There are few dishes as universally enjoyed as the hamburger. This humble yet versatile creation has found its way into the hearts and stomachs of people across the globe. Every year on May 28th, we celebrate International Hamburger Day, a day dedicated to honouring this iconic ‘sandwich’ in all its delicious forms. Here at N1, home of the best quality meat Cape Town and Johannesburg have on offer, we even have an entire burger range to choose from! Whether you prefer it classic with just a patty and a bun or loaded with every topping imaginable, there’s no denying the hamburger’s impact on our culinary landscape.
The hamburger is said to have evolved from Hamburg steaks brought to the United States by German immigrants in the early 19th century. These were seasoned beef patties similar to modern hamburgers, but were served without buns. In the late 1800s, as meat grinders became more accessible, Hamburg steaks grew in popularity across the U.S. They were often served with bread or on toast, leading to the natural evolution of the hamburger sandwich. By the 1880s, hamburger steaks were available at restaurants across the country.
The first true hamburger sandwich is credited to Texan cook Fletcher Davis, who in 1880 placed a meat patty between two slices of toast. At the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, Davis is said to have grilled the patty and served it between two slices of toast with onion, which proved very popular.
In 1921, White Castle became the first fast-food hamburger chain, serving square patties on buns and pioneering the fast-food assembly line concept. The cheeseburger was invented in the mid-to-late 1920s, with Lionel Sternberger credited for adding cheese to a burger at his father's restaurant in California. McDonald's helped further popularise the hamburger in the 1940s with their emphasis on fast, cheap food. Over the next century, the hamburger spread worldwide as a result of the fast food and franchise business models.
The number of burgers consumed globally each year is difficult to determine with exact precision, but we can look at the consumption patterns in different regions and countries to get an idea of the scale. In the United States, over 100 billion hamburgers are consumed annually. This translates to about 150 hamburgers per person per year or 3 hamburgers per person each week. Globally, the consumption of hamburgers is increasing, with the United States accounting for over 26% of the world’s hamburgers consumed each year. Other major hamburger-consuming countries include the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, France, and Australia.
While consumption numbers in South Africa might be hard to come by, we do know that the South African fast food market is expected to reach $4.9 billion by 2026, with a fair portion of that thanks to hamburgers. And considering restaurants like The Dog’s Bollocks in Cape Town and Smokin’ Joes in Durban have featured on the ‘50 Best Burgers in the World’ list, we can safely say that the humble hamburger is not going anywhere anytime soon. So, if you want to indulge in this delicious culinary icon, remember that N1 offer a wide range of high-quality Halaal and Non-Halaal burger patties from steak burgers and beef rib burgers to the delicious breakfast burger. Contact us now to stock up – and long live the burger!
