| 1837/00/00 |
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New York's Delmonico's Restaurant issues the first printed American menu and lists "hamburger steak" as one of the priciest items for 10 cents. |
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Birth of American Fast Food |
| 1921/00/00 |
White Castle Corp |
Established |
In Wichita, Kansas, E W Engram and Walter Anderson open the first fast food chain (lost), selecting the name 'White Castle' because 'White' conjures the image of purity and 'Castle' strength. |
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Birth of American Fast Food |
| 1921/00/00 |
Billy Ingram |
Founder |
In Wichita, Kansas, E W Engram and Walter Anderson open the first fast food chain (lost), selecting the name 'White Castle' because 'White' conjures the image of purity and 'Castle' strength. |
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Birth of American Fast Food |
| 1927/08/06 |
Billy Ingram |
Owner |
Billy Ingram opens White Castle No 3 in Indianapolis. The white enamel-glazed brick building with battlements, buttresses and a corner tower. |
Indianapolis White Castle No 3 |
Indianapolis |
Birth of American Fast Food |
| 1928/00/00 |
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Frank Gordy leases a house at 55 North Ave and builds a small brick restaurant in front. |
The Varsity, Atlanta |
Atlanta, GA |
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| 1929/11/02 |
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On South Dakota State University's Hobo Day, Harold and Gladys Nikalson with an old Chevrolet, a white gas stove and little else open a hamburger stand at the Reynolds building in Brookings, SD. |
Nick's Hamburger Shop |
Brookings |
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| 1939/05/00 |
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Paramount Modular Concepts serves burgers at New York World's Fair from their "Diner of the Future". |
White Manna, Jersey City |
Jersey City |
1939 New York World's Fair |
| 1939/12/00 |
Clark Gable |
Customer |
Clark Gable enjoys a Varsity hamburger inside the restaurant. Atlanta residents typically garnish hotdogs with coleslaw. |
The Varsity, Atlanta |
Atlanta, GA |
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| 1946/06/02 |
Louis Bridges |
Owner |
Louis Bridges opens White Manna in Jersey City, offering $0.10 hamburgers. Shortly after the World's Fair's closing, he bought the diner and had it disassembled before shipping it to Jersey City. |
White Manna, Jersey City |
Jersey City |
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| 1947/10/18 |
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Hobo Day, when the Jackrabbits play arch rival University of South Dakota, the Nikalson's sell 4,450 hamburgers. Nick's Hamburger Shop only has 20 stools. |
Nick's Hamburger Shop |
Brookings |
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| 1948/10/00 |
McDonald's |
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McDonald's Bar-B-Q closes, reopens as the McDonald's prototype serving hamburgers, cheeseburgers, potato chips, coffee, soft drinks and apple pie. |
Site of 1st McDonald's |
San Bernardino |
Birth of American Fast Food |
| 1948/10/22 |
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Harry Snyder opens In-N-Out, California's first drive-thru hamburger stand at Francisquito and Garvey in Baldwin Park. Harry visits the meat and produce markets for fresh ingredients and wife Esther does the accounting at their home around the corner. |
Los Angeles County |
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Birth of American Fast Food |
| 1950/00/00 |
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In the late 1940s or early 1950s, The 21 Club begins serving gourmet burgers at the exorbitant price of $2.75, compared with McDonald's price of 15 cents. |
21 Club, NYC |
New York City |
Birth of American Fast Food |
| 1953/08/18 |
Stanley Clark Meston |
Architect |
Downey McDonald's opens |
McDonald's Drive-in Restaurant and Sign |
Downey |
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| 1953/08/18 |
McDonald's |
Franchiser |
Downey McDonald's opens |
McDonald's Drive-in Restaurant and Sign |
Downey |
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| 1954/00/00 |
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Burger King co-founder James McLamore introduces the Whopper, a flame-grilled 4 oz (110 g) beef patty, sesame seed bun, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup and sliced onion selling 37 cents. |
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Birth of American Fast Food |
| 2004/06/12 |
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Shake Shack opens as a permanent food kiosk in the Madison Square Park. Topped with a tangy, secret-recipe ShackSauce, Danny Meyer grinds prime cuts of whole muscle, rather than scraps in making his ShackBurger. |
Madison Square Park |
New York City |
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| 2010/06/24 |
Barack Obama |
Host |
President Obama treats Russian President Dmitri Medvedev to Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington (closed). Obama orders a plain burger, while Medvedev adds jalapenos, mushrooms and onions. |
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| 2014/01/14 |
White Castle Corp |
Owner |
TIME magazine calls the White Castle's iconic, square patty, slider as the most influential burger of all time. |
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