Why is a Hamburger called a Hamburger?

Summary

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Who Smarted? – “Why is a Hamburger called a Hamburger?”

Podcast: Who Smarted?
Host: Adam Tex Davis
Episode Date: February 18, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of Who Smarted? dives into the origins, history, and global variations of the hamburger, unraveling the mystery behind its name (hint: it’s not about ham!). With classic Who Smarted? humor, immersive storytelling, and interactive trivia, Adam Tex Davis (Host), the comedic Fast Food Worker (Jerry Colbert), and the wisecracking Smartie Genie (Chris In N out Okawa) guide listeners on a time-jumping journey through burger history. The episode answers intriguing questions like: Why is it called a hamburger when there’s no ham? Who really invented it? And what’s the deal with the world’s biggest burger?

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Hamburger Ordering Sketch and Set-up

• The episode opens with a fast-food skit which sets a playful, humorous tone, introducing the “Smarty Burger,” “Smarty Sauce,” and “Smartie Meal” to parody fast-food culture.
• [00:07] Host tries to order a hamburger but encounters branding confusion:
  • “Let me get hamburger.” – Host (00:07)
  • “You mean Smarty Burger?” – Fast Food Worker (00:09)
  • “If that's a hamburger, yes.” – Host (00:11)

2. Enter the Burger Genie

• Host finds a “tiny plastic lamp” in his meal which unleashes the Smartie Genie, who grants him burger-related wishes.
• Hilarious wish mishap piles 4–5,000 burgers on the host to illustrate that “average Americans eat 60 burgers a year—4 to 5,000 in a lifetime.”
  • “You asked for a lifetime supply.” – Genie (02:23)

3. Burger Name Trivia, Global Burger Styles

• Global variations make burgers a universal favorite, but the key question is raised: Why is there no ham in a hamburger?
• Host quizzes listeners on the burger’s name origin, providing multiple choice to boost interactivity:
  • “Why is a hamburger called a hamburger when it's usually made with ground beef and not ham?” (04:41)
• Answer: The name comes from Hamburg, Germany, not the meat.
  • “The hamburger gets its name from a city in Germany called Hamburg.” – Genie (04:58)

4. Tracing the Hamburger’s True Origins

• Explores multiple legends and claimants to the “first hamburger” title:
  • Walter Anderson (White Castle, Kansas, 1916): Flattened meatballs into patties for faster service, inspiring fast-food assembly (06:05)
    • “Look at that. Flat beats round. Hmm. You know what? I might be onto something here.” – Walter Anderson (06:14)
  • Louie’s Lunch (Connecticut, 1900): Library of Congress cite for the “first hamburger” on toast (07:50)
  • Hamburger Charlie (Seymour, Wisconsin, 1885): 15-year-old sells meatball in bread at fair (08:43)
  • British cookbook, 1700s: Hannah Glass mentions a “Hamburg sausage,” beef on bread, in London (10:03)
  • Mongol Warriors, 1200s: Meat tenderized under saddles, “first burgers” claim (10:25)
  • Ancient Rome, 1st century: Chopped beef patty references (10:44)
• Conclusion: Many people, many locations, and no single inventor.
  • “The idea of meat on bread is so simple and so portable... more than one person is said to have created the first one.” – Host (11:01)

5. Veggie Burger and Modern Alternatives

• The episode highlights that ~20% of the world’s population doesn’t eat meat and discusses the origin of the veggie burger.
  • “Most say the first one was sold in 1982 at a restaurant in London by a vegetarian cook named Gregory Sams.” (17:28)
• Notes health aspects—veggie burgers may be lower in fat but higher in sodium.

6. The World’s Largest Hamburger (Fun Fact Finale)

• Listeners travel to Germany (not Hamburg, but Pilsting, 2017) where a 2,566-pound burger was assembled and sold for charity.
  • “Any guess how much this monster weighs?...Try over 2,000 pounds. 566 pounds. Or 1,164 kilograms.” – Genie (19:26)
• The massive burger is not for single-person consumption!
  • “You should definitely not eat the world’s largest burger by yourself.” – Genie (18:24)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Burger Genie Wish Gone Wrong
  • “Average Americans like yourself eat at least 60 burgers a year… You asked for a lifetime supply.” – Genie (02:23)
• On the Elusive Origin of the Burger
  • “The idea of meat on bread is so simple… it’s no surprise that more than one person is said to have created the first one.” – Host (11:01)
• On Global Styles
  • “In Australia and New Zealand… fried eggs, beet slices or pineapple. In Japan… mustard and chocolate. In Mexico… egg and ham.” – Host (03:58)
• On Name Origins
  • “The hamburger gets its name from a city in Germany called Hamburg.” – Genie (04:58)
• Burger Record
  • “You’d need more than 8,000 Smarty Burgers to equal this one or two cows.” – Host (19:36)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:07] Opening Fast Food Parody
• [01:34] Smartie Genie Appears
• [02:23] Burger Statistics (average per American)
• [04:41] Trivia: Why "Hamburger"?
• [05:05] Explanation: Hamburg Origin
• [06:05] Walter Anderson Smooshes Meatballs
• [06:37] White Castle Founding
• [07:50] Louie’s Lunch in New Haven, Library of Congress
• [08:43] “Hamburger Charlie,” Seymour, Wisconsin, 1885
• [10:03] Hannah Glass, London cookbook, 1700s
• [10:25] Mongol Warriors, 1200s
• [10:44] Ancient Rome, 1st century
• [11:01] Why it’s hard to pinpoint the first burger
• [17:24] World’s first veggie burgers (Gregory Sams, London, 1982)
• [18:36] World’s Largest Burger (Pilsting, Germany, 2017)
• [19:36] Burger weight and fun math

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Tone and Presentation

• Humorous, cheeky, and conversational. The episode uses playful banter, “genie wish” mishaps, and global trivia to keep kids engaged.
• Interactive: Frequent direct questions to listeners encourage participation (e.g., “Smarty pants, do you know why it’s so difficult to pinpoint the very first burger?”)
• Educational, but light-hearted: The podcast blends real historical facts with silly sound effects, jokes, and sitcom-style asides.

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Summary Takeaways

• The “hamburger” is named after Hamburg, Germany, not the ham in the meat.
• No single person invented the hamburger; variations have appeared in many countries over centuries.
• Fast food culture popularized the modern burger, thanks to innovators like Walter Anderson and chains like White Castle.
• Burgers are enjoyed (and adapted!) worldwide—sometimes with surprising toppings.
• The veggie burger’s origin is modern, illustrating changing diets and food innovation.
• The world’s biggest burger tipped the scales at over 2,500 pounds and was a community effort for charity.

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Final Quote

“Okay, that wraps up this episode. I’m ready to wish for my lifetime supply of burgers now—spaced out over time, not all at once.”
– Host (Adam Tex Davis) [19:54]

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Who Smarted? continues to blend giggles and genuine science/history lessons, making learning about even a simple burger a deliciously fun adventure.

Transcript

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

And now it's time for who's Smarted?

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

Welcome to Smart Burger, home of the Smarty Burger. How can I help you?

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Let me get hamburger.

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

You mean Smarty Burger?

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

If that's a hamburger, yes.

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

Would you like Smarty Sauce on it?

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

What is Smarty Sauce?

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

Why, ketchup, mustard and mayo and a dash of paprika.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Oh, so you mean the secret sauce at every other fast food restaurant?

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

I just work here, man.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Sorry, no Smarty Sauce. I'll just put on some ketchup myself.

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

Would you like to make it a Smartie Meal?

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

What's that?

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

A Smartie Burger, Smartie Fries, and Smartie soft drink. Oh, and a toy.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Um, no, I just want a hamburger.

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

Smartie Burger.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Right. One Smartie Burger, actually. Maybe I will get Smarty Sauce on it. Oh, yeah, make it a Smartie Meal. I'm curious about the toy.

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

That's $4.50.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Hey, smartypants. As you can hear, I'm at a local fast food restaurant ready to enjoy a juicy, delicious hamburger.

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

Oh, you didn't say juicy or delicious. Those cost extra.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Wait, what?

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

Just kidding. Here you go.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Oh, thanks. Mmm. Oh, yeah. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. Oh, that's good. As you may or may not know, Smarty pants, the hamburger is one of the world's most popular foods. And, oh, look, the toy is a tiny plastic lamp, like from Aladdin. It seems to have some Smarty Sauce on it. I'll just rub it clean.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Greetings. I'm the Smartie Genie of the Lamp. I am here to grant you three wishes.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Oh, wow. A real life genie in my Smarty Meal. Ooh. What should I wish for, smarty pants? World peace, Endless riches? A who Smarted animated Netflix series.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Sorry, I only granted grant wishes related to hamburgers.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Oh. Seems like a rather limited power.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

What did you expect from a kid's plastic meal toy?

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Point taken. Well, I do love hamburgers, so I'll wish for a lifetime supply of burgers.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Smarty Burgers.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Right.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Your burger wish is my burger command.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Uh, Smarty Genie, why are there burgers popping up all around me?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Average Americans like yourself eat at at least 60 burgers a year, over one a week. Which means they'll eat about 4 to 5,000 burgers in their lifetimes. You asked for a lifetime supply.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Yeah, but not here. And not all at once.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Well, excuse me. Burgers be gone.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Thanks. Oh, no. You made the burger I was eating disappear.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Wow, you are just never happy. Do you want to use a third wish to make it come back?

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

What? I already used two wishes. Oh, no, never mind. I'll just order another one. But no Smarty Meal this time. In the meantime, smarty pants, how much do you enjoy eating hamburgers? Little lot. Not at all. Either way, there's no denying how popular they are. But how much do you know about them? Like who invented the hamburger? Where did it come from? How did it become so popular? And why is it called a hamburger when there's no ham in it? It's time for a nice flame broiled whiff of history and science on how smarted.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Who's smarted? Who's smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history? Listen up, everyone. We make smart lots of fun on who's smart.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

And.

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

Here you go, another Smarty Burger. Thanks.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

So, Smartypants, how do you like your burger? If you're here in America, you might have it on a bun with ketchup and or mayo and mustard, some cheese, and some combination of pickles, onions, lettuce and tomato. But that's far from the only way to eat a burger. In Australia and New Zealand, some people enjoy burgers with fried eggs, beet slices or pineapple. Some Canadians eat theirs with brown gravy. In East Asia, burgers might be served on rice patties instead of buns. And in Japan, people sometimes eat burgers topped with mustard and chocolate. And if you live in Mexico, you might get a burger topped with egg and ham. Which begs the question, why is a hamburger called a hamburger when it's usually made with ground beef and and not ham? Is it because A, burgers were originally made with ham? B, all meat products were once called ham? Or C, the burger is named after a place, not a meat.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Oh, I know. The answer is C. The hamburger gets its name from a city in Germany called Hamburg.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

What do you think, smarty pants? Is the Burger Genie, right? He sure is. Hamburg was a big city for trade back in the 1100s. It was known to have good beef products, including a chopped steak similar to ground beef, known as Hamburg steak. So, knowing all that, smarty pants, true or false? Hamburg is the birthplace of the hamburger. The answer is false. But wait, how could that be? Genie, can you enlighten us without it costing me my third and final wish? Sure.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Your modest request is my command.

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

Meatball on a roll. Get your meatball on a roll here.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Hey, Genie, where are we?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Wichita, Kansas, in 1916.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

I see. And who's the guy with the food cart who sounds a lot like the cashier at Smarty Burger?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

His name is Walter Anderson, and he's a Cook who can't cook his meatballs fast enough.

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

That's right. So you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna smash these meatballs with this spatula to cook them faster.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Ha.

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

Look at that. Flat beats round. Hmm. You know what? I might be onto something here.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

He sure was. In fact, if memory serves me correct, I mentioned Walter Anderson here on our Lunches episode. Smarty Pants, what fast food chain will Walter Anderson help create? Is it A, McDonald's, B, Wendy's, or C, White Castle?

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

The answer is C, White Castle. White castle opened in 1921, and it's the restaurant that transformed the hamburger from a lunch cart snack to a meal everyone can enjoy. My method of cooking and serving fast food eventually inspired other restaurant chains, including McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Wow.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

And it all started with a smushed meatball. Uh, what's that sound? What?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

I don't hear anything.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

It's coming from your little plastic lamp.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

I don't know what you're talking about. What? No, I didn't take you to the wrong place at all.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

There is definitely a noise coming from. Wait a sec. Are we in the wrong place? Is that what that beeping means?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Uh, it means something's a teensy wincy bit off.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

How off?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Well, Walter here, he did help create White Castle and make the burger famous, but he probably didn't cook the first one.

[Fast Food Worker / Narrator (Jerry Colbert)]

I didn't?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Nope. Sorry.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Toodaloo.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Ah, here we go.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Where are we now?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

The year is 1900. The place, New Haven, Connecticut, and a restaurant called Louie's lunch, where the U.S. library of Congress says the hamburger was born.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Here?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Yep. So the story goes. A customer came in one day and needed a lunch fast, and they wanted something they could eat on the go. So, Lou, the owner, says, sure thing, pal. Hey, I got an idea. I'll make a patty out of these bits of steak. I'll put it on some toast, and there you go.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

The first hamburger.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Yep, that's. Oh, boy. Not again.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Now what?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Seems there's proof of hamburgers before 1900. Follow me.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Now, when and where are we?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

1885, at a fair in Seymour, Wisconsin. A young food vendor named Charlie Nagren realized people can eat and enjoy the fare at the same time. If he smooshed his meatballs between two slices of bread.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

I know you said he was young, but he looks like a kid.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Yep, he's just 15 years old. He becomes known as Hamburger Charlie. How will you stop beeping?

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Let me guess. This isn't where the hamburger was invented. Smarty pants, where do you think the hamburger was created be? Texas?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

New York, Virginia, California, Oklahoma? There's just so many claims to it.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Ah, but I'm noticing one thing all those places have in common. Smarty pants, have you picked up on it? Why? They're all in the United States. So it's safe to say the hamburger was born in the usa, right?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Sure. We can say that or not.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

So not from the United States.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Come on, let's give somewhere else a try.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Okay, smarty pants, care to guess where we are? Is it Paris, London or Tokyo? Oh, why? It's London in the mid-1700s. And why are we in London in the mid-1700s?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Because a British chef and cookbook author named Hannah Glass wrote about her new dish, the Hamburg sausage, which was basically ground beef on toasted bread.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Sounds kind of burgery.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Yep, but never mind. Forget London.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Where are we now?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Riding horses into battle with Mongol warriors back in the 1200s. There's meat under the saddles. Tenderizing.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Gross. Do they eat it later?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

You bet. Some say these are the first burgers, but not everyone.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Are we in ancient Rome?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Yep. During the first century, ancient artifacts say chopped beef patty was made here. That has to be the first burger, right? Or was there one even earlier? I give up.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Smarty pants. Do you know why it's so difficult to pinpoint the very first burger? Is it A, because meat and bread have been around basically forever? B, people like to eat on the go, or C, cooks are always inventing things and multiple people might have the same idea. If you answered A, B or C, you're right. The idea of meat on bread is so simple and so portable and so easy to come up with. It's no surprise that more than one person is said to to have created the first one.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Well, if we can track down the first burger. Do you wish to see the world's largest?

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Oh, that sounds fun. We'll find out the home of the world's largest burger right after this quick break and a word from our sponsors. Hey there, homeschool parents. Trusty here. And wow. February. Oof. Am I right? The days are short, the calendar is packed, and you want to keep learning, consistent and moving towards spring goals without more stress for you. For your kids, that is where IXL comes in. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into homeschooling. It offers interactive personalized practice across math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. Whether your kids need to reinforce a tricky concept or they're ready to zoom ahead. IXL handles the heavy lifting at your kids pace, including immediate and simple explanations of anything they get wrong so you don't have to be an expert on, well, everything. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and who SmartEd listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when you sign up today at www.ixl.com smarted. Visit www.ixl.com smartEd to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. Hey smarty friends Trusty here. Are you looking for another kids and family podcast that combines humor with learning in a way that captivates? Then check out welcome to Hope Springs. It is the newest audio drama from the Augustan Institute, the award winning team behind the Adventures of Nick and Sam and the Trials of St Patrick. Set in the fictional mountain town of Hope Springs, the story follows a close group of friends who spend their days at the old depot, a newly restored train station, until an innocent prank sparks a mystery that stretches across the entire town. Created by award winning writer Paul McCusker, it's packed with humor, adventure and really thoughtful moments of friendship, courage and faith. It's the kind of show that sparks imagination without screens, and it's perfect for listening together in the car or at home. Don't miss out. Follow welcome to Hope Springs on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening now. As the trusty narrator, I've taken the smarty pants on countless adventures. I'll do anything for the fans, but off mic, I prefer to keep my adventures in the safe space of my own backyard. However, even a homebody like me can't avoid the unexpected chaos that comes with family life. Take last week for example. My niece was staying with me when she came down with a nasty cold in the middle of the night. I couldn't leave her alone to get medicine. And that's when I remembered Doordash is there for you. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. With a few taps on my phone, I had cough syrup and tissues delivered right to my door. DoorDash saved the night and my niece was back to her energetic self in no time. Oh, and did I order a little ice cream for myself. Yes, I did. And DoorDash brought it right to my door. So while I may not be the biggest fan of real life adventures, I'm grateful that Doordash is always there to help me navigate life's little emergencies. When life happens, get a little order delivered with DoorDash order now. Smarty pants. Smarty parents Trusty here, and I've got something kind of emotional to share with you. So many of you have asked how you can start your own podcast, and we've been thinking hard about how to help you do that. So we created the first ever who Smarted Podcast camp. This is the kind of program that I wish someone had given me as a kid, or honestly, even as an adult, because it would have made everything so much easier. Parents, here's what you need to know. This is designed for kids age 6 to 11, and your kids can do this on their own. You don't need any special equipment, just whatever you already have. And by the end, your kid will have actually made a real podcast. Something their friends will love, something their grandparents will love. And smarty pants, if you've ever had ideas or stories in your head that you wish other people could hear, that this is how you make that happen. Plus, you'll learn how to tell better stories and think more clearly, which, honestly helps with everything. It's a self paced camp with lessons dropping starting March 1st. And we've got your back anytime you get stuck or need some advice. Oh, and you know how so many of you have asked for a trusty narrator face reveal? Well, you're gonna get it because I'll be on camera personally teaching the video lessons. We're announcing this to the world next week, but we wanted to give you guys our whosmarted family first crack at a very special early bird price of just $78. That's more than 50% off the regular price, but it's only good through February 18th. Head to WhoSmarted.com and click on Podcast Camp and check out all the details. I cannot wait to see what you guys create. But don't wait, because when this family discount goes away on the 18th, it's gone. That's WhoSmarted.com and click podcast Camp. Now back to who smarted. Okay, smarty pants. We've talked a lot about the standard hamburger, which is made with meat from a cow, but about how much of the world's population does not eat meat. 10%? 20%? 50%. The answer is nearly 20%. About one and a half billion people. But they might enjoy a veggie burger.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Oh, I can show you the first veggie burger.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Not today, Smarty pants. Any guess when the first veggie burger was made? Was it A, in ancient Times, B, the 1820s, or C, the 1980s? While the history of the veggie burger is also hazy, most say the first one was sold in 1982 at a restaurant in London by a vegetarian cook named Gregory Sams. It was made with wheat, gluten, sesame, soy and oats.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

I hear it took many, many tries to get the burger flavor right.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Yeah, and some say they never got it right. These days, plant based burgers are made with a variety of ingredients. Some can be healthier than beef burgers, some not so much. And while veggie burgers might have fewer calories, less fat and more fiber, they also might have a lot more sodium than beef burgers. As with everything, check the ingredients before you eat. And to stay healthy, don't eat too much of any kind of burger.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

You should definitely not eat the world's largest burger by yourself.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

True. But I do wish to see it.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

My pleasure.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Wow, look at that ginormous burger. Burger. When and where are we?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

2017 in the country of Hamburg. Steaks.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Sparty pants, do you remember what country Hamburg is in? Is it Belgium, Austria or Germany? That's right, Germany.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Except we're not in Hamburg. We're in the village of Pilsting. A group of 300 people work together to create this monster burger. It's made with three meat patties and topped with tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, onions and hamburger sauce. Of course, it has a giant bar. Any guess how much this monster weighs?

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Smarty pants, how much do you think the largest hamburger weighed? 100 pounds? 500 pounds? 1,000 pounds?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Not even close, my friend. Try over 2,000 pounds. 566 pounds. Or 1,164 kilograms.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Wow. You'd need more than 8,000 smarty burgers to equal this one or two cows. So did one person eat all of that?

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Nope. It was caught up and sold in hunks. The money went to charity.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Nice. Okay, that wraps up this episode. I'm ready to wish for my lifetime supply of burgers now spaced out over time. Not all at once.

[Smartie Genie / Historical Narrator (Chris In N out Okawa)]

Oh, sorry, trusty. You used your third wish to come here. We're done.

[Host (Adam Tex Davis)]

Oh, well, can I get another Smarty meal? Please hold the toy. A big twin shout out to Logan and Penny in Canyon Country, California. Thanks for writing to us and letting us know how much your family loves listening. I was especially excited to hear how eager you both are to learn about new and current topics. Thanks for making who Smarted your bedtime show and keep on smarting, Smarty pants. This episode, Hamburgers was written by Dave Flame, Broiled Beaudry, and voiced by Chris In N out Okawa, Adam Lettuce Wrapper Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh. Have it your way, Han. Our associate producer is Max Big Mac Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Soyberger Suarez, with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis. Who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Audio production.