The Once-Popular Vintage Burger We Want Back On Dinner Tables

Anton Pentegov/Shutterstock

Since the hamburger first emerged as a distinct meal around the turn of the 20th century, plenty of food trends have come and gone. However, the burger has remained. That's not to say there haven't been changes to this American classic. In fact, there's one particular vintage burger that's due for a comeback for various reasons: the onion burger.

It's vital to establish that an onion burger isn't the same as a burger topped with onions. To be a true onion burger, the onions are cooked into or along with the burger meat, becoming an inseparable part of the sandwich. The thinly sliced onions are smashed into the thin beef patty, adding both flavor and bulk, but these burgers are not as popular as they once were.

The origins of any recipe as simple as the onion burger are almost always nebulous, though many sources point to Oklahoma as the site of its creation, as far back as the 1920s. In the town of El Reno, along the famous Route 66, Hamburger Inn helped popularize the dish, branding them "Depression Burgers." The move was an effort to stretch expensive hamburger meat with far cheaper, locally grown onions. Back east, a similarly onion-heavy slider burger was showcased at the 1939 World's Fair, becoming the signature item of the still-operating White Manna Diner in Jersey City, New Jersey. At Manna Diner, the onions were minced and used more for flavor enhancement than money-saving, but the style is equally old-fashioned.

Bhofack2/Getty Images

The main reasons why onion burgers are one of the vintage ground beef dishes that deserve a revival on present-day tables boil down to two approaches. As anyone who has recently shopped for meat knows, ground beef prices hit all-time highs in late 2025. This means a simple burger night with the family or a cookout with friends is increasingly eating up a larger portion of food budgets. Swapping out even a small portion of the beef in a typical patty with onion can ease costs. Many onion burger recipes call for around half a cup of onion per two to four ounces of meat, a substantial savings. 

Meanwhile, many people enjoy the rich flavor caramelized onions provide to a burger. The process of applying high heat to raw onions helps break down large sugar molecules within the onions into sweeter, more accessible sugars that enhance flavor and mellow harshness. This sweet-savory combination is a sought-after contrast for numerous types of grilled or broiled meat. Just don't make the common mistakes everyone makes when cooking onions, including picking the wrong type or sticking solely to butter when caramelizing.

Although onion burgers may no longer be a common sight on restaurant menus or dinner tables, those looking to expand their vintage burger-eating experience should consider this an ideal choice. If you want to amp up your burger's flavor or stretch that ground beef a little further, remember this once-popular style.