When is National Hamburger Day?
National Hamburger Day 2027 is on Friday
Friday, May 28, 2027
May 28 every year. That's in 223 days.
until National Hamburger Day begins, in your time zone
National Hamburger Day is an informal US food holiday celebrating the hamburger, a ground-beef sandwich whose American origin is still argued over by several towns. It arrives at the start of grilling season, around Memorial Day.
About National Hamburger Day
National Hamburger Day honors one of the most familiar meals in the United States, whether it comes off a diner griddle, a backyard grill or a family-run burger stand. No founder or sponsoring organization is documented, and the day has no official status. National news outlets, including Fox News, treat May 28 as the date, and some international coverage calls the same day International Hamburger Day.
The hamburger's own history is disputed. Fox News notes that there is no official record of who made the first one. The name points to Hamburg, Germany, and several American places claim the sandwich. One Wisconsin story credits Charlie Nagreen, who is said to have flattened a meatball between pieces of bread in 1885 so customers could eat while walking. Another credits Fletcher Davis, who claimed to have brought the burger to the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.
The best-documented claim belongs to Louis' Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut. According to the Lassen family's account, Louis Lassen, who ran a lunch wagon for factory workers, ground up leftover steak trimmings in 1900, broiled them and served them between slices of toast. In 2000, Representative Rosa DeLauro entered a tribute in the Congressional Record after the Library of Congress named Louis' Lunch a Connecticut 'Local Legacy.' The restaurant still serves its burgers on toast, and it does not offer ketchup.
Because the observance has no single owner, other dates also circulate. Some Connecticut sources mark July 28, the day the Lassen family gives for that first New Haven hamburger in 1900.
Sources: Fox News: National Hamburger Day, history of the patties (2023), Congressional Record: Honoring Louis' Lunch on its 105th anniversary (July 27, 2000), Today in Connecticut History: July 28, The World's First Hamburger (2020), The Citizen (South Africa): International Hamburger Day, a celebration of a global icon (2025). How we check dates.
How to mark National Hamburger Day
- Grill burgers at home and check the center with a food thermometer, following food safety guidance for ground beef rather than judging by color.
- Visit a long-running local burger stand or diner and ask about its history.
- Try a regional style, such as a New Haven burger on toast, a smashed griddle burger or a steamed cheeseburger.
- Make a plant-based or turkey burger for guests who don't eat beef.
- Read about the competing hamburger origin stories and decide which evidence you find most convincing.
National Hamburger Day dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Wednesday, May 28, 2025 |
| 2026 | Thursday, May 28, 2026 |
| 2027 | Friday, May 28, 2027 |
| 2028 | Sunday, May 28, 2028 |
| 2029 | Monday, May 28, 2029 |
| 2030 | Tuesday, May 28, 2030 |
| 2031 | Wednesday, May 28, 2031 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is National Hamburger Day 2027?
National Hamburger Day 2027 is on Friday, May 28, 2027. It falls on May 28 every year. In 2028, it is on Sunday, May 28, 2028.
Who invented the hamburger?
No one knows for sure. Louis' Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut, says Louis Lassen served the first one in 1900, while other stories credit Charlie Nagreen in Wisconsin in 1885 or Fletcher Davis at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.
Is National Hamburger Day on May 28 or July 28?
Most US coverage marks it on May 28. July 28 is sometimes used in Connecticut because the Lassen family gives July 28, 1900, as the day Louis Lassen served his first hamburger.
What is the difference between National Hamburger Day and National Cheeseburger Day?
National Hamburger Day on May 28 covers burgers in general. National Cheeseburger Day falls on September 18 and focuses on burgers topped with cheese.
Is National Hamburger Day a public holiday?
No. National Hamburger Day is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.