Photography by Ian L. Sitren

Posts tagged “National Hamburger Day

Today is National Hamburger Day May 28th

At Shake Shack, the menu listed a three‑patty burger, and that was all the excuse I needed. So I bought three of them—because why settle for one triple burger when you can line up three towers of beef and ShackSauce? No cheese, no rearranging, no styling. Just three oversized burgers straight from the bag to my black background.

Shake Shack Background

  • Started as a hot‑dog cart in Madison Square Park, New York City, in 2001, expanding to a permanent kiosk in 2004.
  • Went public in 2015 under the ticker SHAK, with its stock doubling to $47 on one day.
  • Now has 600+ locations worldwide, with a mix of company‑owned and licensed restaurants.
  • Burgers use a proprietary Pat LaFrieda beef blend, cooked on a griddle for a caramelized crust and served on Martin’s potato rolls with their signature ShackSauce.

Burger Facts

  • Americans eat about 50 billion burgers every year, averaging 26 burgers per person annually.
  • Triple‑patty burgers remain uncommon, making three of them a fitting choice for National Hamburger Day.

See more from my ongoing fast‑food photo series, From Bag to Background, here:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0/I0000nUG8tfk8Gdc


National Hamburger Day: A Step Beyond the Drive-Thru

Today May 28 is National Hamburger Day!

It’s a day that recognizes one of America’s most iconic and enduring foods—no matter how you stack it. From drive-thrus to diners, from backyard grills to corporate chains, the hamburger has been part of our cultural shorthand for over a century.

For this year’s photo, I went local. These are four double hamburgers from Boy’s Hamburgers in Cathedral City, California. No cheese. No styling. Just toasted buns, shredded lettuce, tomato, sauce, and two grilled beef patties—exactly as served.

I picked Boy’s because for National Hamburger Day, it just felt right to go with a place that proudly puts “Hamburgers” in the name. It’s not a chain, but it’s not trying to be upscale either—certainly great food, a step up from the usual big-name fast food. The kind of spot that’s been doing its thing for years without having to change much.

Part of my ongoing From Bag to Background series, this image isolates the food—no branding, no props—letting the burger speak for itself. More on my website at SecondFocus.com