Has Anyone At Google Ever Eaten A Cheeseburger?

The company’s cheeseburger emoji implies an unfamiliarity with what’s essentially America’s official food.

An astute observer, media analyst Thomas Baekdal, noted over the weekend that there’s something…interesting…about Google’s cheeseburger emoji.
I think we need to have a discussion about how Google’s burger emoji is placing the cheese underneath the burger, while Apple puts it on top pic.twitter.com/PgXmCkY3Yc
— Thomas Baekdal (@baekdal) October 28, 2017

Seriously. No one who’s ever encountered an American cheeseburger would ever put the cheese underneath the patty. That’s just wrong. It’s also a little strange how Apple puts the lettuce under the patty, too, but that’s a less egregious burger sin.
Is every tech worker in the Bay Area vegan? Because that’s the only way these emoji can be explained.
The internet, as would be expected, had thoughts. As of the time of this writing, Baekdal’s tweet had garnered more than 15,000 retweets and more than 30,000 likes, with some major food-world figures weighing in.
They’re both wrong. Google’s cheese is wrong, Apple’s lettuce is wrong. The correct order, from bottom up, is burger – cheese – toppings pic.twitter.com/lF1AUu64ht
— Mark Goodge 🇬🇧 (@MarkGoodge) October 28, 2017
The things that go on top of a burger are called toppings for a reason.
— Christopher Gallaga (@AChefAtLarge) October 29, 2017
If @TheSporkful wants to do a video where we analyze and critique 🍔 emoji I’m game.

E.G.: tomato next to cheese = WD-40 level slippage.
— Sexy Kenji López-Alt (@kenjilopezalt) October 29, 2017

It also set off a discussion of every company’s burger emoji, assisted by emojipedia. Like Samsung getting it wrong, too, placing the cheese between the lettuce and the tomato. (Seriously, what? Who does that?)
Microsoft getting the burger technically right but looking terrible is perfect.
(Also, Samsung, wtf) pic.twitter.com/StZDMbs7wz

— Ben Thompson (@benthompson) October 29, 2017
Jesus Christ Samsung, cheese in between the L and T? Get your shit together. pic.twitter.com/vyy3SNU0jh
— Sexy Kenji López-Alt (@kenjilopezalt) October 28, 2017
Soon after, Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, promised he would “drop everything” to correct the image.
Will drop everything else we are doing and address on Monday:) if folks can agree on the correct way to do this! https://t.co/dXRuZnX1Ag
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) October 29, 2017

About the author

Kathryn Maier

NYC Food & Drink Editor

Kathryn has eaten her way around the globe, seeking out local delicacies in more than 40 countries and counting. After receiving a Master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, she began writing about travel, food, and drink, and has held editorial roles at luxury publications including Conde Nast Traveler and the Robb Report. When she's in NYC, she can generally be found on a barstool at one of the city's best cocktail bars or at home sipping fine wine with her cat on her lap.