Typically served with French fries (see entry under 1950s— Food and Drink in volume 3) and a soft drink, the hamburger ranks with the hot dog (see entry under 1900s—Food and Drink in volume 1) and with apple pie as one of America's truly national foods.

Named for the style of steak found in the German city of Hamburg, the hamburger consists of a ground-beef patty usually served on a soft round bun, often garnished with a pickle. "Billions and billions" have been served by the McDonald's (see entry under 1940s—Food and Drink in volume 3) restaurant chain alone, with uncounted others prepared by other restaurants, large and small. The hamburger was the favorite snack of Wimpy, a character in the old Popeye (see entry under 1920s—Print Culture in volume 2) comic strip, whose favorite expression was "I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today." Inventive short-order...