Fatburger was the hamburger chain founded by Lovie Yancey in Los Angeles in 1947.
Yancey opened the business in the Exposition Park neighborhood under the original name “Mr. Fatburger.” The name expressed her goal of offering a substantial burger with all the trimmings, rather than referring to a specific type of meat or a low-fat alternative. In 1952, after separating from her business partners, she removed “Mr.” and operated the business as Fatburger.
Yancey was deeply involved in the original restaurant and was known for allowing customers to customize their burgers. The South Los Angeles location attracted entertainers including Redd Foxx and Ray Charles, helping the independent stand develop a loyal following before Fatburger expanded beyond California.
She sold the company to an investment group in 1990 but retained control of the original property on Western Avenue. Yancey’s story is often overlooked because Fatburger is now an international brand, but the chain began as the project of a Black woman entrepreneur working in postwar Los Angeles.