The Subtle Difference Between Mini Burgers And Sliders

Who doesn't love a good burger — juicy meat cooked to perfection and layered with melted cheese, crisp toppings, and a tasty bun. The best minds have dedicated many hours to trying to define the perfect burger, and everyone has their own standard and expectations. A staple of the American diet, the only thing that can make a burger even better is when you make them smaller and get to eat a lot of them!

Sliders and mini burgers are a mainstay on restaurant menus across the country and make regular appearances at events from birthday parties to the Super Bowl. They're the perfect two-bites of food and offer something for everyone to like, no matter their tastes. 

But looking closely at sliders and mini burgers quickly reveals there's more to the discussion than meets the eye. While the words slider and mini-burger are used interchangeably on the appetizer menu, how similar are they, really?

As with many things that have become mainstays of American life, the slider has a simple beginning. It was in Kansas in 1921, when a little restaurant known as White Castle began making a burger that would one day become TIME magazine's "most influential burger of all time."

TIME highlights the restaurant's focus on preparing the burgers out in the open, attesting to their quality. This also meant customers could watch as thin square patties were laid atop piles of onions. And it was those onions, and the steam they produced, that cooked flavor right into the meat. Topped with a pickle and a soft bun, it's a burger that's a glorious sum of its parts.

White Castle's slider has withstood the test of time and remains the bar by which all sliders are measured. Sliders are about getting back to the basics: the balance of ground beef and onion, steamed to perfection and paired with the bite of a pickle to bring it home. It's a humble bite that highlights the perfection in simplicity. For purists, if there isn't the combination of steam, onions, and pickle it's not a slider.

Unlike sliders, mini burgers can be many different things. They can be grilled, broiled, or fried. They can be made of all sorts of protein, from turkey to beef to tofu. Mini burgers can be topped with anything — like salsa and guacamole. 

Their versatility lends to their clear popularity. In 2008, Burger King introduced mini burgers to their menu, dubbed "burger shots" and many restaurants followed suit, from Taco Bell to Ruby Tuesday. A few years later, mini burgers were accounting for more than 160 million servings. They are truly the blank canvas of small sandwiches and have earned their role as menu must-haves.

 When it comes to pint-sized sandwiches you can have it all: craving something a little classic? Enjoy a slider. Looking to experiment on the wild side? Bust out those mini burgers. There's a big plate of small, tasty bites for everyone!