National Onion Ring Day is a holiday that falls on the 22nd of June and celebrates one of the quintessential American foods that has been enjoyed by fast-food aficionados since the 1920s. Onion rings are the perfect accompaniment to burgers, hot dogs, or milkshakes.

However, this isn’t just a holiday that can be observed by Americans. After all, onion rings are a food that is enjoyed by people all over the world.

The History of Onion Rings

We’re sad to say that the history of onion rings is a bit convoluted, and no one really knows where they were invented. What we do know, however, is that there’s a strong possibility that onion rings may not have been created in the United States.

Yes, we know that Americans consider onion rings to be their creation, and some people back that up with the story of a Texas-based pig stand inventing them during the 1920s, but the facts seem to point to them being created in the United Kingdom during the 19th century.

Of course, after battered and deep-fried onions first debuted in the UK, they seemed to fall off the map for a while. So, it’s quite possible that onion rings were invented in both the UK and the US. And there’s also the matter that the British version of battered fried onions wasn’t really the onion rings that we know today.

According to American tradition, American onion rings were invented at the Pig Stand—a roadside BBQ restaurant that had its food delivered to patrons in their vehicles via carhops. It’s believed that this restaurant not only invented onion rings but also other American specialties such as Texas Toast and chicken-fried steak sandwiches.

Interesting Facts About Onion Rings

Now that we’ve dug into some onion ring history, or at least what we know about it, it’s time to turn our attention to learning a couple more interesting facts about onion rings. Below are some of the factoids we’ve uncovered while we were doing our due diligence for this holiday. We hope you enjoy them as much as you enjoy onion rings themselves.

• The first printed recipe for onion rings was in a 1933 Crisco advertisement in New York Times Magazine.
• More than 2 million metric tons of onion rings are produced in the U.S. each year.
• Americans consume 20 pounds of onion rings per person per year.

Observing National Onion Ring Day

Want to enjoy National Onion Ring Day? If you do, then all you have to do is head to your favorite diner or fast-food restaurant and order some. Or, if you feel adventurous, you can also try to make your own onion rings at home. Making onion rings is easy, so you can make them not only on this holiday but all year round.

While you’re observing this holiday, don’t forget to use the hashtag #OnionRingDay on your social media accounts to spread the word about the deliciousness of these little deep-fried rings of joy.