American cheese

A close-up, eye-level shot of a delicious-looking cheeseburger with a glossy, toasted bun. The burger features two patties covered in melted yellow cheese and a generous amount of creamy, orange-pink sauce that drips down the sides onto the bottom bun. It rests on a small piece of white parchment paper on a light wooden surface, with a plain white background.

The Cheeseburger Was Basically an Accident

The cheeseburger seems simple enough, but its origin story involves a teenage cook, competing claims, a trademark, chocolate experiments and a 2,014-pound burger.