Burger Chef#Sandwich specifications

In 1954, Frank and Donald Thomas patented the flame broiler in their parent company General Equipment Corporation and started their restaurant in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1957, they opened their first Burger Chef.

File:Burgerchef 1966 ad.jpg

Burger Chef spread across the United States, following a strategy of opening outlets in smaller towns.{{cite book |first=Scott R. |last=Sanders |title=Burger Chef |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w2S6lzwHOkoC&pg=PA9 |year=2009 |series=Images of America|publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0-7385-6098-4 |page=9}}

By 1972, its number of locations (1,200) was surpassed only by McDonald's (1,600).{{cite book |first=Hersh |last=Shefrin |title=Behavioral Risk Management: Managing the Psychology That Drives Decisions and Influences Operational Risk |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nX8YDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA409 |date=December 14, 2015 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan US |isbn=978-1-137-44562-9 |page=409}} They offered a double burger, called the Big Shef, and later the quarter-pound (113 gram) hamburger, Super Shef. Subsequently, they added the Works Bar, where customers added their own toppings to hamburgers.{{cite news |last1=Robinson |first1=John |title=Burger Chef's Longest-Held Location was in Michigan |url=https://99wfmk.com/burger-chef-in-michigan/ |work=99.1 WFMK |date=March 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211013055317/https://99wfmk.com/burger-chef-in-michigan/ |archive-date=October 13, 2021 |language=en |quote=Burger Chef was also the first to come up with the "works bar" where customers could add their own ketchup, mustard, mayo, and other condiments to their sandwiches.}}

In 1968, General Foods Corporation purchased the chain and continued its rapid expansion. At the time of the purchase by General Foods, Burger Chef had 600 locations in 39 states.{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/133179393 |title=General Foods Says It Plans To Buy Burger Chef Systems |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=October 16, 1967 |page=17 |author= |url-access=subscription |access-date=July 5, 2017 |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220063354/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/doc/133179393.html |url-status=live |id={{ProQuest|133179393}}}}

By 1969, international expansion was underway with General Foods building ten Burger Chef outlets in Australia. The expansion ended in 1975 with a US$1.3 million loss (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|1.3|1975|r=2}} million in {{Inflation/year|US}}). It was stated that Australians disliked the limited burger menu compared to varied options available from milk bars.{{cite news |last1=Kent |first1=Thomas |title=NewsBank OpenURL {{!}} NewsBank InfoWeb |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_dat=document_id%3Aimage%252Fv2%253A14DB39C1C40322B4%2540EANX-163979B8ADCBAB42%25402442518-163964BE5E56E259%254038-163964BE5E56E259%2540%2Fhlterms%3A%2522Burger%2520Chef%2522&rft_id=info%3Asid%2Finfoweb.newsbank.com&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&svc_dat=AMNEWS&req_dat=0D1C2A34C3EF45E0 |access-date=April 28, 2020 |work=Houston Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |issue=Section 3 Page 9 |date=April 16, 1975}} The chain had two mascots: Burger Chef, voiced by Paul Winchell, and Jeff (the chef's juvenile sidekick).{{cite news |last1=Lileks |first1=James |title=Puzzling Pickles, what's a fun burger? |url=https://www.startribune.com/puzzling-pickles-what-s-a-fun-burger/257973631/ |access-date=February 22, 2023 |work=Star Tribune |date=May 5, 2014}}

File:Burgerchef sign albuquerque.jpg

In 1972, the chain introduced the Funburger, a hamburger with packaging that included puzzles and a small toy. The following year, the chain introduced the Funmeal, the first kid’s meal that included a burger, french fries, a drink, a cookie, and a small toy; with expanded packaging that included stories about Burger Chef and Jeff's adventures and friends (including the magician Burgerini, vampire Count Fangburger, talking ape Burgerilla, and Cackleburger the witch), with riddles and puzzles. When McDonald's introduced their Happy Meal in 1979, the chain sued, but ultimately lost.{{cite news |last1=Tyler |first1=Jessica |title=This defunct burger chain invented much of what you love about fast food |url=https://au.sports.yahoo.com/defunct-burger-chain-invented-much-040700636.html |access-date=October 21, 2022 |work=au.sports.yahoo.com |issue=Business Insider |date=October 28, 2018 |language=en-AU}}

In 1982, General Foods sold Burger Chef to the Canadian company Imasco, which also owned Hardee's, for US$44 million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|44|1982|r=2}} million in {{Inflation/year|US}}).{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/10/business/hardee-s-to-buy-burger-chef.html |title=Hardee's to Buy Burger Chef |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 10, 1981 |author=}} Imasco converted many locations to Hardee's restaurants and let franchises and locations near existing Hardee's locations convert to other brands.{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Dawn |title=Burger Chef was 'incrediburgible': RetroIndy |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2017/09/05/retroindy-burger-chef-incrediburgible/609456001/ |work=The Indianapolis Star |date=September 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121061228/https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2017/09/05/retroindy-burger-chef-incrediburgible/609456001/ |archive-date=January 21, 2022}} Remaining restaurants that did not convert to Hardee's or new names and branding simply closed.

Hardee's brought back the Big Shef hamburger for a limited time in 2001, 2007, and 2014 at some Midwestern locations.{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hardeesr-brings-back-burger-chefr-big-sheftm-hamburger-for-a-limited-time-in-select-markets-58710217.html |title=Hardee's(R) Brings Back Burger Chef(R) Big Shef(TM) Hamburger for a Limited Time in Select Markets |website=PR Newswire |access-date=February 6, 2014 |date=April 23, 2007|author=}}{{cite news |url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/atlanta-restaurants/hardee-brings-back-the-burger-chef-big-shef-for-lto/ksA9zmBvgh83DrzMG1QYoK/ |title=Hardee's brings back the Burger Chef Big Shef for a LTO |newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=December 10, 2014 |date=May 19, 2014 |first=John |last=Kessler}}

In January 2007, River West Brands LLC, of Chicago, Illinois, sued Hardee's Food Systems in the US Patents and Trademarks Office, claiming abandonment of the Burger Chef trademark. In 2009, River West Brands dropped its petition for cancellation. Both parties agreed to pay their own attorneys' fees.{{cite web |url=http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/ttabvue-92046880-CAN-32.pdf |title=Withdrawal of Cancellation |website=Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, US Patent and Trademark Office |date=April 16, 2009 |author=}}

• 1970–1971: "There's more to like at Burger Chef."{{cite web |url=http://www.trademarkia.com/theres-more-to-like-at-burger-chef-81023449.html |title=There's more to like at Burger Chef |publisher=Trademarkia.com |access-date=August 8, 2013 |date= |author=}} and "Burger Chef goes all out to please your family."{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1978&dat=19701217&id=wF8iAAAAIBAJ&pg=7077,5250783 |title=Triple Treat Yourself (advertisement) |newspaper=Owosso Argus-Press |date=December 17, 1970 |access-date=August 8, 2013 |page=22 |author=}}
• 1971–1976: "You get more to like at Burger Chef."{{cite web |url=http://www.trademarkia.com/you-get-more-to-like-at-burger-chef-73094356.html |title=You get more to like at Burger Chef |publisher=Trademarkia.com |access-date=August 8, 2013 |date= |author=}}{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19770212&id=CMRaAAAAIBAJ&pg=1309,2512702 |title=Double Delight (advertisement) |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |date=February 12, 1977 |access-date=August 8, 2013 |page=9B |author=}}
• 1976–1980: "We really give you the works."{{cite web |url=http://www.copyrightencyclopedia.com/general-foods-kitchen-cookbook-by-general-foods-corporation/ |title=Burger Chef |publisher=Copyrightencyclopedia.com |access-date=August 8, 2013 |date= |author=}} and "Open wide America, you never can forget. You get more to like at Burger Chef."
• 1980–1996: "Nowhere else but Burger Chef."{{cite web |url=http://www.trademarkia.com/nowhere-else-but-burger-chef-73332158.html |title=Nowhere else but Burger Chef |publisher=Trademarkia.com |access-date=August 8, 2013 |date= |author=}}

• Burger Chef murders
• List of defunct fast-food restaurant chains
• List of hamburger restaurants

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book|first=John P.|last=McDonald|isbn=978-1-4564-1863-2|date=2011|title=Flameout: The Rise and Fall of Burger Chef|publisher=CreateSpace}} Self published.

{{Commons category}}

• [https://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pno=92046880 Hardee's trademark trial] on the US Patent and Trademark Office
• [https://burgerchef.webs.com/ Burger Chef Memories] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320101353/https://burgerchef.webs.com/ |date=March 20, 2022 }}
• [http://jsfburgerchef.homestead.com/ JFS' tribute site]
• [https://www.waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=65766bda-9049-4276-9ee6-1fe3ed9e6d1f Burger Chef former locations] at Waymarking.com

{{General Foods}}

{{Fast-food chains of the United States}}

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Category:Defunct fast-food chains in the United States

Category:Restaurants established in 1954

Category:Fast-food hamburger restaurants

Category:Defunct restaurants in Indianapolis

Category:Restaurants disestablished in 1996

Category:1954 establishments in Indiana

Category:1996 disestablishments in Indiana

Category:Defunct restaurant chains in the United States

Category:General Foods