(ARA) – Americans will consume 1.3 billion pounds of ground beef this year – and the biggest day for beef eating is just around the corner. Americans will eat more beef on Memorial Day than any other day of the year and they’ll eat some 70 percent of those burgers outside of their backyards. Restaurants, from fine New York steakhouses to beachside greasy spoons, are ramping up menus with juicy new takes on the patty melt.
The other Memorial Day constant? The open road. According to AAA, 28 million Americans will take a road trip this Memorial Day. Travel websites like Gadling.com (“Beer Travel for Memorial Day“) and Away.com (“Top Ten Memorial Day Destinations“) offer plenty of innovative ideas on places to go. So, why not combine your burger craving with a mini escape for the first long weekend of the summer? If you need some inspiration, we’ve complied five destinations where the only thing better than the burgers are the lineup of post-lunch patriotic events.
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Peter Luger Steakhouse
Peter Luger’s has been rated New York’s No. 1 steakhouse for 26 years running. And while you can drop a small fortune on their famous porterhouse, the lunchtime and its succulent, half-pound Luger-burger is a steal. Prime aged porterhouse trimmings and prime chuck come topped with American cheese, bacon and raw onion to create an amazing effect on your taste buds. After gorging yourself, head down to the Coney Island for Fleet Week, where events like parades, competitions and tours of ships honor the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
Wilmington, Del.
Charcoal Pit
Hidden in oft-passed-over Wilmington, the Charcoal Pit first opened its doors in September 1956. It keeps that ’50s vibe alive with neon lights and black and white milkshakes that Esquire Magazine once featured in a piece titled “67 Things Worth a Detour.” After you finish your 8-ounce charbroiled hamburger, be sure to walk along the Christian River or check out the 144th Memorial Day Parade that starts at Delaware and Woodlawn avenues at 6 p.m.
Atlanta
Holeman & Finch
Holeman & Finch Public House off of Peachtree Road keeps burger lovers on their toes. Each night at 10 p.m. a bullhorn sounds in the restaurant, signaling the start of the fastest burger chowdown anywhere. Cooks put out only 24 double patty cheeseburgers and hungry buyers snatch them up in less than a minute. So if you want to try the yummy goodness, show up a little early and hope that you are one of the first 24 people in line. It’s a great way to wrap up a day after visiting the Atlanta Jazz Festival or the Georgia Renaissance Festival, both of which take place over Memorial Day weekend.
San Antonio
Chris Madrid’s
Chris Madrid’s in historic mid-town San Antonio opened in 1977 with six varieties of burgers and a promise to “cook each item as if you were cooking it for a friend.” This type of attention to grill detail has had critics calling Madrid’s burgers some of “best in the world.” The orders come with a side of nachos instead of fries – a variation that is purely San Antonio. Those unfamiliar with this West Texas hub will want to head down to the San Antonio River Walk for the Memorial Day Arts & Crafts Show or hope to catch the chili cook-off by the famous Chili Queens of San Antonio.
Baldwin Park, Calif.
The Original In-N-Out Burger
They do make great burgers, Walter, and have for 63 years. Now with 258 additional locations across the southwest, it’s not hard to find one of In-N-Out’s classic handmade burgers. But the original In-N-Out Burger, opened by Harry and Esther Snyder in Baldwin Park, still stands. Known as California’s first drive-thru hamburger stand, you will find the same menu with burgers and fries that customers enjoyed in 1948. Order up to four, yes four, patties on a single bun, or go with an off-the-menu favorite like the “animal style 3×3” (three mustard-cooked patties, three slices of cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato and extra pickle). Find a beach-side parking spot and people watch, or finish of your meal and head to prime events like City of Angels Wine Fest or the JazzReggae Festival at UCLA.