Ted's Restaurant in Meriden, Connecticut is a hamburger restaurant that is known for their steamed cheeseburger. Steamed cheeseburgers are a regional food particular to very few establishments in Meriden, Connecticut where it was invented in the early 1900s. The steamed cheeseburger is cooked in a stainless-steel cabinet which contains small trays that hold either an individual hamburger or a chunk of cheese to be melted. The cheeseburger is served by scooping the meat onto a bun and pouring the melted cheese over the meat. The burger can be served with a number of customary toppings.
Years ago, the burger was almost completely sliced in half to fit the buns better and made for a great tasting sandwich. The health inspector decided this was over handling of the product, and no longer allowed this which changed the burger forever.
The Meriden Amateur Radio Club refers to the sandwiches as "Whizms".
In addition to a strong local following in Meriden, Ted's has attracted more widespread attention with its appearance in the documentary Hamburger America, as well as such publications as the US News and World Report, Yankee Magazine and Connecticut Magazine.[1] It has also been shown and mentioned in the episode Hamburger Paradise which is part of Travel Channel's newest series Food Paradise. It was also showcased in an episode of Travel Channel's Man v. Food with host Adam Richman.