Changes

Although minced meat and what emerged as the Hamburg steak had been around for some time, it was only in the late 19th century, with industrialized meat processing, that Hamburg steak began to become more popular and widespread. With increased wealth, beef also became more affordable and popular in the United States in the late 19th century in the 1880s and 1890s in particular. Chicago, during this time, arose as a central hub for meat processing as it had developed a vast network of rail that much of the country was tied to; the innovation of refrigeration also played an important role in spreading the popularity of meat. The rise of meat and beef in particular led to a lot of experimentation with beef-related products, including different types of minced beef and steaks. Most likely we will never know the exact origin of the hamburger but it is very likely related to the increased influence of Hamburg-based beef production and steak, while the rise in popularity of beef and meat in the late 19th century likely led to developments such as the hamburger.

The name 'hamburger' suggests an origin from Hamburg-style food, but who was the first person who put grounded beef together within two slices of bread is claimed by multiple people. One possibility is Charlie Nagreen (1871–1951), from Wisconsin, may have influenced the idea of a hamburger. He was selling Hamburg steaks and customers began to complain it was hard to eat them on the go as he sold his food at a street stall. He may have been among the earliest to flatten the steak and use bread as a way for his customers to grab the meat and eat it. The town of Seymour, Wisconsin, where he was from, still celebrates this and has led to the nickname "Hamburger Charlie" for this development.<ref>For more on the rise of the American hamburger, see: Schlosser, E., & Wilson, C. (2006). <i>Chew on this: everything you don’t want to know about fast food</i>. Boston [Mass.]: Houghton Mifflin Co, pg. 271.</ref>