Krabby Patty

The Krabby Patty is a fictional meatless burger from the animated series *SpongeBob SquarePants*, sold at the Krusty Krab. It was invented by the restaurant’s owner, Eugene Krabs, and his rival Plankton. The burger is the signature item of the Krusty Krab and the most famous food in Bikini Bottom, and it is what the main character, SpongeBob, cooks as the restaurant’s fry cook. A key plot point across the series is Plankton’s repeated attempts to steal the secret formula for the Krabby Patty. This running joke was given a backstory in the special “Friend or Foe,” which reveals that Krabs and Plankton originally created the burger to compete with a restaurant called Stinky Burgers, which violated health standards.

The Krabby Patty first appeared in the pilot episode “Help Wanted” and has since appeared in many variations throughout the show. It is a fast-food menu item at the Krusty Krab and is considered one of the most successful foods in Bikini Bottom. The formula for the patty is a closely guarded trade secret, and Plankton’s failed attempts to steal it are a major recurring theme. The Krusty Krab typically draws customers because of the burger’s famous taste and because Plankton’s own restaurant, the Chum Bucket, serves mostly inedible chum. With no real competition, Mr. Krabs often engages in price gouging, a practice seen in many episodes. The Krusty Krab sometimes has a drive-thru for serving Krabby Patties, as shown in episodes like “Driven to Tears” and “Drive Thru,” as well as in *The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water*.

The Krabby Patty is a frozen meatless burger made with buns, a patty, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, ketchup, mustard, and onions. It may also contain one or more secret ingredients from the secret formula, which has never been revealed in the series. The Krusty Krab’s menu, called the Galley Grub, includes standard fast-food items like fries and sodas. The Krabby Patty is celebrated to a comical degree by Bikini Bottom’s citizens. In *Sponge Out of Water*, Mr. Krabs says, “The Krabby Patty is what ties us all together! Without it, there will be a complete breakdown of social order!” In the episode “Pickles,” the standard burger is shown to have a bottom bun, patty, lettuce, cheese, onion, tomato, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and top bun.