Burger Chef was an American fast-food restaurant chain. It began operating in 1954 in Indianapolis, Indiana, expanded throughout the United States, and, at its peak in 1973, had 1,050 locations. The chain featured several signature items, such as the Big Shef and Super Shef hamburgers. Burger Chef spread across both the West and East Coasts—eventually becoming second only to McDonald's in number of locations... hard to believe, right?