How did the hamburger become the most popular, most typical American food?

The hamburger has no connection with ham. It got its name from the German town of Hamburg, famous for its ground steak. German immigrants to the United States introduced the ‘hamburger steak.' Then, the introduction of the bun was an important part of the answer. Another important part is McDonald's, one of the world's most famous fast-food restaurants. You can find them in Japan, Germany, Panama, Guatemala, Australia, Portugal, Hong Kong, and even Moscow. In fact, there are 13,000 in 120 countries. There's even a floating McDonald's in St. Louis, Mississippi, and another in Alaska. The first McDonald's was opened in Des Plaines, Illinois, and is now a museum.

What makes American fast food so popular?

Lee Cho, a South Korean, says: “I often go to MacDonald's. It's clean, less expensive than other restaurants, and saves time.”

Natalia Petrovna, a girl from Moscow, says, “I find the hamburgers very tasty, and the sundaes with caramel sauce are out of this world.”

Older people are very critical of this sort of food. Many young people in the USA are overweight, and parents blame these high-calorie foods that their children eat in large quantities.