6 Cheesy Insights About Cheeseburgers

"What could be more American than a hamburger?" asks Steve Mallie, owner of Mallie's Sports Grill & Bar in Southgate, Michigan, who holds the record for the world’s largest commercially available hamburger — and cheeseburger. In honor of National Cheeseburger Day, celebrated every September 18, we’d like to rephrase that to ask: "What could be more American than a cheeseburger?" Keep reading to uncover six cheesy facts about this beloved American dish.

1. The Birth of the Cheeseburger: Lionel Sternberger Was the Inventor

Did you know that just outside Los Angeles, in Pasadena, California, the cheeseburger was born? "The earliest known instance of a cheeseburger being served to a customer occurred in 1924 at the Rite Spot in Pasadena," says Paul Little, president and CEO of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, in an email.

"The story goes that young Lionel Sternberger was working at his father’s roadside stand when he accidentally burned one side of a burger," says Little. There are two explanations for why he might have added cheese to the burger. "Instead of discarding it, he covered the mistake with cheese and served it to an eager customer. Or perhaps a hobo came by, wanting the most he could get for his 15¢ and requested everything, including cheese," he adds.

No matter the true tale, that cheese-topped burger became a regular item on the menu, named the "Aristocratic Hamburger: The Original Hamburger with Cheese." "Sternberger was known for having a sharp sense of humor, which could explain the Aristocratic Burger name," says Little. It seems like a happy accident that Lionel Sternberger is credited with creating the first cheeseburger.

While some dispute Pasadena’s claim to the cheeseburger title, like 80/20 @ Kaelin's (formerly Kaelin's Restaurant) in Louisville, Kentucky, which asserts it served the first commercially sold cheeseburger, likely in 1934, Pasadena largely continues to proudly hold the cheeseburger crown.

To honor this cheesy piece of history, the city of Pasadena placed a plaque at the original Rite Spot location. Though the Rite Spot has long since closed, the plaque remains for curious visitors to view. Additionally, the city celebrates an annual Cheeseburger Week every January.

2. The World's Largest Cheeseburger Weighed 1,800 Pounds

In 2017, Mallie's Sports Grill & Bar created a massive burger that weighed almost 1,800 pounds (816 kilograms), earning it the title of the world's largest commercial cheeseburger. Owner Steve Mallie recounts how this gigantic cheeseburger came to be.

"I opened my restaurant in 2005. When we launched, we wanted something truly out of the ordinary, so we introduced a 10-pound [4.5 kilograms] hamburger. It was such a hit, we were selling them daily," Mallie recalls. But Mallie noticed that Japan held the Guinness World Record for the largest cheeseburger, which didn’t sit right with him, considering the burger’s American roots. So, he and his team crafted a 236-pound (107-kilogram) burger in 2006, setting a new world record at the time.

Each year, they kept making their record-breaking burger even bigger until they had to build a custom convection oven out of a shipping container to cook their world-record-setting creation, which weighed a staggering 1,796 pounds (815 kilograms). Since it featured all the classic burger toppings, including American cheese, Mallie's burger proudly holds the title of the world's largest commercially sold cheeseburger. Standing 30 inches (76 centimeters) tall and spanning about 6 feet (1.8 meters) wide, it took 16 hours to cook.

And yes, you can actually purchase this massive cheeseburger, which is available on Mallie's menu.

As of now, no one has yet bought the colossal cheeseburger, which is understandable considering its hefty price tag of $10,000. But if you're feeling adventurous and want to be the first, make sure to give them advance notice — and prepay as well. "We don’t process the order until we’re fully paid. No dine-and-dashers on a $10,000 burger," says Mallie. The restaurant requires at least three days to process the order, which includes shipping in 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms) of meat, preparing the bun for a day, and another day for cooking the burger.

3. The World's Smallest Cheeseburger Is Made in Japan

While this "fact" hasn’t been officially verified by the Guinness World Records, it’s still an incredibly edible marvel. The Japanese YouTube channel Miniature Space has created everything from tiny potato chips to miniature ramen. And, most notably for us, they’ve also crafted a cheeseburger that’s tiny enough to be a delight.

It's not entirely clear who actually eats these miniature meals, but if you think your pet mouse might be interested in a cheeseburger, you can check out their video. It's also pure entertainment to watch them slice onions fit for gnomes or cook burger patties the size of your thumb on a griddle. And, of course, they finish off the burger with tiny squares of cheese — maybe some mozzarella?

If you want to try your hand at making these "snacks," you can even purchase tiny kitchenettes that look like they belong in a dollhouse, allowing you to recreate these miniature delights. It’s practically designed for cooking in the Instagram age.

4. Not a Surprise: Americans Favor American Cheese

Which cheese makes the best burger topping: American or cheddar? This has been a hotly contested question among cheeseburger lovers for decades.

Mallie mentions that American cheese is by far the most popular choice at his restaurant. He estimates that 70 percent of the cheeseburgers he sells are topped with American cheese. As for his record-breaking burger, Mallie says, "What’s more American than setting an American record with American cheese?"

It appears American consumers are on the same page. According to Technomic's 2019 Burger Consumer Trend Report, which surveyed over 1,600 U.S. consumers, 70 percent would opt for American cheese on their burger, while only 59 percent would choose cheddar. The report also shows that Americans are quite open to different cheese options, with 40 percent willing to try Swiss cheese and 39 percent opting for mozzarella.

But what if you're a cheese aficionado who likes to explore beyond the usual? Food & Wine suggests topping your burger with melt-in-your-mouth Monterey Jack, creamy Brie, or smoky Gouda. For even more unconventional cheese choices, check out this list compiled by Thrillist, which includes burrata, "shreds of cream-soaked mozzarella," pimento cheese with a kick, and smoked blue cheese with bacon onion jam.

5. Where and When the Cheese Goes On Is Crucial

The classic placement for most cheese slices is right on top of the burger patty. This was the accepted method until 2017, when people on the internet erupted over Google's cheeseburger emoji, which depicted the cheese placed below the patty. This sparked a brief but heated online debate about the correct position for cheese in the burger structure.

As for Mallie, he thinks the answer is clear. "I’ve always put it on top of the patty. I don’t understand why it would go below. When you melt cheese on a burger, you want it to melt on top of the patty."

What about tucking the cheese inside the burger patty? Controversial. The meal kit service Plated suggests that while nearly any cheese can be stuffed into a burger, this technique works best with crumbly cheeses that don't hold up well as toppings, such as blue cheese and feta. And really, who wouldn't enjoy a bite of a cheesy surprise hidden inside their burger?

And things get even more heated — there's a long-standing debate about the best moment to place the cheese on the burger during the grilling process. Typically, the cheese slice is added to the patty around two minutes before the burger is finished on the grill.

But in 2017, writer Chris Thompson set the internet abuzz when he criticized this standard technique, calling it a "dumb" move. He argued that cheese doesn't need much heat to melt, and by placing it on the burger while it's still cooking, the cheese becomes too thin and melts over the sides of the patty, making a gooey mess.

So, what's the alternative? Thompson suggested a reverse approach — putting the cheese directly on the bottom of the top bun and immediately stacking the cooked patty on top. Then, add the lettuce, tomatoes, and condiments to the bottom bun. Top it off with the bun, and voilà! A perfectly assembled burger.

6. Jimmy Buffett Brought It Home

So what kind of cheeseburger options are available for the vegans and vegetarians out there?

If you can't enjoy a cheeseburger, you can at least sing about one. Jimmy Buffett wrote the song "Cheeseburger in Paradise" after a rough boat journey to Tortola, where he found a place serving cheeseburgers. The song, featured on his album "Son of a Son of a Sailor," celebrates the all-American dish, and it earned popularity, reaching No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1978.