Hesburger

Heikki Salmela, known as Hese, started with a street food kiosk in Finland in 1966 and opened the first proper Hesburger in Turku in 1980. The name comes straight from his nickname, and the business is still firmly Finnish in character, from its garlic mayo to its rye-bread options.

In 2008 Hesburger held a bigger market share than McDonald’s across the Nordic and Baltic countries, a rare case of a local chain beating the American giant across a whole region. Finns treat it with a mix of affection and mockery, which is usually a sign that something has become part of the national culture.

Around 470 restaurants in Finland, the Baltic states, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine.