The hamburger originated from Hamburg steak brought to America by German immigrants in the 19th century. Hamburg steak was a cheap, quick meal made from shredded beef that was popular among the working class in Hamburg, Germany. While the modern hamburger was developed to meet the needs of an industrialized society with less time to cook, hamburgers today are most commonly associated with fast food restaurants and mass-produced sandwiches like McDonald's Big Mac.

1. By: Candela Díaz

2. The term hamburger originally derives from
Hamburg (city of Germany).
The hamburger most likely first appeared in
the 19th or early 20th centuries. The
modern hamburger was product of the
culinary needs of a society that was rapidly
changing due to industrialization, and
therefore, people had less time to prepare
as well as to consume meals.

3. Immigrants to the United States from
German-speaking countries brought with
them some of their favorite foods. One of
them was Hamburg Steak. The Germans
simply flavored shredded low-grade beef
with regional spices, and both cooked and
raw it became a standard meal among the
poorer classes. In the seaport town of
Hamburg, it acquired the name Hamburg
steak.

4. Nowadays…
Hamburgers are usually a feature
of fast food restaurants like
McDonald’s. The McDonald’s fast-
food chain sells the Big Mac, one
of the world's top selling
hamburgers. The Big Mac includes
two all-beef patties, special
sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles
and onions. All on a sesame seed
bun.