https://drive.google.com/file/d/10FgFdMnI4fuhdvOXE8QzcNukZp6WmGvl/view?usp=sharing

Here is a link to a newspaper clipping with one of the earliest
mentions of a "hamburger sandwich" being served as fast food, from the
Chicago Tribune, in July of 1890, entitled, "In A Sandwich Car."

Some excerpts:

Like many other curious and useful institutions the "sandwich car"
first made it appearance in Chicago in "World's Fair year." Briefly
described it is a kitchen and restaurant on wheels, much in the form
of an elongated carette, but having larger window space on all four
sides. It is drawn by a single horse to the spot where it stands for
the night, usually to some saloon corner near what is termed a
"sporting neighborhood," and there it may be found winter and summer,
fair weather or stormy, until about 5 o'clock in the morning. In fact,
the sandwich man pays a tax of $5 monthly to the saloonist for the
privilege, although there is no city tax or license fee.

Within the car, ordinarily, is a three burner gasoline range, a
steaming closet, recesses for dish washing, and an arrangement of
shelves for displaying the most tempting edibles to the gaze of
passersby.

The vendor is at once cook, waiter, and cashier.

The piece de resistance is chicken sandwich, which consists of a
quarter section of a small spring chicken, cold, placed between two
slices of bread, with the accompaniment of a pickle, a green onion, or
a dash of catsup. This costs 10 or 15 cents. Pork chops, ham, pig's
feet fresh or pickled), fried fish, codfish cakes, and eggs are also
put in sandwich form, mostly at five cents each.

A distinguished favorite, only five cents, is Hamburger steam
sandwich, the meat for which is kept ready in small patties, and
"cooked while you wait" on the gasoline range.

"Or best customers? O, well, anybody may guess that it's the poor
creatures that live along those back streets. Numbers of them live in
single rooms, where they do their own housekeeping, but these hot
summer nights they don't want to light a fire and so they come here
and get a couple of sandwiches, and usually bring a pail to take home
and eat for their supper."

On Fri, 11 Jun 2021 06:03:01 -0700, KlausSchadenfreude
<klaus.schadenfreudeREMOVE@gmail.com> wrote:

>https://drive.google.com/file/d/10FgFdMnI4fuhdvOXE8QzcNukZp6WmGvl/view?usp=sharing
>
>Here is a link to a newspaper clipping with one of the earliest
>mentions of a "hamburger sandwich" being served as fast food, from the
>Chicago Tribune, in July of 1890, entitled, "In A Sandwich Car."
>
>Some excerpts:
>
>Like many other curious and useful institutions the "sandwich car"
>first made it appearance in Chicago in "World's Fair year." Briefly
>described it is a kitchen and restaurant on wheels, much in the form
>of an elongated carette, but having larger window space on all four
>sides. It is drawn by a single horse to the spot where it stands for
>the night, usually to some saloon corner near what is termed a
>"sporting neighborhood," and there it may be found winter and summer,
>fair weather or stormy, until about 5 o'clock in the morning. In fact,
>the sandwich man pays a tax of $5 monthly to the saloonist for the
>privilege, although there is no city tax or license fee.
>
>Within the car, ordinarily, is a three burner gasoline range, a
>steaming closet, recesses for dish washing, and an arrangement of
>shelves for displaying the most tempting edibles to the gaze of
>passersby.
>
>The vendor is at once cook, waiter, and cashier.
>
>The piece de resistance is chicken sandwich, which consists of a
>quarter section of a small spring chicken, cold, placed between two
>slices of bread, with the accompaniment of a pickle, a green onion, or
>a dash of catsup. This costs 10 or 15 cents. Pork chops, ham, pig's
>feet fresh or pickled), fried fish, codfish cakes, and eggs are also
>put in sandwich form, mostly at five cents each.
>
>A distinguished favorite, only five cents, is Hamburger steam
>sandwich, the meat for which is kept ready in small patties, and
>"cooked while you wait" on the gasoline range.
>
>"Or best customers? O, well, anybody may guess that it's the poor
>creatures that live along those back streets. Numbers of them live in
>single rooms, where they do their own housekeeping, but these hot
>summer nights they don't want to light a fire and so they come here
>and get a couple of sandwiches, and usually bring a pail to take home
>and eat for their supper."

Fascinating and informative article. Thank you for linking to it.

--
KWills
alt.food.fast-food Leadership Committee President