What is the difference between a cheeseburger and a hamburger?

[Pike]

American cheese is another word for processed cheese, it's not really a real cheese per se.

No one ever puts it on quality burgers.

[Rantz]

American cheese is Freedom cheese.

[noxious.sunshine]

American cheese might as well be Cheeze Whiz.

Y'all described it exactly the way I was trying to.

It's good on a grilled cheeze sammich, but on a burger? No way.

[LocoColt04]

My roommate cooks burgers that have Monterrey Jack IN THE MIDDLE.

Now that's a cheeseburger.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

A good cut of beef made into a hamburger and cooked medium/medium-well just needs salt and pepper and it is tasty as all hell (though if it is a tenderloin cut you could go blue or rare, though at that point I'd rather have tartare). Though a cheeseburger with Jalapeno Monterrey Jack is awesome. Both are good really.