's is the largest restaurant chain in the country.
Despite the recognized harmfulness of burgers and high-profile lawsuits that have shaken fast food chains, the hamburger, along with jeans, is still a symbol of America and the most affordable food that can be ordered both at a roadside diner and in an expensive restaurant.
The first hamburger in history was not much different from its current descendant: a wheat bun cut in half, onions, green salad, spicy tomato paste, which is now called ketchup, and of course, a fried beef patty. By the way, buns began to be sprinkled with sesame seeds only in the early 60s, when a kind uncle, nutritionist Wesley Ponds, said that a hamburger is a very difficult food for the human stomach, and sesame seeds improve and facilitate digestion.
Manufacturers of seemingly unpretentious hamburgers have tried to take into account the wishes of the world's demanding eaters. First of all, there are many filling options: instead of a beef patty, today you can choose a burger with turkey, venison, chicken, buffalo, bison or ostrich. They also sell special hamburgers for vegetarians and vegans (veggie burger), the main ingredients of which are vegetables, mushrooms, cheese, and black beans.
Most Expensive Burgers - Unwisely Expensive
Perhaps the most interesting “instances” are found depending on geographic culinary preferences. For example, in Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, a hamburger with a tropical addition - a fried slice of pineapple - has become the norm. In Korea, Mexico and Taiwan, they prefer extremely spicy hamburgers, seasoned with all kinds of “hot” spices. In Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, they satisfy their hunger with burgers made from pork, octopus meat, tofu cheese and shrimp. In India, according to religious taboos, you can buy chicken and vegetarian burgers instead of beef or pork. Similar restrictions apply in Muslim countries, but this does not interfere with the fast food business: in Islamic Malaysia, for example, there are more than 300 McDonald's establishments.
In addition to experiments with fillings, new types of bread appeared - a mandatory attribute of a hamburger. The Japanese chain MOS Rice Burger came up with the idea of placing minced meat in lightly fried circles of compressed boiled rice. The novelty instantly gained popularity in many Asian countries where they cannot live without rice. And two years ago, the company offered a new “national” version of a 10-level unique hamburger - in addition to a beef patty, bread, vegetables, mayonnaise and ketchup, the samurai Takumi Burger is also topped with avocado and wasabi slices.
However, many chefs strive to reach the premium class in preparing hamburgers. In 2007, the Guinness Book of Records included in the section “the most expensive burger on the planet” the work of Scott MacDonald, chef of the London Selfridge department store chain. This "snack" contains 2,500 calories and costs $147. To achieve this status, Mr. Scott had to get a little creative with the selection of luxury ingredients. Specifically, sandwiched between two pieces of 24-hour-old fermented bread are pieces of wajyu beef from Japanese-raised cows (which have been given hand massages, beer, and classical music). To this are added slices of fresh foie gras, brie cheese, roque lettuce and small English tomatoes. As a finishing touch, all this culinary delight is seasoned with black truffle mayonnaise, avocado oil, red pepper and mustard. Well, how can I not say - bon appetit! At least once a year, on one of the hamburger birthdays, you can treat yourself...
Hamburger Paradise
It's all for today. Next time we will talk about the history of the hot dog, which is also an American national dish.
The concept of "fast food" is an appropriate choice for modern people with a fast pace of life. The original idea was to provide customers with food without making them wait and at affordable prices. The production of fast food menus reflects inspiration from Henry Ford's production line innovations. The food is prepared in advance and kept fresh so it's ready to go. Another feature of fast food restaurants is that they provide a family atmosphere, especially suitable for children, where they offer play areas and tailored menus for children, so that mothers can breathe a sigh of relief. Thus, with their promise of quality and affordable prices, these fast food restaurants have begun to provide a good alternative to restaurants. The whole point of fast foods is that they don't require you to use cutlery; Sandwiches can be eaten on the go. The most common fast food items include hamburgers, sandwiches, fries, fried chicken, pizza and ice cream.
Here are the top 10 most popular fast food chains, according to their international influence.
10.Papa John's
Papa John's is a chain of pizza restaurants, founded in 1984, the US third largest pizza chain after Domino's and Pizza Hut. It has 4,200 restaurants worldwide, with more than 2,600 in the US and is present in approximately 35 countries. His famous slogan: The best ingredients. Best Pizza. With over 755 international locations, Papa John's is ranked 10th on our list of the most popular fast food chains worldwide.
9.Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen is a fast food restaurant chain that was opened in 1940 and is headquartered in Minnesota (USA). Products include hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream, milkshakes and frozen yogurt. Its most famous product is "Blizzard". It has 6,321 locations worldwide and 1,135 international franchise units. Dairy Queen is present in approximately 27 countries and ranks 9th on our list of fast food restaurants.
8.Dunkin Donuts
Dunkin Donuts, founded in 1950, is an international coffee and donut chain. It competes with Starbucks in terms of coffee sales and at the same time competes with Krispy Kreme in terms of donut sales. Its products include hot/cold beverages, baked goods (including donuts and muffins) and sandwiches. Dunkin Donuts has more than 10,083 locations worldwide in 32 countries. Owning about 3,005 international stores, it ranks 8th on our list.
7.Domino's
Domino's, founded in 1960, is an international chain of Pizza restaurants. It is the second largest pizza chain in America after Pizza Hut. It owns 10,300 retail outlets in about 75 countries. Worldwide, Domino's serves more than millions of pizzas every day. Its products include pizza, sandwiches, chicken wings, pasta and desserts. Domino's owns about 4,422 international restaurants, deservedly giving it 7th rank in this list.
6.Burger King
Originally founded in 1953 (Florida) as Burger King. Burger King is a global fast food chain. Targeted men (18-35), focusing on large, meaty burgers. This company owns approximately 12,700 outlets in 73 countries, with approximately 66% located in the US. With approximately 4,998 international restaurants, it ranks 6th on this list.
TOP - 5 Best fast food restaurants in the world!
5.Starbucks
Founded in 1971, Starbucks is the world's largest coffee restaurant chain. In addition to coffee, it also sells snacks. It is an American global coffee company with 20,891 locations providing services in about 62 countries around the world. The majority of stores are located in the United States (13,279 stores), followed by Canada (1,324 stores), Japan (989 stores) and China (851 stores). Starbucks is number 5 on this list.
4.Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut, which also owns KFC and Taco Bell). Her main menu item is pizza, but she also offers sides including salads, pastas, and garlic bread. Founded in 1958, Pizza Hut is located in approximately 95 countries with approximately 11,139 locations worldwide. Thus, with approximately 5,890 international restaurants, Pizza Hut ranks 4th on this list.
3.Subway
Subway is a fast food franchise restaurant famous for its healthy, safe products (sandwiches and salads), which is reflected in the company slogan “Eat Fresh!” . Founded in 1965, providing franchising services: Doctor’s Associates. Subway is the largest restaurant chain and one of the fastest growing franchises in the world. It has approximately 39,747 restaurants in 101 countries around the world. In Russia, the Subway chain began to actively develop in 2004, opening its first restaurant in St. Petersburg on Nevsky Prospekt. At the end of 2011, the Subway fast food restaurant chain overtook McDonald's in the number of restaurants and became the largest in Russia. With over 10,109 international restaurants, Subway ranks 3rd on this list of top 10 fast food chains.
2.KFC
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was founded by one chef, Colonel Harland Sanders, in 1930 and boasts the world's best chicken restaurant, where the secret lies in the recipe, which remains hidden in a vault at KFC's Louisville headquarters. After McDonald's, KFC is the world's second largest restaurant chain. It has more than 18,000 retail outlets in 120 countries and territories around the world. After the United States of America, it is very popular in China, where it has more than 4,200 outlets. Thus, with about 11,798 international restaurants, the leader in this world of chicken restaurant ranks 2nd on our list.
1.McDonald's
Originally founded in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant, today McDonald's is the world's largest hamburger fast food chain. With approximately 34,492 restaurants worldwide in 118 countries, McDonald's employs 69,000,000 people every day. The majority of restaurants are located in the United States (about 14,157), followed by Japan (about 3,279). Leader of the list, 80% of restaurants are franchised (about 18,710 international restaurants). In 2012, it achieved a record annual turnover of $27 billion. 
Fast food has long become an integral part of our lives. And although scientists warn about the harm that street food causes to health, few are ready to give it up.
Quick snacks are convenient and tasty and have already earned recognition in the field of gastronomic tourism. These 10 popular dishes you simply must try while traveling around the world.
Hamburgers in America
The USA is rightfully considered the birthplace of fast food. They were the ones who gave the world delicious cutlet buns, which won the great love of people of different nationalities. Today there are dozens of cooking variations: with cheese, eggs, vegetables, herbs and many sauces.
Fish and chips in the UK
Once upon a time, deep-fried fish and potatoes were and were served exclusively in. But soon the delicacy became so popular that enterprising Englishmen “took” this food to the street and turned it into fast food. Now they mainly cook cod, less often haddock and flounder.
French fries in Belgium
Exactly, which is so loved all over the world. And although the calorie content of this fast food is too high, fast food outlets in different countries serve it primarily. And with some dishes, fries are offered as an appetizer.
Croissants in France
Delicate puff pastry bagels are an indispensable part. Various fillings are added to croissants: fruit jams, chocolate, butter cream, as well as ham and cheese.
Pizza in Italy
The national Italian flatbread made from dough with Mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce has become a real boom in the fast food world. After all, there are simply too many variations of fillings, and chefs all over the world come up with their own original version. Isn't this a foodie's paradise?
Pies in Poland
One of the popular ones, which has a bright taste both hot and slightly cooled. Polish pies are similar in appearance to dumplings. Mushrooms, cabbage, potatoes, apples and chocolate are traditional options for filling pies.
Souvlaki in Greece
To prepare souvlaki, pork or lamb, sometimes the fish or chicken is first sprinkled with spices and marinated in. Only after the meat has been sufficiently infused is it threaded onto small skewers and fried over a fire. Souvlaki, thanks to the specific taste of meat, has gained immense popularity in many countries.
Burrito in Mexico
Traditional tortillas in Mexico are made from thinly rolled dough called tortillas. One half of them is stuffed with meat, a small amount of vegetables, hot peppers, cheese and always traditional sauces, and the other side is covered. Tortillas have a very bright taste thanks to a special recipe and Mexican sauces.
Spring rolls in China
Rice paper rolls with deep-fried filling are a symbol of wealth among the Chinese. Previously, only wealthy Chinese could afford spring rolls and only in expensive restaurants. But after a short time, the dish became a type of Chinese street food and gained popularity among middle and lower class Asians, and then conquered the whole world. The filling for rolls can be made from meat, as well as mushrooms, vegetables, seafood and even sweets.
Sushi in Japan
This dish became popular back in the 1980s. The Japanese came up with the idea of wrapping rice and seafood in sheets of nori seaweed. Later, when the traditional Japanese dish spread among gourmets of other nationalities, vegetables, cheese and even sweet fillings began to be added to it. The secret of Japanese sushi is a certain type of rice, which cannot be found on all shelves in other countries.
Fast food definitely cannot be classified as a particularly healthy dish. However, in fast food restaurants you can eat quickly and cheaply, and most importantly, they are guaranteed to be of high quality, even in the most remote corner of the world. When we find ourselves in another city or travel to another exotic country, we usually eat in fast food restaurants for the first few days, which are very easy to find and have a familiar taste without exotic ingredients. Meet the ten largest fast food chains in the world.
The PapaJohn's pizza chain, headquartered in Jefferson County, Kentucky, has more than 4,000 locations in 33 countries spread across different continents, of which 3,200 are located in the United States. Today, this is one of the smallest fast food chains operating on the global market, however, the company is making every effort to expand.
DairyQueen is a chain of American fast food restaurants that are promoted under seven different brands that differ in their focus. Here you can enjoy ice cream, frozen yogurt, fresh juices, and of course the standard burgers and grilled chicken. Today they have over 5,700 locations worldwide, with 650 in the US and Canada, over 500 restaurants in China and over 100 restaurants in Mexico.
8. Dunkin' Donuts
The eighth fast food chain in the world is Dunkin' Donuts. Today, more than 11,000 coffee shops are open in 33 countries, which always sell the famous DunkinDonuts donuts. At least 500 new coffee shops open every year.
7. Domino's Pizza
The world's second-largest pizzeria chain and seventh-largest fast food restaurant chain is Domino's Pizza. The company and its partners, who bought the franchise, opened more than 10,000 establishments in 70 countries around the world. They mainly sell pizza here.
Burger King is a classic fast food restaurant with burgers, fries, fried chicken, salads and desserts. In its homeland in the USA, it is one of the largest fast food restaurant chains, which competes on equal terms with such a monster as McDonald’s, but on a global scale it cannot yet boast of such achievements. Today, there are 13,000 Burger King restaurants around the world, of which 66% are located in North America.
The international coffee chain Starbucks has a network of more than 20,000 cafes in 64 countries, of which 13,000 are in the USA, 1,909 in China, 1,555 in Canada, 1,089 in Japan and 927 in the UK. Here you can quickly drink high-quality coffee, the taste of which is the same in all cafes regardless of the country, and have a quick snack with fresh sandwiches and muffins.
The world's largest pizzeria chain, Pizza Hut, has about 12,000 locations in 94 countries around the world. The Pizza Hut brand offers several conceptually different fast food restaurants, such as a classic American pizzeria, an Italian bistro, takeaway fast food, etc.
Fast food chain Subway, which took third place in the ranking, has about 42,300 restaurants in 107 countries, most of which are in the United States. Here you can quickly eat sandwiches and salads, with a very original approach to service. Typically, the restaurant is located in small rooms with minimal seating, where there are transparent display cases with ingredients for sandwiches. Buyers choose a bun of the appropriate size, fillings (ham, chicken, cheese and vegetables) and sauces; as an option, all this can come in the form of a salad without a bun.
2. KFC
The world's second-largest fast food chain, KFC, also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, has 18,900 locations in 118 countries. Specializes in their chicken dishes, along with which it offers sandwiches, salads and desserts.
Of course, the number one fast food restaurant chain is McDonald's, which has 35,000 restaurants in 119 countries, of which 19,000 are located outside the United States. Of course, in any restaurant in any country you can find hamburgers, fries and McChickens with the usual taste.
Fast foods originated in the United States of America in the 1950s. Since then, this food segment has grown significantly and has firmly taken root on other continents. Business Insider, together with the popular portal Restaurant Business, ranked fast food restaurants to highlight the best ones in America, based on a number of indicators: customer satisfaction, sales volume and average cost of food.
At the same time, the McDonald's and Taco Bell chains were not included in the rating. As the compilers of the rating explain, fast food customers today prefer specialized and regional dishes of higher quality, including fresh ingredients at an affordable price. So, the best five fast food food from the best.
1. Chick-fil-A
Headquarters: Altanta, Georgia
US sales: $6.29 million
Number of establishments: 1950
Customer Satisfaction Score: 2
The first place is occupied by the American fast food restaurant chain specializing in chicken sandwiches Chick-fil-A. It is the eighth-largest chain in the United States by sales, and recently opened its first location in New York.
More recently, this fast food has significantly diversified its menu, adding broccoli salads, premium coffee, new sauces, a barbecue bacon sandwich, etc.
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2. Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers
Headquarters: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
US sales: $567 million
Number of restaurants: 249
Customer Satisfaction Score: 6
This network was created not so long ago, in 1996. Despite the rather small number of items on its menu, it is very popular among fast food lovers. The main menu item is the so-called first-class Chicken Strips.
And the “trick” of the chain, without a doubt, is their signature spicy sauce, for which people come back again and again.
3. In-N-Out Burger
Headquarters: Irvine, California
US sales: $615 million
Number of restaurants: 313
Customer Satisfaction Score: 5
The Californian chain In-N-Out Burger, whose first establishment was opened back in 1948, closes the top three. The menu of their establishments is still very simple and includes only five items. However, their loyal customers know that if they wish, they can also order a “protein” burger or fried cheese there.
The chain's locations can only be found on the West Coast, as they are against additives and preservatives and only open within a 300-mile radius of their distribution network.
4. Firehouse Subs
Headquarters: Jacksonville, Florida
US sales: $649 million
Number of establishments: 943
Customer Satisfaction Score: 1
This chain has set ambitious plans to double the number of its establishments by 2020. Despite the growth of the chain, the quality of its food does not deteriorate at all, as evidenced by the highest customer satisfaction rate.
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5. Jersey Mike's Subs
Headquarters: Manascan, New Jersey
US sales: $675 million
Number of establishments: 1046
Customer Satisfaction Score: 9
In October last year, this chain opened its thousandth establishment, having opened almost 50 more fast food outlets since then. They do not plan to slow down this pace much, planning to expand to 2 thousand establishments by 2019.
This chain is known for the high quality of the ingredients used, which guarantees it such a high place in the ranking of the best of the best.
Fast foods in Kazakhstan
According to Burger King experts, in Kazakhstan the fast food segment annually shows growth in market volumes, however, due to the current macroeconomic situation, there is a decrease in consumer demand. Thus, according to various expert estimates, in Almaty, about 20% of residents from 18 to 35 years old visit fast food restaurants at least once a week, and 25-30% - several times a week.
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