Google Flips on the Great Cheeseburger Emoji Debate of 2017

Who knew cheese on a burger could be so controversial?

We're not talking about whether American, cheddar or some other cheese (Swiss? Blue?) is best.

Apparently there is a raging battle going on between proponents of putting the cheese on top of burgers (normal!) and putting them on the bottom, right over the bun (either groundbreakingly genius or completely crazy, depending on your perspective) and Google’s burger emoji basically threw lighter fluid on the heated debate.

In late October, author Thomas Baekdal tweeted an observation: In Google’s burger emoji the cheese is below the patty, right on top of the bun, whereas in Apple’s version, the cheese is on top, between the tomato slice and the patty, with the lettuce underneath. “I think we need to have a discussion” about it, Baekdal suggested. The Internet obliged. The tweets and retweets flew.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai promised to address the issue, even as cheese-on-the-bottom enthusiasts urged the company to stand strong.

“Cheese on bottom is superior. Cheese closer to tongue + seals in juices to prevent bottom bun soggage. Keep up the good work,” tweeted Cooking Channel’s Dan Pashman. (Here’s Pashman expanding on why cheese on the bottom is better.)

Well, sorry, Dan, but Google, which apparently gave some indication that it might remain on Team Cheese on the Bottom, has now switched sides, righting the world for those on Team Cheese on the Top. (“Google Caves,” is how Eater reported the news.) 

In the Android 8.1 release, which just rolled out, Google’s burger emoji features cheese atop the burger, not beneath.

Photo courtesy of @emojipedia

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