Pop Culture Burger Superlatives

In honor of the most wonderful/cholesterol-filled time of the year, we want to celebrate the humble hamburger.  The most American meal has had plenty of screen time over the years.  From piggin out on burgers in Animal House to the trademark-infringing McDowell’s in Coming to America, there have been many notable beef patties. Today, we celebrate the best of the best burgers from our favorite movies and TV shows. Hottest Burger - Dumb and Dumber Although Dante’s Inferno was “more tingly than hot,” the burger is seared into our memory. The peppers were not intended to be so high on the Scoville scale, but the unimaginative prank saved Harry and Lloyd’s life. Most Honest - Parks and Recreation, Paunch Burger https://youtu.be/2BsNEz9qNZs Paunch Burger officially dethroned In-N-Out as the most accurate and descriptive restaurant name.   Leslie Knope stood up against the Paunch during season five of the show.  Paunch Burger was a worthy adversary because their honest and slightly aggressive commercials were difficult to oppose.  Who doesn’t love eating 1,500 calories solely from liquid cheese? Best Feud - Good Burger, Mondo Burger v. Good Burger In Good Burger, Kenan and Kel have to protect the recipe to the “secret sauce.” Like the elusive Cane’s sauce, the secret sauce was the reason for the success of Good Burger and therefore their dominance over evil Mondo Burger.  The 1997 movie is a thoughtful telling of a small business going up against a corporate giant. The story is a classic, although I’m unsure the actual movie would hold up twenty years later. Or...Best Feud - SpongeBob Squarepants, The Krusty Krab v. The Chum Bucket In SpongeBob SquarePants, SpongeBob and Patrick have to protect the recipe to the “secret formula.” Like the elusive Cane’s sauce, the secret formula was the reason for the success of The Krusty Krab and therefore their dominance over the evil Chum Bucket.  The 1999 TV Show is a thoughtful telling of two friends who work together to achieve a common goal. The story is a classic, which is why I’m sure the show still continues for almost 20 years. Best Pop Culture References - Bob’s Burgers If you like red meat and puns then you will love Bob’s Burger of the Day Board.  Although the creations sound like they were sprung out of the brain of a drunk, madman, the menu adds an extra surprise joke to each episode. Some of my personal favorites are:

• Little Swiss Bunshine Burger - (Comes on a buttered bun)
• The Final Kraut Down Burger (Comes with sauerkraut)
• Poutine on the Ritz Burger - (Comes with poutine fries)
• I Fought the Slaw Burger (And the Slaw Won)

Most Inspirational - Super Size Me For many, Super Size Me was a documentary that showed why consumers should definitely not eat at McDonald’s.  However, seeing Spurlock eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at McDonalds and gain over 20 pounds, made me hungry.  The expose achieved its goal to show how harmful eating at the restaurant chain can be to your body, but deep down the documentary also made you crave a Big Mac and a large fry. The GOAT - Pulp Fiction, Big Kahuna Burger The Big Kahuna Burger Restaurant is magic.  The Big Kahuna Burger “is a tasty burger” and is the “cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast,” according to an Afro’ed Samuel L. Jackson.  Because of BKB, we know how to pronounce a “quarter pounder with cheese” in France.    The burger is the catalyst for the plot of Pulp Fiction, therefore it is the most important burger of all time. These burgers are iconic. Here’s hoping your burgers from Lexington’s Burger Week are just as memorable.