Ah, yes, the hamburger bun. The soft and gentle unsung bready-hero of America's most popular menu item. Baking them is a billion-dollar industry, but they're hardly discussed when it comes to menu items these days. Heck, it's been over a century since they were invented (history has yet to determine who first put them into use) and little has changed during that time.

However, there has been one tiny addition to the bun that has been one of the greatest advancements in a long time. It’s something so small, but has had a huge impact on the hamburger bun and a few big names who sell them.

Seeds.

The first known instance of seeds being added to hamburger buns is in the 1950s. By the 1960s, the idea of putting any kind of seeds (sesame seeds in particular) was still rare, but was seen as luxurious. Who knows what happened over the course of a decade to make the practice go from obscure to luxurious, but it was obvious that restaurants were using seeds on their buns in an attempt to make them better.

Famous Hamburger Buns With Seeds on Them
Of course, the most famous instance of using seeds on a bun comes from a brand and began on a bun+burger combination we're all familiar with. The golden arches gang are definitely the ones who popularized the use of sesame seeds on buns on their double-decker. The seeds elevated from just part of a bun to being part of a brand. Soon other brands followed, and the idea became somewhat popularized.

Ok, Seeds on Buns Are a Thing. But Why?
But our main question still goes unanswered - why do we put seeds on hamburger buns? Because of the flavor of the beef and toppings, it's almost impossible that the seeds are used for flavor. Perhaps it's plausible that they are used for texture in some way - to add a little something extra to the texture profile.

For all we know, maybe seeds on bus are used as a sort of grip – to make sure you have a good grasp of a burger and to prevent it from slipping out of your hands. Could it be that crazy?

Regardless of what the true answer is (and at this point in history, we may never know for sure), this may just remain one of those weird culinary history tales that, in the end, just gets us talking...and eating burgers. Possibly with seeds on their buns.

Are you a fan of seeds on your hamburger buns? Maybe not? Let us know in the comments.