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National Cheeseburger Day arrives today, with restaurants across the United States offering free items, discounted burgers and special meal deals. Several of the biggest promotions require a mobile app, a rewards account or a minimum purchase.
The celebration also gives the cheeseburger a chance to take center stage. The food has a history that stretches back to the 1920s, although the exact origin remains disputed. Lionel Sternberger is widely credited with an early version after reportedly adding cheese to a hamburger at his father’s restaurant in Pasadena, California. Other restaurants later claimed a role in creating or naming the dish.
Cheeseburger deals to know today
McDonald’s is offering MyMcDonald’s Rewards members a free Double Cheeseburger with a minimum $1 purchase through its app at participating locations.
Burger King is also giving rewards members a free Bacon Cheeseburger with a qualifying purchase. The offer is part of the chain’s weeklong Perks Week promotion and is available through its app and website under the stated terms.
Applebee’s is offering a Classic Burger or Classic Cheeseburger with fries for $8.99 today. The promotion is available for dine-in and to-go orders through participating restaurants, the website or the app.
Five Guys is running a buy-one-get-one-free burger promotion through its app and website with the code BOGOBURGER. The offer began Sept. 16 and is part of the chain’s National Cheeseburger Day promotion.
Dairy Queen is offering rewards members a free single Original Cheeseburger Signature Stackburger with an order of at least $1 through the app or online. The promotion runs through today at participating locations.
BurgerFi is offering a second Double Cheeseburger for $1 when customers purchase the first one. The promotion is available at participating locations while supplies last.
Why the cheeseburger still has a story to tell
The cheeseburger’s exact beginnings remain difficult to pin down. Sternberger’s story is among the best-known accounts, but competing claims emerged as the food became popular. O’Dell’s in Los Angeles had cheeseburgers on its menu by 1928, while Louisville’s Kaelin’s later claimed an important place in the dish’s history.
That uncertain history has done little to slow its popularity. Today, National Cheeseburger Day has become another opportunity for restaurant chains to draw customers with limited-time offers and loyalty rewards.
Before ordering, check the restaurant’s app or website. Many promotions have minimum purchases, membership requirements, location restrictions or limited redemption periods. Prices and availability can also vary by restaurant.
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