What Is National Cheeseburger Day?

National Cheeseburger Day is celebrated annually on September 18. It recognizes the combination that transformed the traditional hamburger into something even more indulgent: adding a slice of cheese.

Today, cheeseburgers can be found almost everywhere, from backyard cookouts and neighborhood diners to fast-food restaurants and upscale burger establishments.

Part of the cheeseburger’s lasting popularity comes from its simplicity. At its most basic, you only need a bun, burger patty, and cheese.

But those three ingredients provide a foundation for countless possibilities.

You can keep things traditional or create something completely unexpected.

The History of the Cheeseburger

Like many famous foods, the exact origin of the cheeseburger is debated.

Several restaurants and cooks have claimed responsibility for putting cheese on a hamburger, but one frequently cited story involves teenager Lionel Sternberger.

During the 1920s, Sternberger reportedly worked at his father’s sandwich shop, the Rite Spot, in Pasadena, California. According to the story, he experimented by placing a slice of American cheese on a hamburger.

The resulting creation was reportedly called a “cheese hamburger.”

Other establishments later made their own claims to cheeseburger history.

One particularly important development happened in Denver, Colorado. In 1935, Louis Ballast of the Humpty Dumpty Barrel restaurant received a trademark for the term “cheeseburger.”

Regardless of who deserves the ultimate credit, combining cheese and hamburgers proved to be an extraordinarily good idea.

Over the following decades, the cheeseburger became a fixture of American dining.

Why Cheese Makes Such a Difference

A hamburger is already delicious, but cheese changes the entire experience.

When placed on a hot burger patty, cheese begins to soften and melt. It coats the meat while adding richness, saltiness, creaminess, and additional flavor.

Different cheeses can completely change the personality of a burger.

American cheese is famous for its smooth melt and classic diner flavor.

Cheddar provides a stronger and slightly sharper taste.

Pepper Jack introduces a little heat.

Swiss cheese pairs especially well with mushrooms and caramelized onions.

Blue cheese provides a bold, tangy flavor.

Provolone offers a mild, creamy alternative.

Smoked Gouda can bring another layer of smoky richness.

There isn’t necessarily one “correct” cheese for a cheeseburger. The best choice is whichever one makes you want another bite.

Building the Perfect Cheeseburger

Everyone has a different definition of the perfect cheeseburger, but balance is usually the secret.

Start with a flavorful burger patty seasoned simply with salt and pepper. Cook it on a grill, griddle, or skillet until it reaches a safe internal temperature.

Near the end of cooking, place your favorite cheese over the patty and give it enough time to melt.

Then comes the bun.

A toasted bun adds texture while helping prevent sauces and burger juices from making everything soggy. Traditional sesame seed buns work beautifully, while brioche buns add a slightly sweeter and richer flavor.

Next, choose the toppings.

Classic choices include:

Lettuce
Tomato
Pickles
Raw or grilled onions
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayonnaise

From there, you can get creative.

Add crispy bacon, avocado, fried onions, mushrooms, jalapeños, barbecue sauce, a fried egg, onion rings, chili, coleslaw, or practically anything else you enjoy.

The perfect cheeseburger doesn’t have to follow anyone else’s rules.

Cheeseburger Styles Worth Trying

National Cheeseburger Day is a great opportunity to move beyond your normal order.

The Classic American Cheeseburger

Sometimes simplicity wins.

Top a beef patty with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, and mustard.

Serve it with fries and you’ve got one of America’s most recognizable meals.

Bacon Cheeseburger

Adding crispy bacon introduces saltiness, smokiness, and crunch.

Cheddar or American cheese works particularly well here.

Mushroom Swiss Burger

Sautéed mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and caramelized onions create a savory burger with deep, earthy flavors.

BBQ Cheeseburger

Top your burger with cheddar cheese, bacon, barbecue sauce, and crispy onion strings.

It’s sweet, smoky, savory, and messy in the best possible way.

Jalapeño Pepper Jack Burger

People who enjoy spicy food can add sliced jalapeños and melted Pepper Jack cheese.

A little chipotle mayonnaise can take it even further.

Breakfast Cheeseburger

Who says cheeseburgers are only for lunch or dinner?

Add cheddar or American cheese, bacon, and a fried egg for a cheeseburger inspired by breakfast.

Don’t Forget the Sides

A great cheeseburger deserves a great side dish.

French fries are the obvious classic, but they’re far from the only possibility.

Try onion rings, sweet potato fries, potato wedges, tater tots, coleslaw, macaroni salad, potato salad, baked beans, grilled corn, or a simple side salad.

You can even serve smaller cheeseburger sliders with several sides and turn National Cheeseburger Day into a casual party.

Make It a Backyard Celebration

September is a great time in many parts of the country for one more backyard cookout before cooler fall weather arrives.

Invite friends or family over and create a cheeseburger bar.

Grill the patties and arrange different cheeses, vegetables, sauces, and toppings on a table. Everyone can build their own cheeseburger exactly the way they want it.

Include several cheeses such as American, cheddar, Swiss, Pepper Jack, and provolone.

Then offer plenty of toppings.

Bacon, mushrooms, grilled onions, pickles, jalapeños, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, onion rings, and different sauces can turn a simple cookout into a cheeseburger feast.

You could even hold a friendly competition to see who creates the most interesting burger.

Cheeseburgers Have Become Part of American Culture

The cheeseburger is more than another menu item.

It has become closely associated with diners, drive-ins, roadside restaurants, backyard barbecues, sporting events, summer vacations, and casual meals with friends and family.

For generations, burgers have represented approachable comfort food.

You don’t need a special occasion to eat one.

That may be exactly why having an entire day devoted to cheeseburgers is so much fun.

National Cheeseburger Day doesn’t require elaborate traditions or complicated plans.

Sometimes celebrating really can be as simple as ordering your favorite burger.

How to Celebrate National Cheeseburger Day

The easiest way to celebrate September 18 is obvious: eat a cheeseburger.

Visit your favorite local burger restaurant, fire up the backyard grill, or make cheeseburgers on the stovetop.

If you usually order the same burger, use the occasion to experiment with something different.

Try a new cheese.

Add a topping you’ve never considered before.

Make your own burger sauce.

Try smash burgers on a griddle.

Or challenge friends and family to create their ultimate cheeseburger.

You can also support a locally owned restaurant. Neighborhood diners and independent burger restaurants often have signature burgers you won’t find anywhere else.

National Cheeseburger Day provides a good excuse to discover one.

Homemade Cheeseburger Recipe

If you’d rather celebrate at home, you don’t need a complicated recipe.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
Salt and black pepper
4 slices American or cheddar cheese
4 hamburger buns
Lettuce
Tomato slices
Sliced onion
Pickles
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayonnaise

Directions

Divide the beef into four equal portions and gently shape them into patties.

Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Cook the burgers on a grill or hot skillet until they reach your preferred doneness while following food-safety guidelines for ground beef.

During the final minute of cooking, place a slice of cheese over each burger and allow it to melt.

Lightly toast the hamburger buns.

Place each cheeseburger on a bun and add lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and your favorite condiments.

Serve immediately with fries, onion rings, or another favorite side.

Fun Cheeseburger Facts

The cheeseburger’s basic formula may be simple, but it has inspired an enormous variety of creations.

Restaurants have experimented with everything from miniature sliders to burgers piled high with multiple patties.

Cheeseburger flavors have also moved beyond the bun. Cheeseburger-inspired pizza, casseroles, soups, dips, pasta dishes, and even egg rolls have become popular ways to recreate familiar burger flavors.

Yet the traditional cheeseburger continues to hold its own.

A hot beef patty, melted cheese, toppings, and a toasted bun don’t need much improvement.

A Celebration of a Simple Favorite

Food holidays don’t always need deep meaning.

Sometimes they’re simply opportunities to enjoy foods that make people happy.

National Cheeseburger Day on September 18 celebrates a meal that has remained popular through generations of changing food trends.

Cheeseburgers can be cheap and simple or elaborate and gourmet. They can come straight from a backyard grill, a neighborhood diner, or a favorite restaurant.

However you choose to build yours, the basic idea remains irresistible: a hot burger topped with delicious melted cheese.

So on September 18, grab the cheese, heat up the grill, toast the buns, and build the cheeseburger you’ve been craving.

What cheese and toppings would you put on your perfect cheeseburger?

National Cheeseburger Day – September 18