Harvey's

Harvey’s opened in Richmond Hill, Ontario, on 1 April 1959. The name came from a sign: one of the founders spotted the sign of a closed car dealership called John Harvey Motors in Toronto and reused it for the restaurant. It has been a Canadian fixture ever since, now part of the country’s largest restaurant group.

The thing that makes Harvey’s different is the counter. You order, take your receipt along the line, and staff dress your burger in front of you with whatever you point at, from grilled onions to hot peppers. It is a small bit of theatre that makes a fast-food burger feel made for you, and it is why many Canadians still swear by it.

Around 290 restaurants across Canada, except British Columbia.

• Fuddruckers (United States, since 1979). The original build-your-own burger bar, with a produce counter and elk on the menu. Also built on beef.
• Runza (United States, since 1949). Nebraska’s own fast-food chain, built on a Volga German beef-and-cabbage pocket, with burgers on the side. Also built on beef.
• Cook Out (United States, since 1989). A Southern drive-thru with a tray deal, dozens of milkshake flavours and char-grilled burgers. Also built on beef.
• Bobby's Burgers (United States, since 2006). Bobby Flay’s burger chain, where you can crunchify any burger with potato chips. Also built on beef.