The beauty of a show with classic comedy and longevity is that it can have running jokes that only get funnier as the show progresses through many seasons.
Bob's Burgers, which follows the Belcher family as they try to make it as a burger joint, is a show that fans can watch again and again and still notice funny puns or jokes throughout the seasons. The lovable cast of characters is always up to different shenanigans, and the puns that inspired an entire cookbook are never-ending.
Updated on May 27th, 2022 by Amanda Suarez: Because of the release of brand-new episodes of the show and the new Bob's Burgers movie, fans of the show have been reminded of just how many callbacks and running gags there are at the seaside restaurant.
With new and familiar shenanigans picking back up and a movie on the close horizon, viewers are getting a ton of new content for the show and enjoying even more top-tier comedy.
The Pest Control Van Is In Every Season 1 Episode
Bob's Burgers is known for having lots of small Easter eggs and jokes in the background of its episodes, and the pest control company Rats All, Folks was one of them. The show is big on puns, so obviously, the punny Porky-Pig-line-turned-slogan isn't surprising at all--and it's just one of many hilarious running puns for the van.
Fans of the show may want to revisit season 1 and see if they can spot the van's appearance in each of the episodes. Starting in season 2, there is still a van appearance in each episode, but the company changes each time to a different rat-themed pun.
The Health Inspector Has It Out For Bob
This is both a pretty entertaining running gag and a reference to the original pitched idea of the show. Die-hard fans of the series may be aware that Bob's Burgers is based on a sketch of the Belcher family opening up a burger shop selling burgers made of human flesh, a la Sweeney Todd.
Not very much is leftover from that original macabre pitch, but the pilot featured Louise lying and telling her class that their burgers were human. This prompts a very suspicious health inspector to spend a lot of time and energy investigating Bob over the course of the show. The writers also paid additional homage to the original pilot by placing a funeral home next to Bob's Burgers, fueling the wild fan theory about the Belchers on Bob's Burgers still serving human burgers.
Tina Is Obsessed With Boys
Another constant source of comedy on the show is that Tina is forever thinking that she's met her soulmate. Even if it's a random boy in detention that she's never really spoken to before, a simple moment of eye contact can prompt her to launch into one of Tina's best Bob's Burgers songs about the "briefest of glances" and almost topple her desk over trying to get another glance from him.
It's surprising that Tina, whose anxiety can be triggered by almost anything, is pretty bold when going after a boy. Her preoccupation with spin-the-bottle and a hayride sitting next to a boy routinely gets her into some pretty hilarious situations.
Gene Is Too Close With Linda
Gene is a Momma's Boy through and through, and the show continually reminds fans of Gene's bordering-on-too-much dependency on Linda. But one thing that the show plays on, again and again, is that Gene is a little obsessed with his mom.
Whether it's a quick joke about Gene wishing Linda was his wife and that they'll grow old together, or an entire episode dedicated to Gene following Linda to her women's entrepreneur club meetings and trying to sabotage her time there, Gene is all-in for Linda
Bob Thinks Jimmy Pesto Is Behind Everything
Jimmy Pesto is the foil character to Bob; where Bob runs a struggling business with genuinely good food and a loving family, Jimmy is running a successful business with admittedly bad food and has a broken family. The two are constantly in competition with each other, with Bob going as far as to devote time and energy to beat Jimmy's video game high score.
Any time something goes wrong, the first place Bob points a finger is Jimmy Pesto and Linda has to convince him that Jimmy isn't trying to pull any stunts. He's not entirely wrong for it, though, as Jimmy did spy on Bob to steal his Super Bowl commercial in "Easy Com-mercial, Easy Go-mercial."
Mr. Fischoeder Makes Comments About Rent
If there's one thing that the Belchers always are, it's strapped for cash. Bob's Burgers is constantly under threat of closing its doors and Mr. Fischoeder is well aware of that fact and he makes quite a few running jokes about the matter.
Anytime the odd, rich, building owner comes into contact with Bob or the rest of the family, he always makes a one-liner joke about them not paying rent. And, the few times that he's not there to remind them that they owe him rent, one of the Belchers--usually Bob--will nervously bring up that it's not due or has been paid already.
Louise Violently Loves Boyz 4 Now
One of the most loved fictional boy bands of all time is Bob's Burgers' Boyz 4 Now, a play on Boyz II Men. Fans may openly love this band, but Louise is slow to admit that she loves something so trendy and girly--and when Louise loves something, things get violent.
A hilarious running joke with Louise is her hidden love for the band--and more specifically, Boo Boo. She quickly learns everything that she can about him and even sneaks onto their tour bus with Tina. Every time her guilty pleasure enjoyment of the band is brought up, it makes for a really funny gag.
Linda Is Afraid Of Getting Hit In The Face
Linda Belcher has some of the funniest lines and plotlines on Bob's Burgers, and fans have noticed that every time the fan-favorite mom character gets into a scuffle or something shoots or splashes near her, she raises her hands up and shouts, "Oh, my face!"
The sheer amount of times makes it a classic running gag, and the varying degree of danger her face is actually in of getting hit is also a good laugh. Even when she's about to be pushed over a rail in "Housetrap," her gut reaction is to shout "Oh, my face!"
The Family Has Musical Interludes
Bob's Burgers definitely isn't the first animated sitcom to feature songs and dances, but there's something about the show's musical numbers that is especially funny. It could be that they're almost always a little off-pitch, or that they're usually accompanied by overly dramatic fantasy sequences, or that they often featured hilarious lyrics with a drawn-out note at the end that goes on much longer than viewers would expect.
Every character on the show has had some sort of themed musical number every few episodes or so, and the credits usually feature a fun little remix of a song on the show or a brand new one. It's definitely a great running part of the series.
Tina Runs With Her Arms Straight Down
No matter what the situation is, be it gym class or trying to catch up to Jimmy Jr. on his bike, Tina Belcher has only ever run one way on the show: with her arms straight down by her sides. It's especially funny when she's running with her family or friends, and the difference between her and everyone else is stark.
Fans of the show have even made compilations on YouTube of every time Tina has run on Bob's Burger, and watching them in succession really puts the length of the joke into focus. Episodes that focus on Tina and her amazing set of quirks, are some of fans' favorites.
Linda Trying To Be Sexy With Bob
Linda is always trying to keep the romance alive between her and Bob, and the results are pretty hilarious. Linda routinely tries to come on to Bob while they're working--and Bob is almost never on board.
But, regardless, Linda always keeps trying. In a funny turn of events and a great Bob and Linda moment, for an elongated Valentine's Day celebration, Bob finally sheds his nervousness and does a strip tease for Linda. When people across the street see him, he doesn't care and continues his dance on the coffee table.
Bob Talks To Inanimate Objects
Bob Belcher has a hilarious habit of talking to different inanimate objects in his life and making them talk back to him in a falsetto voice. He's had full conversations with burgers on the grill, toy figurines, and even tools at the dentist's office.
It seems to be his coping mechanism and hobby and what makes the entire thing even funnier is that oftentimes, the objects don't agree with what Bob is saying, and he gets into little arguments with them. He comes up with some really funny quips while he's doing it, with a notable one being the Thanksgiving turkey that asks him to leave the oven light on for it before he closes the oven door.
The Store Next Door To Bob's Burgers Changes
Another Easter egg for long-standing fans of the show is the store that's located to the right of the burger shop. If viewers watch carefully, the store changes names in every title sequence but is usually vacant during the actual episodes themselves. The ever-changing ownership is reflected by the often rushed-looking banners displaying their names.
The businesses are almost always hilarious puns, and some notable names have been "Meth I Can! Methadone Recovery Clinic," "Extra Moist Yoga" (a gag on Hot Yoga), and "Magnum G.I. Coloscopies." Additionally, in the episode "Sacred Cow," the space has a "Rent Reduced" sign right over a sign marking it as an active crime scene, complete with caution tape.
The Burger Of The Day Is A Pun
One of the most well-known and popular gags on the show is that there is always a "Burger of the Day" on the chalkboard behind the counter, and the name of the burger is a movie or pop culture-related pun.
These burger names and recipes are so beloved by fans of the show, that they were even compiled into a cookbook for lovers of the show to finally experience Bob's Burgers creations, instead of just wishing the fictional chain existed in real life. Some favorites of this ever-changing display are, "Pepper Don't Preach Burger," "Olive and Let Die Burger," and "Bohemian Radishy Burger."
Teddy Thinks He & Bob Are Best Friends
Teddy comes to Bob's Burgers most days of the week and he's definitely gotten Bob and the other Belchers into some wacky situations. From watching Bob while he's injured to hopping behind the counter, there's nothing that Teddy wouldn't do for Bob.
The gag of it is, Bob couldn't feel more differently. Teddy is just a customer to him, and he looks for any reason to put space between them. In one of the current episodes where Teddy gets a fish delivered to the restaurant, Bob asks Linda if Teddy's package being late is enough to not be his friend anymore.