Burger King's Original Menu Only Had 3 Main Items

The early concept of fast food was simple: A burger, fries, and a drink are handed to you in a matter of minutes. Modern fast food menus have become far more complex. Nowadays, there are combo meals, ten types of burgers to choose from, multiple fry styles, and desserts. At Burger King, we've seen everything from burgers with colored buns to spicy chicken fries, but the original Burger King, founded in 1953, only served three main items: burgers, shakes, and fries.

At first, the chain was called Insta-Burger-King, a name that came from the speciality Insta machines used to prep burgers and milkshakes. The Insta-Burger Stove cooked burgers with radiant heat (similar to a toaster oven). The patties were placed upright in individual baskets that moved along a chain. Buns were toasted at the same time in the same machine. The cooking process for each burger took 1¾ minutes to complete. In one hour, the machine could cook 411 burger patties that were juicy and completely uniform.

The Insta-Shake Machine also lived up to its name, flash freezing the liquid dairy mixture and blending it into a milkshake in just 10 seconds. The machine allowed four different flavor options and produced three milkshakes every minute. Shakes and burgers were priced between $0.18 and $0.19. Insta-Burger King also sold fries, Coca-Cola, root beer, orange drink, and coffee. 

The original Insta-Burger-King opened in Jacksonville, Florida, built on an investment of $20,000. After generating a profit of $20,000 in the first year, 10 more stores opened, with 30 others planned. The first stores were built around the Insta machines, keeping the menu straightforward and kitchens efficient.

By 1954, the company had already decided on a rebrand and shortened its name to Burger King. The decade would also see the introduction of the chain's flame-grilling method, which would become its signature burger-cooking style. In 1957, Burger King's famous Whopper debuted. The deluxe hamburger, loaded with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, ketchup, and mayo, inside a sesame bun, is the chain's bestselling menu item.

Today, Burger King's menu looks very different from its initial basic offerings. Flame-grilled burgers (some are better than others) remain at its core, but the veteran fast food chain now serves a wider range of foods, like chicken sandwiches, nuggets, wraps, breakfast meals, and plant-based options in some markets. The original menu items were priced at a few cents, but now, expect to spend a few dollars on a simple burger. Burger King can be found in 120 countries, with over 19,000 locations.