Pickle Accompanying Hotdogs, Burgers, Sandwiches in the US

The following was observed in the US --- it may be an American phenomenon.

I have recently observed in my restaurant visits that more often that not, if I order a burger, sandwich, or a hotdog, I am often served, in addition to the dish and side-dish, a single quarter-slice of a long pickle. Why is this done? The pickle is obviously much too large to put on my sandwich or burger --- slices of pickles would be better for this purpose. I also can't squeeze the juice onto the dish. All I can do with the pickle is essentially eat it raw and whole. This strikes me as curious. I don't see why it is included.

Intuitively, it seems to me that this must be a traditional custom. What is the origin of this custom? Why do restaurants do this so frequently?

Best Answer

Yes, you eat the pickle, if you like pickles - plenty of people do. You certainly won't get a pickle everywhere, but it's pretty common in deli/sandwich/burger type places.

I could be wrong, but I doubt there's any specific origin, and if there is, I expect it's pretty unremarkable - just someone who happened to do it first. Lots of cultures make one kind of pickle or another (or a dozen), and eat them as condiments/accompaniments. It's not surprising; it's one of the easiest and oldest ways to preserve food. Pickled cucumbers have existed for a long time in Europe too, so it's not surprising they're common in the US. The dill pickle spear is just by far one of the most common ones in the US, along with slices (often sweeter, called bread and butter pickles). The fact that they're the same everywhere is presumably just a product the industrialization of food production, like everything else we eat across the country.

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Pickle Accompanying Hotdogs, Burgers, Sandwiches in the US - Low angle of road sign with Route 66 End of the Trail inscription located near fast food restaurant against cloudy evening sky on Santa Monica Beach

Pickle Accompanying Hotdogs, Burgers, Sandwiches in the US - Burgers on White Ceramic Plate

Pickle Accompanying Hotdogs, Burgers, Sandwiches in the US - Hamburgers and Fries

What kind of pickles are served with burgers?

If you like to keep things traditional, look for bread & butter pickles. They're one of the most popular types of pickles and a classic topping for burgers! These small pickles are sliced crosswise (coin-shaped) instead of lengthwise as spears, so they fit perfectly on top of a beef burger patty.

Why do people put pickles on top of burgers?

Reading through the Reddit thread, I only found one worth answer (ignoring one from a Culver's employee stating that the pickle on top is the \u201cseal of approval,\u201d per the Butter Burger University regulations) \u2014 the pickle is placed delicately on top of each burger in order to signify that pickles are inside.

When did people start putting pickles on burgers?

According to oral histories, in the 1880s he opened a lunch counter in Athens and served a 'burger' of fried ground beef patties with mustard and Bermuda onion between two slices of bread, with a pickle on the side. The story is that in 1904, Davis and his wife Ciddy ran a sandwich stand at the St. Louis World's Fair.

Who started putting pickles on burgers?

Pickles: The Sometimes Controversial Burger Sidekick

Archeologists believe the Mesopotamians were the first to pickle around the year 2400 B.C.

In America dill pickles are twice as popular as sweet.

Americans consume 2.5 billion pounds of pickles each year.

American households buy pickles approximately every 53 days.

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