National Hamburger Week

National Hamburger Week celebrates the hamburger—a sandwich built around a cooked patty served in bread or a bun. Observed during the second full week of May, it offers several days to enjoy classic burgers, try different toppings, and appreciate one of America’s best-known casual foods.

The hamburger’s history is debated. Its name is linked to Hamburg steak, a minced-beef dish associated with Hamburg, Germany, and German immigrants brought related food traditions to the United States. Several American communities claim to have created the modern sandwich, including Seymour, Wisconsin; Hamburg, New York; Athens, Texas; and New Haven, Connecticut. One prominent account credits Louis Lassen of Louis’ Lunch with serving ground beef between toasted bread in 1900, while other stories place the sandwich’s development at late-19th-century fairs. As TIME’s account of hamburger history explains, the origin remains uncertain.

What is clearer is how the hamburger spread. White Castle’s 1921 opening in Wichita, Kansas, helped establish the burger as a fast-food staple, and diners, restaurants, food trucks, and home cooks continued to adapt it. Today, hamburgers can be simple or elaborate, made with beef or alternatives such as turkey, chicken, bean, mushroom, or plant-based patties.

How to Observe National Hamburger Week

Celebrate by enjoying a hamburger in your favorite style, preparing one at home, or visiting a local burger restaurant. Use the week to try a new topping combination, sample a different patty, or compare a classic burger with a plant-based alternative. You can also learn about the hamburger’s disputed origins and share your favorite burger with friends or family.

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