National Cheeseburger Day is set for Thursday the 17th

The legend goes back to 1924, when a teenager slapped a slice of cheese on a sizzling burger patty and accidentally created an American obsession. A century later, that one impulse move has turned into a full-blown ritual, even if most people barely notice the holiday quietly sitting on the calendar.

Trying the cheeseburgers

For the team, I went out and tried many different cheeseburgers and discovered a few interesting facts about the well-known cheeseburgers in today’s fast-food market. So I did what any curious reporter would do: I hit the drive-through, sat down, and ate. And ate. And ate.

What I discovered was interesting. Many franchise brands must have signed a treaty. The size of the patty was no larger than the bun. It felt like a coordinated effort, except one chain was a few millimeters thicker than the competition, and cost twice as much.

Another thing that stood out was the pickle. There was only one pickle on each patty at every franchise. Is there a shortage of pickles? Sure, the pickle adds a little flavor - a little.

The toppings make a difference

On many buns, there’s a practice of heating them just slightly so the edges char. I believe this gives the bite a slight crunch.

Some of the lower-priced burgers actually treated the toppings with more respect. Better lettuce, more tomatoes, and a little more care in the stack gave you a cleaner, more structured bite instead of a collapsing pile of bread and cheese.

The toppings did the quiet work of balance: the snap of lettuce, the juiciness of tomato, and that one hardworking pickle broke up all the softness, so every bite didn’t feel like sipping a thick milkshake made of meat and cheese.

With that extra crunch and contrast, the whole thing became easier to eat, easier to enjoy, and a lot more memorable.

What makes the best cheeseburger

In the end, the best cheeseburgers weren’t always the most expensive ones. They were the ones where someone in a test kitchen remembered that a burger isn’t just about stacking more beef and cheese. It’s about building a bite that feels complete: hot patty, melted cheese, toasted bun, and just enough lettuce, tomato, and pickles to keep every mouthful from turning into a very tasty, very heavy milkshake you have to chew.

Tell us in the comments below where do you eat your cheeseburger and should it be made.