Editing Burger Chef (section)

==History==

In 1954, Frank and Donald Thomas patented the [[flame broiler]] in their parent company General Equipment Corporation and started their restaurant in [[Indianapolis, Indiana]]. In 1957, they opened their first Burger Chef.<ref name="Sanders2009"/>

[[File:Burgerchef 1966 ad.jpg|thumb|90px|Burger Chef advertisement (1966).]]
Burger Chef spread across the United States, following a strategy of opening outlets in smaller towns.<ref name="Sanders2009">{{cite book |first=Scott R. |last=Sanders |title=Burger Chef |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w2S6lzwHOkoC&pg=PA9 |year=2009 |series=Images of America|publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0-7385-6098-4 |page=9}}</ref>

By 1972, its number of locations (1,200) was surpassed only by [[McDonald's]] (1,600).<ref name="Shefrin2015">{{cite book |first=Hersh |last=Shefrin |title=Behavioral Risk Management: Managing the Psychology That Drives Decisions and Influences Operational Risk |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nX8YDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA409 |date=December 14, 2015 |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan|Palgrave Macmillan US]] |isbn=978-1-137-44562-9 |page=409}}</ref> They offered a double burger, called the Big Shef, and later the quarter-pound (113 gram) hamburger, Super Shef. Subsequently, they added the Works Bar, where customers added their own toppings to hamburgers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Robinson |first1=John |title=Burger Chef's Longest-Held Location was in Michigan |url=https://99wfmk.com/burger-chef-in-michigan/ |work=99.1 WFMK |date=March 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211013055317/https://99wfmk.com/burger-chef-in-michigan/ |archive-date=October 13, 2021 |language=en |quote=Burger Chef was also the first to come up with the "works bar" where customers could add their own ketchup, mustard, mayo, and other condiments to their sandwiches.}}</ref>

In 1968, [[General Foods Corporation]] purchased the chain and continued its rapid expansion. At the time of the purchase by General Foods, Burger Chef had 600 locations in 39 states.<ref name="wsj-1967oct16">{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/133179393 |title=General Foods Says It Plans To Buy Burger Chef Systems |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=October 16, 1967 |page=17 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url-access=subscription |access-date=July 5, 2017 |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220063354/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/doc/133179393.html |url-status=live |id={{ProQuest|133179393}}}}</ref>

By 1969, international expansion was underway with General Foods building ten Burger Chef outlets in [[Australia]]. The expansion ended in 1975 with a US$1.3 million loss (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|1.3|1975|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US}}). It was stated that Australians disliked the limited burger menu compared to varied options available from [[milk bar]]s.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kent |first1=Thomas |title=NewsBank OpenURL {{!}} NewsBank InfoWeb |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_dat=document_id%3Aimage%252Fv2%253A14DB39C1C40322B4%2540EANX-163979B8ADCBAB42%25402442518-163964BE5E56E259%254038-163964BE5E56E259%2540%2Fhlterms%3A%2522Burger%2520Chef%2522&rft_id=info%3Asid%2Finfoweb.newsbank.com&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&svc_dat=AMNEWS&req_dat=0D1C2A34C3EF45E0 |access-date=April 28, 2020 |work=Houston Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |issue=Section 3 Page 9 |date=April 16, 1975}}</ref> The chain had two [[mascot]]s: Burger Chef, voiced by [[Paul Winchell]], and Jeff (the chef's juvenile [[sidekick]]).<ref name="RetroIndy"/><ref name="winchell_voice">{{cite news |last1=Lileks |first1=James |title=Puzzling Pickles, what's a fun burger? |url=https://www.startribune.com/puzzling-pickles-what-s-a-fun-burger/257973631/ |access-date=February 22, 2023 |work=Star Tribune |date=May 5, 2014}}</ref>

[[File:Burgerchef sign albuquerque.jpg|thumb|150px|Burger Chef sign in Albuquerque, New Mexico (1979).]]
In 1972, the chain introduced the Funburger, a hamburger with packaging that included puzzles and a small toy. The following year, the chain introduced the Funmeal, the first kid’s meal that included a burger, french fries, a drink, a cookie, and a small toy; with expanded packaging that included stories about Burger Chef and Jeff's adventures and friends (including the magician Burgerini, vampire Count Fangburger, talking ape Burgerilla, and Cackleburger the witch), with riddles and puzzles. When McDonald's introduced their [[Happy Meal]] in 1979, the chain sued, but ultimately lost.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tyler |first1=Jessica |title=This defunct burger chain invented much of what you love about fast food |url=https://au.sports.yahoo.com/defunct-burger-chain-invented-much-040700636.html |access-date=October 21, 2022 |work=au.sports.yahoo.com |issue=Business Insider |date=October 28, 2018 |language=en-AU}}</ref>

In 1982, General Foods sold Burger Chef to the [[Canada|Canadian]] company [[Imasco]], which also owned [[Hardee's]], for US$44 million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|44|1982|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US}}).<ref name="nyt-1981dec10">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/10/business/hardee-s-to-buy-burger-chef.html |title=Hardee's to Buy Burger Chef |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 10, 1981 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref> Imasco converted many locations to Hardee's restaurants and let franchises and locations near existing Hardee's locations convert to other brands.<ref name="RetroIndy">{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Dawn |title=Burger Chef was 'incrediburgible': RetroIndy |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2017/09/05/retroindy-burger-chef-incrediburgible/609456001/ |work=The Indianapolis Star |date=September 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121061228/https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2017/09/05/retroindy-burger-chef-incrediburgible/609456001/ |archive-date=January 21, 2022}}</ref> Remaining restaurants that did not convert to Hardee's or new names and branding simply closed.

Hardee's brought back the Big Shef hamburger for a limited time in 2001, 2007, and 2014 at some Midwestern locations.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hardeesr-brings-back-burger-chefr-big-sheftm-hamburger-for-a-limited-time-in-select-markets-58710217.html |title=Hardee's(R) Brings Back Burger Chef(R) Big Shef(TM) Hamburger for a Limited Time in Select Markets |website=[[PR Newswire]] |access-date=February 6, 2014 |date=April 23, 2007|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/atlanta-restaurants/hardee-brings-back-the-burger-chef-big-shef-for-lto/ksA9zmBvgh83DrzMG1QYoK/ |title=Hardee's brings back the Burger Chef Big Shef for a LTO |newspaper=[[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] |access-date=December 10, 2014 |date=May 19, 2014 |first=John |last=Kessler}}</ref>

===Trademark suit===
In January 2007, River West Brands LLC, of [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], sued Hardee's Food Systems in the US Patents and Trademarks Office, claiming [[abandonment of trademark|abandonment]] of the Burger Chef trademark.<ref name="uspto"/> In 2009, River West Brands dropped its petition for cancellation. Both parties agreed to pay their own attorneys' fees.<ref name="uspto">{{cite web |url=http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/ttabvue-92046880-CAN-32.pdf |title=Withdrawal of Cancellation |website=[[Trademark Trial and Appeal Board]], US Patent and Trademark Office |date=April 16, 2009 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref>