Big Shef
Limited. Hardee's ran it as a limited-time burger in five Midwest markets in 2007 and in Indianapolis in 2014, and no run has been found since. The 1996 end year is the chain's last restaurant, since nothing dates the burger's own exit.
Last verified Nov 4, 2026
Two charbroiled patties and a bun in the middle, from the Hoosier chain that was once the nation's third-largest burger seller. Hardee's took over the restaurants, and the last Burger Chef was gone by 1996.
Filed under: Fast Food · the ’70s & earlier
📅 Timeline
- 1965Burger Chef's trademark filing swears to first use of the Big Shef name on May 1.
- 1973The chain introduced the Fun Meal, six years before the Happy Meal.
- 1982Hardee's took over Burger Chef in a deal of about $44 million, announced in December 1981.
- 1996The last Burger Chef closed or converted.
- 2007After a test in Terre Haute, Hardee's sold the Big Shef for a limited time in five Midwest markets.
- 2014Hardee's brought it back again for a limited run in Indianapolis.
❓ People also ask
What was on a Big Shef?
Two charbroiled patties, American cheese, shredded lettuce and Big Shef sauce, according to the 2007 Hardee's recipe.
Did the Big Shef come before the Big Mac?
Yes. The trademark claims use from May 1965, and the Big Mac arrived in 1967. Indiana's Historical Bureau calls it a precursor, though nothing proves McDonald's copied it.
Can you still get a Big Shef at Hardee's?
Not on the regular menu. Its known returns were limited runs in 2007 and 2014, and the BIG SHEF trademark registration has expired.
🧾 Sources
- USPTO, BIG SHEF trademark status (serial 72248388)
- Indiana Historical Bureau, Burger Chef: Hoosier Fast-Food Pioneer (2024)
- Nation's Restaurant News, Hardee's features another chain's signature burger (2007)
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Hardee's brings back the Burger Chef Big Shef for LTO (2014)
- Wikipedia, Burger Chef