Bob's Big Boy Double Decker

The Bob's Big Boy Double Decker is a classic American diner icon you can easily make at home.

You know me... I love bold flavors, nostalgia, and food that makes people smile. So today we’re going a little Americana with a legendary burger that changed the game long before fast food went global: the Bob’s Big Boy Double Decker.

This isn’t just any burger. This is a true slice of diner history—and trust me, once you make it at home, you’ll never look at a drive-thru the same way again.

A Little Big Boy History

The Bob’s Big Boy Double Decker first hit plates in the 1930s in California, when Bob Wian cut a bun in three, stacked two thin beef patties inside with lettuce, cheese, pickles, and their signature red relish sauce, and basically invented the double-decker burger concept.

Sound familiar? That’s because this burger inspired dozens of imitators—including a little-known thing called the Big Mac. But make no mistake—the Big Boy version came first, and flavour-wise, it still holds up though I did modernize it just a bit.

Why Make It at Home?

Most people don’t live near a Bob’s Big Boy anymore. But the good news is—you can easily recreate this classic in your own kitchen. Thin patties, layered buns, that zippy sauce—it’s comfort food at its best. No deep fryer, no fancy tools—just good ingredients and a pan.

Plus, you can tweak it just like I did. Want spicy Big Boy sauce? Do it. Homemade buns? Even better. We’re cooking here—not just recreating, but levelling up.

The original Bob's Big Boy Double Decker used thin meat patties and a piece of unmelted American cheese. I decided to go big with this Big Boy and the recipe below will get you an even better burger than the classic version.

Ingredients

There aren't a lot of ingredients in the original Bob's Big Boy Double Decker. I added an additional piece of cheese, used a mixture of ketchup on spicy hot sauce instead of Heinz chilli sauce and of course, I toasted the buns!

• ground beef
• sesame seed bun and one additional bottom bun sliced on both sides
• mayonnaise
• lettuce
• processed American cheese
• Heinz Ketchup
• Franks hot sauce
• Sweet Pickle Relish
• Salt and pepper to taste

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

For best results toast the buns in butter until lightly browned. The original buns were not toasted but it does improve the flavor.

1. Step 1: Fry the burger patties for about 2 minutes in a hot pan and then flip the patties over. Season generously with salt and pepper and top one of the patties with one to two slices of American cheese.

2. Step 2: While the burger patties are cooking through, generously spread mayonnaise over the bottom and middle buns.

Substitutions

There really aren't any substitutions because I made this as close to the original as possible while still attempting to make it better. That said, you could throw history out the window and have a bit of a play with your burger.

• Sauces - I used similar sauces to the original. Go ahead and add mustard, seasoned mayonnaise like chipotle mayo or burger sauce. It's your burger so make it the way you want it.
• Bun - I use my own homemade sesame seed buns. You might like to try another bun such as these homemade brioche buns.
• Vegetarian - I have a few veggie burger recipes on the way. If you would rather use a vegetarian burger substitute... Why not?

Equipment

A good heavy bottomed frying pan: A good heavy pan will come in very handy for recreating the diner burger. Cast iron works well.

A thin metal spatula: Great for getting right under the crispy exterior of the char grilled burger patties.

Storage

Leftover burgers are never at their best. You could store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. I don't recommend dong that though.

You could work ahead though and get everything prepared a day or two ahead of cooking if that is more convenient for you.