One of the biggest reasons why people love movies so much is that they make them feel a wide range of emotions. Movies can make audiences feel sad, happy, and everything in between. But sometimes, they can even make audiences feel hungry.
Between visiting late-night drive-thrus, cartoon versions that look tastier than any real-life meal, and of course, the iconic scene in Pulp Fiction, burgers have played a surprisingly commanding role in American cinema over the past few decades. But though there are many scenes in films throughout history that will make viewers want to drive down to In-N-Out or McDonald’s, there are just as many that will make them wonder how the burgers were tampered with.
The Big Lebowski (1998)
After one of the roughest nights any character in any movie has ever had, as Lebowski and Walter drive home from tormenting struggling families and destroying cars with golf clubs, the only cure is comfort food. One of the most long-standing feuds between the east coast and the west coast has always been the burger rivalry, whether it’s In-N-Out or Shake Shack.
Here, Lebowski and Walt tuck in to In-N-Out like it’s their last meal. The Big Lebowski isn’t just a great crime comedy, but it’ll make any viewer famished too.
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009)
It’s something so many foodies surely want to see happen, as midway through Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, it isn’t meatballs that are the star of the show, but cheeseburgers.
A multicolored cloud glides over the city and the heavens open, but instead of rain or meatballs, cheeseburgers start falling from the sky. It’s one of the most euphoric moments in a movie full of them, as lettuce, American cheese, ketchup, and mustard cover the roads.
Falling Down (1993)
As Falling Down follows an average Joe, William, who’s just completely fed up with his day-to-day life and boring office job, the character vents out violently by trekking across LA with a bag full of guns. Being somewhat of a satire, the most amusing part of the movie comes when he visits the fictional Whammy Burger just after 11:30 am to pick up some breakfast, which ended at 11:30.
This sends William into a fit of rage and he threatens the manager with a machine gun, demanding breakfast. However, after a lot of tension, William then settles for a burger, but he gets angry again when it doesn’t look anything like the advertisement.
The Founder (2016)
When it comes to The Founder, the whole movie is like one big burger shrine as opposed to just one scene. The movie has a premise with an ending that basically tells audiences that nice guys will always finish last, as it’s about Ray Kroc, who essentially steals the McDonalds brand from the real McDonald’s brothers.
However, everything in between is all about the process of how the fast food chain changed the model of the industry. And though the last thing viewers would want to do is give money to McDonald’s after watching the movie, it’s also the first thing they’d want to do.
Clerks II (2006)
Where many scenes with burgers in movies will make viewers salivate when watching them, that isn’t exactly the case when it comes to Clerks II. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Though there are loads of heartfelt moments in the Askewniverse, this isn’t one of them, as when Lance Dowds walks into Mooby’s to see his old classmates flipping burgers, things get dirty.
Randall secretly urinates in Dowds’ drink and puts dead flies inside the burger. In the end, Lance gives the burger to Jay, who is none the wiser.
Dumb & Dumber (1994)
In Dumb And Dumber, when they’re dining at the aptly named restaurant Dante’s Inferno, Harry and Lloyd dare each other to eat ghost peppers, and what follows is sheer pain, but it gets worse. The three of them order burgers, and as Joe is outside speaking on the phone, Harry and Lloyd plant the ghost peppers in his burger.
The classic buddy comedy has so many iconic lines, but one of the best comes when Joe asks a question, and Lloyd replies by saying, “Why don’t ya eat up and we’ll tell ya.”
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Fans almost didn’t get this scene, as the script for The Simpsons Movie was re-written over 100 times, but the final result has one of the most mouth-watering looking burgers in a movie, even if it is a cartoon. Krusty Burger has lasted for a long time, but one of the highlights of The Simpsons Movie is when Homer sees Krusty shooting a commercial for a brand new burger, The Clogger.
It’s a double cheeseburger slammed with tons of bacon on top, and one bite of it would give anybody a heart attack. The Clogger is now an actual burger too, as is the actual burger joint, as fans can dine in Krusty Burger at Universal Studios.
Iron Man (2008)
In the first Iron Man movie, after being in captivity for three months, Tony Stark insists on getting an “American cheeseburger,” which was more important to him than going to the hospital. When he reaches a press conference, he pulls out a cheeseburger from his suit pocket, unwraps it, and sits there in pure bliss.
There was also an incredible call back to the moment in Avengers: Endgame when Stark’s daughter says she wants a cheeseburger after his funeral.
Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle (2004)
As Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle is all about two stoners with the munchies who will stop at nothing to get those tiny burgers that they’re craving, it features one of the most satisfying endings to a comedy ever.
After going through hell and back on the worst night of their lives, the pair finally reach White Castle, and when they get their food it literally plays out like a commercial for the fast food place. There are slo-mo shots of the food with the characters grinning from ear to ear. White Castle even promoted the movie, as they gave away Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle collectible cups.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
There’s no denying the scene in Pulp Fiction where Jules recites a passage from the bible before murdering Brett is one of the most iconic in history, not only because of that but because of the Big Kahuna Burger.
Ever since 1994, the burger has been referenced to no end, as it has appeared in so many other movies, and restaurants all over the world have tried to make their own Big Kahuna based on the ingredients described in the movie. Any time the Big Kahuna is mentioned, fans will always think of Jackson saying, “That’s one tasty burger.”
