Burger King

Burger King started in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, named after a broiler oven that did not really work. Two franchisees in Miami, James McLamore and David Edgerton, fixed the problem with a flame broiler, took over the company, and gave Burger King the one thing that still separates it from McDonald’s: burgers cooked over a flame instead of on a flat griddle.

For most of its life Burger King has played the challenger, and it shows in the attitude: “Have It Your Way” in the 1970s, a creepy plastic King mascot, and a habit of trolling the competition. Underneath all of it sits the Whopper, which is still the reason most people walk in.

Around 19,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries.