Welcome to the new series The Ex Food Files, where we recreate all the favorites you can no longer get.
Episode 1 - Bob's Big Boy Burger Copycat Recipe.
The signature Big Boy hamburger is the original double deck hamburger.[57]
The novel hambur…
Welcome to the new series The Ex Food Files, where we recreate all the favorites you can no longer get.
Episode 1 - Bob's Big Boy Burger Copycat Recipe.
The signature Big Boy hamburger is the original double deck hamburger.[57]
The novel hamburger started as a joke. In February 1937, members of an area big band, who were regular customers, visited Bob’s Pantry, one asking, "How about something different, something special?"[58] [emphasis added]. Bob Wian improvised, creating the first (then unnamed) Big Boy, intending the thing "look ridiculous, like a leaning tower".[58] Demand for "the special" soared but Wian sought a "snappy" name, which became Big Boy.[58][note 6] In 1938 the Big Boy hamburger cost 15¢.[60][61]
The Big Boy hamburger inspired and was the model for other double deck hamburgers. This includes McDonald's Big Mac, Burger Chef's Big Shef and Burger King's Big King.[62][63]
The Big Boy consists of two thin beef patties placed on a three layer bun with lettuce, a single slice of cheese, and either mayonnaise and red relish (a combination of sweet pickle relish, ketchup and chili sauce),[64] Big Boy special sauce (often called thousand island dressing) or (in some locations) tartar sauce on each slice of bun. (Regardless, the Big Boy condiment used was often simply referred to as "special sauce" on menus chainwide.) Wian used a sesame seed bun while Frisch's used a plain bun and included pickles. The Big Boy hamburger originally called for a quarter pound (4 ounces) of fresh ground beef, but later, franchisees were permitted to use frozen beef patties, and the minimum content reduced to a fifth of a pound to offset increasing food costs. Other specifications were exacting, such as the bun's bottom section being 1½ inches high and the center section ¾ inches, and 1½ ounces of shredded lettuce used.[65]
Originally, the Big Boy hamburger was the only common menu item required of all Big Boy franchisees
Named Big Boy franchisees are listed below wit..
