#8: Burger King
In 1953, Keith J. Kramer and Matthew Burns fired up the grills in Jacksonville, Florida, launching what was first known as Insta-Burger King. Their game-changer? A cutting-edge fast-cooking method that set them apart.
But the real transformation came in 1954 when franchisees David R. Edgerton and James McLamore took over, rebranding it as Burger King. Just three years later, they introduced the Whopper, an instant classic that would define the brand for generations.