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That's not American cheese.

That's the kraft "cheese food product".

American cheese is essentially Swiss that hasn't aged.

Edit: looks like they've changed the label, but it still says "cheese product", so NOT cheese, kraft even admits it.

IMO the ideal thing to do for hamburgers, mac and cheese, and grilled cheeses (the three foods that I would consider using American cheese for) is this:

Half american cheese for meltiness, half gruyere or other aged flavorful cheese for flavor.

A lot of modern recipes suggest that approach and it has worked well for me.

As an American, American "cheese" (including single slices, and things like spray cheese) fucking suck. Give me a good pepperjack or white cheddar on my burger, not that processed shit.

People seem to forget there's a difference between American cheese and fucking Kraft singles. Kraft singles are like the Spam "ham" of cheeses.

It also makes a really good grilled cheese

I'm not saying American cheese is good, but sometimes you just need that shit on a breakfast sandwich.

American cheese is the best cheese for a cheeseburger because it melts without splitting

- Chef Voldemort

I will not sit here and let grilled cheese be forgotten. American is the best at any melty cheese sandwhich!

American cheese existed before WWII.

Processed American cheese was invented in the 1910s by James L. Kraft, the founder of Kraft Foods Inc., who obtained a patent for his manufacturing process in 1916.

The wider world when they think of American cheese: yellow shiny shrink wrapped oily substance, wiggles like rubber

Me thinking of the American cheese I've eaten all of my life: white, dry-ish, cut from actual blocks at the deli, feels like, well, cheese

Dunno if it's some regional thing or what. The only place I see yellow American is at chain restaurants.

Also, related and timely:

https://youtu.be/2ck8pXRrI7c

And now we know why Kraft is spelt with a K.

It's full of emulsifiers and nearly flavorless so it can also make sauces super creamy

The hamburger did not originate in Germany, despite its name. While the exact origins are debated, it is pretty well agreed that it was created in the US sometimes in the late 19th to early 20th century.

The closest connection to germany that some try to make is an entirely different dish that uses ground beef or pork, which is such a loose connection that you might as well say it originated in Egypt as they were the first civilization to make bread.