{
  "id": 8238570,
  "title": "National Cheeseburger Day freebies and deals: McDonald’s, Five Guys, Burger King, more. See the full list",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/national-cheeseburger-day-freebies-and-deals-mcdonalds-five-guys",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-18T11:08:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91609014/national-cheeseburger-day-freebees-deals-2026-see-full-list"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "When National Cheeseburger Day arrives on September 18, it's a great opportunity to explore the history of this beloved American food. The origins of the burger can be traced back to German immigrants in the late 1840s, who brought a dish called Frikadellen made with chopped beef. Hot dogs may have also played a role in introducing buns to burgers in the late 1800s. The first cheeseburger is credited to Lionel Clark Sternberger, a 16-year-old working at his dad's Pasadena, California restaurant in 1924. The \"Aristocratic Burger,\" or the Original Hamburger with Cheese, was born, although there are competing stories about its invention. Charles Kaelin from Louisville, Kentucky, claimed to have called the new creation a cheeseburger in 1934. Louis Ballast, owner of Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver, later trademarked the term.\n\nOn this special day, various fast-food chains offer freebies and deals to celebrate. Kraft Singles is running a season-long promotion where fans can bet on or against head coach Andy Reid's weekly picks, with prizes like a trip to the Super Bowl or free Kraft Singles. Checkers & Rally's offers a $3 Big Buford cheeseburger with two hand-seasoned 100% beef patties. Burger King provides a free bacon cheeseburger to Royal Perks members with a $3 minimum purchase. McDonald's rewards members can get a free double cheeseburger with a $1 in-app purchase, while Smashburger's loyalty members receive a $1 any single Smash. Five Guys offers a BOGOBURGER promo code to get one cheeseburger free, and Twin Peaks provides a $7.99 cheeseburger with fries when a drink is purchased. Applebee's offers a classic cheeseburger with fries for $8.99, available on the app or website, but not through third-party delivery sites.",
  "summary": "When thinking of American food, cheeseburgers naturally come to mind. But are they truly a product of the United States? Since today (Friday, September 18, 2026) is National Cheeseburger Day, it’s the perfect opportunity to investigate. Let’s work up an appetite by mulling this over before getting into all the best freebies and deals to celebrate. Who invented the burger? Like many culinary…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}