The Big Boy chain’s signature hamburger is the original double-deck hamburger.
Bob Wian created the sandwich at his Glendale, California, restaurant in 1937. He sliced the bun into three pieces and placed two thin beef patties between them, creating a distinctive middle “club” layer. The sandwich began as an improvised special for a customer who wanted something different and soon became the restaurant’s defining product.
The Big Boy burger helped establish the double-decker format later popularized by other chains. McDonald’s Big Mac, introduced nationally in 1968, was explicitly modeled on the Big Boy hamburger, although its sauce, toppings, branding, and proportions differ. Burger Chef’s Big Shef and Burger King’s Big King also followed the same broad concept.
A common mix-up is confusing Big Boy with Bob’s Big Boy. Bob’s Big Boy is the Southern California chain name, while Big Boy is the wider restaurant brand and the name of its signature sandwich. Regional franchisees have also varied the bun, sauce, and toppings.