I.

Vocabulary words from this article:

broil
excess
garnish
grill
ground
hamburger
slice
toast
wagon
waste
cheese

II. Pre-Reading Questions

Where do you think the first hamburgers were served?
Do you know why they were created?

Reading Comprehension
Name: _________________________________________

Date: _______________

Louis' Lunch
A Local Legacy
Do you love hamburgers? Do you know how they were created?
The first hamburgers in U.S. history were served in New Haven, Connecticut, at Louis' Lunch
sandwich shop in 1895. Louis Lassen, founder of Louis' Lunch, ran a small lunch wagon selling
steak sandwiches to local factory workers. Because he didn't like to waste the excess beef from his
daily lunch rush, he ground it up, grilled it, and served it between two slices of bread -- and
America's first hamburger was created.
The small Crown Street luncheonette is still owned and operated by third and fourth generations of
the Lassen family. Hamburgers are still the specialty of the house, where steak is ground fresh each
day and hand molded, slow cooked, broiled vertically, and served between two slices of toast with
your choice of only three "acceptable" garnishes: cheese, tomato, and onion.
Want ketchup or mustard? Forget it. You will be told "no" in no uncertain terms. This is the home of
the greatest hamburger in the world, claim the owners, who are perhaps best known for allowing
their customers to have a burger the Lassen way or not at all.
True or False?
InstructionsRead the statements below carefully. Circle the letter T if the statement is true, and
circle the letter F if the statement is false.
1. The first hamburger was served in Florida in 1990.

T F

2. Louis Lassen is the founder of Louis' Lunch. T F

3. Fries and chicken was the specialty of the house. T F

Short Answer:
InstructionsAnswer the questions below in complete sentences.
5. Why did Louis Lassen start making hamburgers?
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6. How many generations of Lassens have been in this business?
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7. Which garnish is not available for customers to choose from at Louis' Lunch?
a. cheese
b. tomato
c. mustard
d. onion