The Story of the Cheeseburger: An American Classic

Few foods are as unmistakably American as the cheeseburger. Beef sizzling on a hot grill, melted cheese, a toasted bun, pickles, onions and a few simple condiments—it doesn’t need to be complicated to be great.

But where did the cheeseburger actually come from?

It Started With a Hamburger—and a Slice of Cheese

The exact origin of the cheeseburger has been debated for decades, but one of the most widely recognized stories begins in Pasadena, California, in 1924.

A teenage cook named Lionel Sternberger was working at his family’s roadside restaurant, The Rite Spot, on Colorado Boulevard. According to the story, Sternberger decided to place a slice of cheese on a hamburger patty.

Simple idea. Big result.

The restaurant eventually listed its creation as the “Aristocratic Burger: The Original Hamburger with Cheese.” Historical material associated with The Rite Spot supports Pasadena’s long-standing claim that Sternberger helped introduce one of America’s most famous foods.

The original burger reportedly sold for around 15 cents.

Not a bad investment in culinary history.

Before the Cheeseburger Became an American Icon

Hamburgers were already becoming popular across the United States during the early decades of the 20th century. They were inexpensive, quick to cook and easy to eat.

Then somebody added cheese.

By the 1930s, the cheeseburger was spreading beyond roadside stands and diners. A 1938 New York Times article even described the cheeseburger as one of the unusual food creations being served in California at the time.

It didn't stay unusual for long.

As drive-ins, diners and burger stands exploded across America during the 1940s and 1950s, the cheeseburger became part of American culture.

That era created the image many of us still associate with a classic burger today:

Beef. Cheese. Pickles. Mustard. Ketchup. A toasted bun.

Nothing fancy.

Just good food.

The Golden Age of the Cheeseburger

By the 1950s, the cheeseburger had become much more than something you grabbed for lunch.

It represented the American diner.

The neighborhood bar.

The roadside restaurant.

The drive-in.

The grill behind the counter where you could hear the beef hitting the hot steel.

Different restaurants began creating their own versions. Bacon appeared. Grilled onions became popular. Different cheeses were introduced. Special sauces followed. Eventually, chefs began building enormous gourmet burgers with almost every topping imaginable.

But after more than a century, there is still something difficult to beat about the classic cheeseburger.

Why Simple Burgers Still Work

A great cheeseburger is really about balance.

The beef should be the star.

The cheese should melt into the meat instead of overpowering it.

Pickles bring acidity and crunch.

Onions add bite or sweetness.

Mustard, ketchup or a good sauce ties everything together.

And the bun has one important job: hold everything together without getting in the way.

When every ingredient does its job, you don't need twenty toppings.

Sometimes the simplest burger is the one you remember.

Keeping the Tradition Going at IMPE Bar

At IMPE Bar, we have a lot of respect for that old-school approach to bar food.

A burger should come off the grill hot, juicy and full of flavor. It should taste like something you'd want with a cold beer while watching the game, meeting friends or hanging out at the bar.

More than 100 years after that first famous hamburger-with-cheese appeared in Pasadena, restaurants are still putting their own spin on the cheeseburger.

We do the same at IMPE Bar.

From our IMPE Burger to our Oldtimer Burger, we take inspiration from the burgers people have loved for generations while giving them the IMPE treatment.

Because trends come and go.

A great cheeseburger never goes out of style.

Come Grab One at IMPE Bar

Next time you're craving a real burger, pull up a chair, grab a cold drink and enjoy one of America's greatest food traditions.

IMPE BAR Bankers Hill • San Diego

Good burgers. Cold drinks. No unnecessary complications.

The historical section is intentionally careful about the disputed origins: Pasadena’s Lionel Sternberger story dates to 1924 and is one of the best-documented claims, rather than presenting the invention question as completely settled.