The story of Burger Chef began in 1954 when two brothers, Frank and Donald Thomas, opened their first location in Indianapolis. This was no ordinary burger joint. The brothers introduced an open flame broiler with a conveyor system that could churn out 800 burgers an hour. Imagine that! It revolutionized the fast-food game, making it easier to meet customer demand while boosting profits.

Burger Chef didn’t just stop there. The chain quickly grew, and by 1968, the General Foods Corporation bought out the brothers, leading to even more expansion. At its peak, there were over 1,000 locations across the United States, with a few even popping up in Canada. It was a serious competitor in the fast-food scene. In fact, during the 1970s, it had more locations than anyone else, except for McDonald’s.

One of the most significant milestones for Burger Chef came in 1973 when they changed the fast-food industry forever. They introduced the first-ever kid’s meal. This wasn’t just a small portion of food. It was a full meal that was perfectly sized for children and came with a toy. Sound familiar? That’s because McDonald’s Happy Meal was modeled after Burger Chef’s original creation. They were innovators, setting trends that would shape fast food for decades to come.