Photo: FatburgerOriginal Fatburger
A third of a pound of fresh ground beef grilled to order, and then it is your call. The Original comes dressed like a classic stand burger, with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, relish, mustard and mayo, and the menu invites you to add cheese, bacon or a fried egg. It is not a smash burger and not a fancy one: it is a thick, honest patty from a place that has been doing it since 1947.
The story
Lovie Yancey opened a stand on Western Avenue in Los Angeles in 1947 and called it Mr. Fatburger, dropping the Mr. five years later. A Black woman running a burger business in that era was rare enough; what kept the place going was the refusal to pre-cook. Every patty is still ground fresh and grilled to order, which is why a Fatburger takes longer than a drive-thru burger. The stand became part of Los Angeles culture and then part of hip-hop, name-checked by Ice Cube and The Notorious B.I.G. in the 1990s.
What’s inside
Make it at home
There is no copycat of the Original Fatburger yet. Until there is, these recipes on the site come closest to it, judged by what goes into the bun.
- Shares beef, bacon and cheese
TOP 3McDonald's Big Tasty (Copycat) - Shares beef, bacon, cheese and a double stack
Peter’s Triple Bacon Burger - Shares beef, cheese and a double stack
Big Beef Blopper - Shares beef, cheese and a double stack
Whopper (Copycat)
Similar burgers at other chains
Built around the same things as the Original Fatburger.- Giraffas · beef, bacon, egg and cheese
MegaBrutus - Red Robin · beef, bacon, egg and cheese
SignatureRoyal Red Robin - Grill'd · beef, bacon, egg and cheese
SignatureMighty Melbourne - Au Cheval · beef, bacon, egg and cheese
SignatureDouble Cheeseburger
More from Fatburger
About Fatburger
Lovie Yancey opened a small burger stand in Los Angeles in 1947, originally called Mr. Fatburger, and dropped the “Mr.” in 1952. In an era when almost every burger business was run by men, she built one of the most famous burger names in the city, and she kept cooking to order long after fast food had become about speed.
Around 180 locations in about 20 countries.
Not affiliated with Fatburger. Trademarks belong to their owners. The photo is credited under it and is used to illustrate this menu item; it comes down on request.