Burger Chef

Burger Chef produced a double stack hamburger dubbed the Big Shef before McDonald's introduced the Big Mac. They also offered the quarter-pound Super Shef hamburger before McDonald's did. Burger Chef had a toppings bar, known as the Works Bar, letting customers create their sandwiches as they saw fit before Burger King guaranteed that customers could have it their way. They also developed the "Fun Meal," a meal for kids that arrived in a cardboard box and included a small toy in addition to the food.

Burger Chef had a supporting cast that featured a magician named Burgerini, a vampire named Count Fangburger, and a witch named Cackleburger before Ronald McDonald made an appearance. Burger Chef and Jeff were the main animated characters. When McDonald's debuted its Happy Meal in 1979 and adopted corresponding characters, Burger Chef sued the company but ultimately lost. Burger Chef restaurants served flame-broiled hamburgers; in 1973, a salad bar was added; and in 1978, nine distinct kid-friendly Fun Meals with Star Wars themes were made available.

Burger Chef, which was established in 1954, had well over 1,000 locations when it reached its zenith in 1973. It was purchased by General Foods in 1968. After 14 years, General Foods sold the franchise to Imasco, a Canadian business that also controlled Hardee's, a rival chain. Imasco gradually closed the remaining Burger Chef outlets while rebranding the majority as Hardee's. Hardee's temporarily marketed the Super Shef or Big Shef three times in the twenty-first century, particularly in the Midwest, and made mention of Burger Chef in supporting advertising. In 1996, the final Burger Chef location shut its doors.