Who Invented The Smash Burger? (Hint: It Wasn't The Chain)

A beef patty flattened on the grill to create crispy outer edges and a juicy interior — that's the essence of a smash burger, and the reason why many passionately defend the viewpoint that smash burgers are better than regular burgers. This thinner style of patty has seen a rapid rise in popularity in the late 2010s, and the trend doesn't seem to be going anywhere. There are entire chain restaurants dedicated to serving this type of patty, such as its namesake Smashburger. Despite its name, Smashburger didn't invent this particular style of burger making. In fact, smash burgers are not a new invention at all. They date back to the early-20th century.

The exact origin of the smash burger is unknown, as there are several stories floating around. One story traces the beloved burger back to the Great Depression, when meat was scarce and expensive. Ross Davis, a burger vendor from Oklahoma, began mixing the beef with onions, which were much cheaper, to bulk up the patties, smashing the two together on the grill. Another story places the inception of the smash burger in Kentucky, as an accidental discovery of a line cook who worked at Dairy Cheer, which then intentionally put the item on the menu. There are other folktales about the smash burger, and however different they may be, what they all have in common is an American origin in the 1900s.

In 2007, a chain called Smashburger opened its doors, serving burgers with exclusively smashed patties. The eatery saw very fast growth, soon expanding internationally — as of 2026, it has locations in seven countries and 34 states. Through its iconic meaty burgers, the chain is largely credited with the revival of the smash burger and may have even given the flattened patty its iconic name. It's unclear what it was called before being dubbed the smash burger.

Smashburger didn't invent, and therefore doesn't own, the technique of flattening the patty on the grill, but it is very protective of the word "smash" in relation to the burgers. The chain successfully challenged several U.K. burger businesses whose names included the word "smash," which the company owns as part of a trademark. The business in question had to close their doors as a result.

It's possible that Smashburger is feeling the pressure that comes with popularizing a cooking technique — countless gourmet burger chains now serve smash burgers, often with their own spin on the style. The public interest in this style of burger also continues to grow and has consistently been doing so since 2021. In a turn of painful irony, Smashburger's sales have been struggling since the pandemic, and the chain has since attempted multiple rebranding strategies to recover its sales.