Ken Krahn spent Wednesday morning and early afternoon standing in line outside a George Webb restaurant in West Allis.
Why? For a free burger, of course.
“Yeah, it’s a hamburger, but … the whole experience of doing it is just awesome,” Krahn said.
News with a little more humanity
WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” newsletter keeps you connected to the state you love without feeling overwhelmed. No paywall. No agenda. No corporate filter.
He knows some might call him crazy.
“Crazy is in the eye of the beholder,” he said. “You know, you only live once, you got to have fun.”
Krahn was the first in line at the restaurant for the George Webb burger giveaway. The promotion was triggered when the Milwaukee Brewers won 12 games in a row for the first time since 2018 last week.
Thousands of people waited in line to claim their free burger at 23 locations across Southeast Wisconsin Wednesday afternoon.
The line wrapped around the block at a Wauwatosa George Webb shortly after the promotion began at 2 p.m. That’s where Ben Blitz was waiting for his freebie.
He said he didn’t claim the George Webb giveaway last time the team won 12 games in a row in 2018.
“It’s one of the biggest mistakes of my life,” Blitz said. “So … I’ve been waiting for this moment to make up for it.”
Employees at the Wauwatosa location handed out the burgers to people standing in line to expedite the process. Blitz ate his on the sidewalk next to the parking lot.
“It almost felt like we won this season after we got those 12 wins,” Blitz said. “And like, whatever happens after that … that’s just gravy on top.”
More than 100 people were waiting in line at a New Berlin George Webb at around 3 p.m. Wednesday. Stephanie Fong ate her burger at a booth inside the restaurant.
“What I love about this promotion is kind of like the togetherness of the community,” Fong said. “Maybe it’s a dorky thing to stand in line just to get a hamburger, but I think it’s just fun.”
Fong is a Brewers fan and was watching closely as the team approached their 12th consecutive win.
“Everybody around me has been talking about it like, ‘one more win, one more win,’” she said. “So yeah, I was paying attention.”
The promotion dates back to the 1940s.
“It was then formalized in 1965 when the owner painted the prediction on restaurant walls and advertised in local papers,” according to a statement from the restaurant chain. “As legend has it, George Webb boldly stated that once the hometown team won 12 games in a row, free burgers would be served.”
The chain expects to give away around 180,000 free burgers. They gave out 100,000 vouchers last week.
Pam Bloom is a manager at a George Webb in Milwaukee. She was working at the restaurant in 1987 and in 2018, the last two times the promotion was triggered.
“It’s crazy, but a fun crazy is what it is,” Bloom said.
Bloom said she expects to hand out around 1,000 burgers at her location alone. She started her shift at 5 a.m. and expects to work until the promotion is over at 6 p.m.
“We’ll just be crazy and it’s going to be a good crazy, and we’ll cry and laugh at the same time,” Bloom said.
Wauwatosa residents Kevin and Melanie Stewart both got a voucher for a free burger last week. They said they plan to come back to the restaurant when it’s less busy.
“This is just fun,” Melanie said. “It’s fun to see all the community come out for something, we’re proud of the Brewers.”
Kevin Stewart said he may hold onto his voucher.
“I want mine for a souvenir,” Kevin said. “I may have it framed.”
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2025, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
