Burger King's predecessor was founded in 1953 under what name?

Burger King’s predecessor was founded in 1953 under the name Insta-Burger King.

Keith G. Cramer and Matthew Burns founded Insta-Burger King in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 23, 1953. The name reflected the chain’s signature cooking equipment, the Insta-Broiler, which was designed to cook hamburgers efficiently. Franchisees were required to use the appliance as the business expanded.

The company’s early history is distinct from the later Burger King corporation. James McLamore and David Edgerton became Insta-Burger King franchisees in Miami in 1954. After the original company ran into financial difficulties, they acquired the national rights in 1959 and renamed the operation Burger King.

The flame broiler that became associated with Burger King developed from this transition. McLamore and Edgerton created a redesigned grill that avoided problems with the Insta-Broiler and cooked patties over an open flame. The Whopper came later, debuting in 1957, before the company’s 1967 sale to the Pillsbury Company.