The Junction Burger has come to be known as a signature item at Cubby’s. the history of the junction burger dates back to 1999 on a farm in Percival, IA.
Mike and Cathy Lyons owned and operated a family farm outside of the town of Percival. In 1999 they built a gas station on the farm and named it The Junction. The gas station became an extension of their farm business and the entire family, including their children, was involved in operating The Junction.
Like many convenience stores in small, rural towns, The Junction served as a gathering place and restaurant for people in the area. Cathy was a good cook, and she loved to experiment with food combinations. Farner-Bocken was a food supplier for The Junction after it opened, and they encouraged store owners to experiment with different ingredients to create menu items that their customers would like. Cathy’s idea was to wrap extra pizza dough around a hamburger patty, add burger fixings and bake it. People loved it!
It was originally called the Pub Burger, and after several varieties were created – including swiss & mushroom and Philly cheesesteak – it came to be known as the Junction Burger. Nearly 20 years later the Junction Burger’s popularity has extended well beyond Percival, IA.
Cubby’s Inc. purchased The Junction when Mike and Cathy retired in 2011. After seeing how popular the junction burger was, they brought to other Cubby’s locations. Today they are sold in Cubby’s locations throughout Nebraska and Iowa, and employees make the popular burger sandwiches throughout the day to keep up with the demand.
It is not unusual for travelers to call ahead and order dozens of the junction burgers to be picked up as they are driving past a Cubby’s location. A truck driver recently stopped in one of our Iowa locations and shared with the clerk that regardless of if he needs gas or not, he never passes a Cubby’s on his trips without stopping for a junction burger.
Deanna Viars-Bosselman, a former employee of Farner-Bocken, enjoyed working with Mike and Cathy Lyons when they just opened The Junction. “They were great customers,” she said. “I’m thrilled that the junction burgers are just as popular today as they were back then!”
Today, Cubby’s make more than 10,000 junction burgers every month. Stop in today for a junction burger if you’ve never tried one!