• by Tanya Gazdik , Yesterday

Memorial Day is the official start of summer, which means it's time to fire up the grill and get cooking outside. 

Hamburgers are a grill regular, but if you want to leave the cooking to someone else, National Hamburger Day is Wednesday, and there is no shortage of offers at QSRs. 

"No one knows how May 28 became the unofficial hamburger holiday, according to the National Day Calendar, but its proximity to Memorial Day and the outdoor grilling season could be a reason,” according to USA Today. “Hamburgers don't really need a special day as they are a staple of dining out and eating at home. Americans eat an estimated 50 billion burgers.”

U.S. consumers eat 26 burgers per year, according to Circana, based on research from the 12 months ending March 2025.

“Despite the association between hamburgers and United States’ cuisine, this beloved staple dates back about the 1200s, being a staple of military fare in Genghis Khan’s Mongol Empire,” according to Shreveport Times. “Now, like most meals that date back this far, there’s likely little resemblance to its original iteration, but through the centuries the hamburger retains its popularity.”

Never mind the official holiday, Burger King is offering a week’s worth of deals.

“The food chain announced that it will be rolling out a set of free items with a purchase in the week leading up to National Hamburger Day — which includes several of their signature menu items, according to People. “This isn’t the only promotion that Burger King has announced. Earlier this week, the company revealed that it has teamed up with Universal Pictures to launch a limited-time 'How to Train Your Dragon'themed menu. Four themed items are set to release as part of the menu on Tuesday, May 27.”

Wendy’s, Shake Shack, Smashburger, Checkers and Rally’s are all getting in on the action. 

“Get a 1 cent Wendy's Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger with any purchase from May 28 through June 1 with the digital offer in the Wendy's app at participating locations,” according to MSN, which posted a list of promotions. “Smashburger is offering single burgers for $5.28 on May 28 at participating locations in-store or through Smashburger’s website or app when you use the code JUST528 at checkout, according to their website.”

It’s not just the chains getting in on the action. Houston has an array of mom and pop businesses offering deals, according to Click2Houston.com, as is Georgia, according to The Augusta Chronicle.

“Scoff if you like, but national food holidays offer a reason to celebrate for those looking to save some cash on dining out,” according to Bakersfield.com.