Monster Thickburger

The burger that became a symbol of American excess. Two thick Angus patties, strips of bacon, several slices of cheese and mayo, and absolutely nothing green to pretend otherwise. It is enormous, salty and unapologetic, and most people who order it are doing so at least partly to say they did. Share it, or clear the afternoon.

When Hardee’s launched the Monster Thickburger in 2004, it made no attempt to hide what it was: the chain itself pitched it as a “monument to decadence”. Nutrition critics were appalled, the outrage turned into free publicity, sales were strong, and the burger has stayed on the menu for two decades as the chain’s most talked-about item.