Burger King was originally founded under what name?

Burger King was originally founded under the name Insta-Burger King on July 23, 1953, in Jacksonville, Florida.

The chain was created by Keith G. Cramer and Matthew Burns and built its early operation around the Insta-Broiler, a cooking machine designed to prepare hamburgers efficiently. The equipment was central to the original business model, and franchisees were required to use it.

Insta-Burger King later ran into financial difficulties. Miami franchisees James McLamore and David Edgerton acquired the national rights in 1959, restructured the company and renamed it Burger King. The modern brand therefore grew out of the earlier Jacksonville chain rather than beginning under the familiar name.

A frequent mix-up is treating McLamore and Edgerton as the original founders. They were the important owners who transformed the struggling predecessor. Their version of the business introduced the flame broiler and later launched the Whopper, which debuted in 1957.