FOOD NEWS
The Naval Origins Of The
Classic Slider
By Christine Barba
Chefs have different definitions of a slider, with some restaurants suggesting that a slider "is not just a small burger — a slider is a small burger where the patty is cooked with onions and pickles" (per American Social Bar & Kitchen). There is an interesting history detailing when this nickname was first used, why the mini burgers and sandwiches are called sliders, and how the name became so popular.
The name slider is thought to date back to the 1940s when it first became popular among sailors in the United States Navy, who used the nickname because they "slide" down the gut so easily in a few quick bites (per kitchn). Another theory suggests that sliders got their name because they "slide" across the grill.
White Castle is often credited for popularizing the term slider, thanks to its numerous slider varieties, including the "The 1921 Slider,” commemorating the restaurant's first small hamburger. According to Lynn Blashford, chief marketing officer at White Castle, "The 1921 Slider brings our menu full circle to the hamburger that started it all."