Thursday 27 August 2026 is National Burger Day and at Bookachef, we're celebrating in a very special way.
Few foods are as universally loved as the burger. From the humble cheeseburger to towering gourmet creations, burgers have become a firm favourite across the UK, but have you ever wondered where they actually came from?
The story of the hamburger isn't as straightforward as you might think. While its name is generally linked to Hamburg, Germany, and the 19th-century Hamburg steak, there is no single confirmed inventor of the modern hamburger.
Several people in America have claimed the title, including Louis Lassen, who is said to have served a ground beef sandwich in Connecticut around the turn of the 20th century. Charlie Nagreen who claimed that at the 1885 Seymour Fair, he flattened a meatball and put it between bread so customers could eat it while walking around and Fletcher Davis who claimed he sold hamburgers at his food stand before taking them to the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair where the hamburger is widely credited with gaining significant exposure there.
What we do know, however, is that the burger evolved into the convenient, delicious dish we know today and grew hugely in popularity during the early 1900s.
Today, the burger has moved far beyond the traditional fast-food restaurant. From independent burger joints and street food to pubs, restaurants and gourmet menus, there's seemingly no limit to what can be placed between two buns.
So, what makes Britain's perfect burger?
Interestingly, it seems we're still rather fond of the classics.
Recent UK research from Americana found that beef is the preferred burger patty for 64% of respondents, while cheddar and bacon remain among the most popular fillings. Ketchup was also the nation's favourite sauce in the research. In fact, the combination of beef, bacon, cheddar, burger sauce and a brioche bun was identified as Britain's ultimate burger.
Meanwhile, YouGov's 2026 UK research found Burger King was the most popular burger brand, followed by Five Guys and McDonald's, highlighting just how competitive Britain's love affair with burgers has become.
But burger trends are constantly changing. The smash burger has dominated menus in recent years, with its thin, crispy edged patties and melted cheese, while thicker, steakhouse style burgers and indulgent, cheese-heavy creations are now making their mark too.
Ultimately, though, there is no such thing as one “perfect” burger. The perfect burger is the one you love.
Rather than deciding what we think makes the ultimate burger, we decided to let you decide this month during our Bookachef – Build A Burger challenge.
Over the past few weeks, our followers have been voting on the ingredients for our very own Bookachef Build a Burger.
From the bun and patty to the cheese, toppings and sauce, you've had your say so far at every stage. We’ve watched votes come in and as the challenge is still ongoing, we keep counting the votes to finally reveal the winning ingredients that have been chosen on the 27th of August in a special video on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Will your favourite ingredient make the final burger? Will the combination live up to the hype? And most importantly… have our followers created the ultimate burger?
There's only one way to find out.
Keep an eye on our social pages to vote and to see the big reveal on the 27th of August.
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After all, this isn't just our burger.
You helped build it.
So, however you like yours: classic, cheesy, loaded, spicy, smashed or completely over the top, raise a burger this National Burger Day and celebrate one of the world's most adaptable and much-loved foods.
Happy National Burger Day from everyone at Bookachef!