Ken Lassen of Louis' Lunch Dies at 93

Ken Lassen, grandson of Louis' Lunch founder Louis Lassen and proprietor of Louis' Lunch for 65 years, died last Tuesday at age 93. Louis Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut, is known as the "birthplace of the hamburger" and has been serving their famous broiled burgers on toast since 1900.

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4 Comments | Posted by Robyn Lee, December 27, 2010 at 8:45 PM
Tagged: Connecticut, Ken Lassen, Louis' Lunch, New Haven, obituaries

In Memoriam: Burger Legend Al Cassell

[Photographs: Damon Gambuto] Last week brought the sad news that burger maestro Al Cassell had passed away at 98. His restaurant Cassell's is one of the original, great burger spots here in Los Angeles. I first tried his burger...

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2 Comments | Posted by Damon Gambuto, June 10, 2010 at 6:45 PM
Tagged: Al Cassell, Cassell's, Los Angeles, obituaries, Southern California

Hardee's Founder Dead at 89

Wilbur Hardee "died Friday ... in Greenville, N.C., the same town where he opened his first Hardee's location, giving birth to a hamburger franchise that is now a division of St. Louis-based CKE Restaurants Inc. Hardee's has grown to include...

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3 Comments | Posted by Adam Kuban, June 24, 2008 at 6:30 PM
Tagged: Hardee's, obituaries

Carl N. Karcher, Founder of Carl's Jr., Dies at 90

The California man took turned a $325 investment in a hot dog cart into one of the largest burger chains in the Western U.S.: Mr. Karcher, a deeply religious father of 12, was famous in the fast-food industry for his...

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2 Comments | Posted by Adam Kuban, January 14, 2008 at 3:45 PM
Tagged: Carl's Jr., chain burgers, obituaries

Jeffrey Tennyson, Noted Hamburger Historian, Dies

Brian Jeffrey Tennyson died at age 54 at his home in Palm Springs, Calif., after an illness. His 1993 book, Hamburger Heaven: The Illustrated History of Hamburger, was among the most definitive books of popular American food. "He was just...

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Post a Comment | Posted by Adam Kuban, August 22, 2006 at 12:44 PM
Tagged: obituaries

Esther Snyder, In-N-Out Burger Matriarch, Dies

Sad news in the burger world: Esther Snyder, who with her late husband Harry co-founded In-N-Out Burger in Baldwin Park in 1948 and popularized the drive-through window for the fast-food industry, has died. She was 86. Snyder, who had succeeded...

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2 Comments | Posted by Adam Kuban, August 7, 2006 at 12:45 AM
Tagged: Adam, California, countries, In-N-Out, Los Angeles, obituaries, U.S.