Crown Burgers is a small hamburger fast food restaurant chain based in Salt Lake City, Utah started in 1978 by Nick and John Katzourakis. As of 2023, they have seven locations, all in Utah. [1]
The Utah chain has a history rooted in Greek immigration and a commitment to community. The Katzourakis family opened Crown Burger in 1978 after facing job loss in California. The menu reflects the diversity seen in Greek immigrant food carts, offering burgers, burritos, fish and chips, and Greek gyros. Crown Burgers also carries its own version of the regional condiment fry sauce, a combination of ketchup, mayonnaise and spices. [2]
Dean Maroudas, who now manages Crown Burger, highlights the importance of community and customer preferences. Crown Burger's success and expansion across Utah are attributed to this community-oriented approach, contrasting a global conquest mindset. [2]
The Pastrami burger, a cheeseburger which also includes hot pastrami, was first served at Minos Burgers in Anaheim, California by James Katsanevas, a relative of the Katzourakis. [1] [3] Katsanevas originally learned to make pastrami burgers from a Los Angeles man of Turkish descent. When the Katzourakis opened the first Crown Burgers in Utah, they added Katsanevas's pastrami burger to the menu, and it became their signature burger, the "Crown Burger". Crown Burgers' pastrami burger has become a staple of restaurant cuisine in Salt Lake City, with a variety of local restaurants offering the sandwich, as well as the international chain Carl’s Jr. [3] The Katsanevas would later open the second Crown Burgers location in Utah. [1]
In 2010, Crown Burgers was named as serving The Official Best Burgers of Utah in 2011 in an episode of Travel Channel's Man v. Food . [4]
Crown Burgers is such a fixture in the Salt Lake Valley that in the London production of The Book of Mormon musical, the Crown Burgers logo can be seen on the backdrop for Salt Lake City stage scenes. [5]
A hamburger, or simply a burger, is a dish consisting of fillings—usually a patty of ground meat, typically beef—placed inside a sliced bun or bread roll. The patties are often served with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, or chilis with condiments such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, relish or a "special sauce", often a variation of Thousand Island dressing, and are frequently placed on sesame seed buns. A hamburger patty topped with cheese is called a cheeseburger. Under some definitions, and in some cultures, a burger is considered a sandwich.
A fast-food restaurant, also known as a quick-service restaurant (QSR) within the industry, is a specific type of restaurant that serves fast-food cuisine and has minimal table service. The food served in fast-food restaurants is typically part of a "meat-sweet diet", offered from a limited menu, cooked in bulk in advance and kept hot, finished and packaged to order, and usually available for take away, though seating may be provided. Fast-food restaurants are typically part of a restaurant chain or franchise operation that provides standardized ingredients and/or partially prepared foods and supplies to each restaurant through controlled supply channels. The term "fast food" was recognized in a dictionary by Merriam–Webster in 1951.
The cuisine of California reflects the diverse culture of California and is influenced largely by European American, Hispanic American, East Asian and Oceanian influences, and Western European influences, as well as the food trends and traditions of larger American cuisine.
In-N-Out Burgers, doing business as In-N-Out Burger, is an American regional chain of fast food restaurants with locations primarily in California and to a lesser extent the Southwest from Oregon to Texas. It was founded in Baldwin Park, California, in 1948 by Harry (1913–1976) and Esther Snyder (1920–2006). The chain is headquartered in Irvine, California, and has expanded outside Southern California into the rest of California, as well as into Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, and Idaho, and is planning expansions into New Mexico and Tennessee. The current owner is Lynsi Snyder, the Snyders' only grandchild.
Pastrami is a type of cured meat originating from Romania usually made from beef brisket. The raw meat is brined, partially dried, seasoned with herbs and spices, then smoked and steamed. Like corned beef, pastrami was originally created as a way to preserve meat before the invention of refrigeration. One of the iconic meats of Eastern European cuisine as well as American Jewish cuisine and New York City cuisine, hot pastrami is typically served at delicatessen restaurants on sandwiches such as the pastrami on rye.
Arctic Circle Restaurants is an American chain of burger and shake restaurants based in Midvale, Utah, United States.
Dick's Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., or simply Dick's, is an American regional chain of fast-food restaurants located in the Seattle metropolitan area. It was founded in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood in 1954 by Dick Spady, H. Warren Ghormley, and Dr. B.O.A. Thomas. Dick's currently operates nine locations, of which all but one are drive-ins.
Fatburger North America Inc. is an American fast casual restaurant chain owned by FAT Brands. Its tagline is The Last Great Hamburger Stand. While it is a fast-food restaurant, the food is cooked and made to order. Some Fatburger restaurants have liquor licenses as well as "fat bars". Its franchise headquarters are located in Beverly Hills, California. In addition to the United States, the chain operates in 19 other countries. The Fatburger menu is centered primarily on hamburgers, offering various sizes and numbers of patties, along with add-ons such as cheese, bacon and eggs.
Culver Franchising System, LLC, doing business as Culver's, is an American fast-casual restaurant chain. The company was founded in 1984 by George, Ruth, Craig, and Lea Culver. The first location opened in Sauk City, Wisconsin, on July 18, 1984, under the name "Culver's Frozen Custard and ButterBurgers." The privately held company is headquartered in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. The chain operates primarily in the Midwestern United States, and had a total of 1000 restaurants in 26 states as of January 2025.
Five Guys Enterprises, LLC is an American fast food chain focused on hamburgers, hot dogs, and french fries. It is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia.
Jack's Family Restaurants, LP is an American fast food restaurant chain, headquartered and based in Birmingham, Alabama. Restaurants feature sit-down dining, drive-thrus and takeout service. The menu features primarily burgers, fried chicken, breakfast and various other fast food items including french fries and soft drinks.
Dee's Drive-In was a fast food hamburger drive-in restaurant chain based in Utah. The chain was founded by Dee Frederick Anderson, who got his start selling hamburgers operating the Ute Hamburger Shop near the University of Utah in the 1920s. Anderson opened the first Dee's Restaurant in 1932. Dee's would evolve into two separate but related restaurant chains: Dee's Family Restaurant and Dee's Drive-In.
Wendy's is an American international fast food restaurant chain founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. Its headquarters moved to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. As of December 31, 2018, Wendy's was the world's third-largest hamburger fast-food chain with 6,711 locations, following McDonald’s and Burger King. On September 29, 2008, the company merged with Triarc Companies Inc., the publicly traded parent company of Arby's.
A hamburger is a specific type of burger. It is a sandwich that consists of a cooked ground beef meat patty, placed between halves of a sliced bun. Hamburgers are often served with various condiments, such as dill relish (condiment), mayonnaise, and other options including lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and cheese.
Burger Heaven was a family owned diner-style burger restaurant in New York City, established in 1943. It closed its final location in February 2020 citing the increase in "delivery culture".
Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC is an American fast-food restaurant chain owned by CKE Restaurant Holdings, Inc., who also owns Hardee's, with franchisees in North and South America, Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Africa.
Greek-American cuisine is the cuisine of Greek Americans and their descendants, who have modified Greek cuisine under the influence of American culture and immigration patterns of Greeks to the United States. As immigrants from various Greek areas settled in different regions of the United States and became "Greek Americans," they carried with them different traditions of foods and recipes that were particularly identified with their regional origins in Greece and yet infused with the characteristics of their new home locale in America. Many of these foods and recipes developed into new favorites for town peoples and then later for Americans nationwide. Greek-American cuisine is especially prominent in areas of concentrated Greek communities, such as Astoria, Queens and Tarpon Springs, Florida.
Hawkins House of Burgers is a hamburger restaurant in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It traces its beginnings to 1939 and has seen many events, such as the Watts and 1992 Los Angeles riots. The restaurant "has come to represent a symbol of resilience in the community," according to Thrillist.
