Where does SpongeBob work?
Quick answer
SpongeBob SquarePants works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, a fast-food restaurant in the underwater town of Bikini Bottom. It’s owned by the money-loving Mr. Krabs and famous for the Krabby Patty burger. SpongeBob’s grumpy coworker Squidward runs the cash register.
The Krusty Krab crew
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| SpongeBob SquarePants | Enthusiastic fry cook, a sea sponge |
| Mr. Krabs | Owner, a crab obsessed with money |
| Squidward Tentacles | Cashier, an octopus who hates his job |
| Plankton | Rival restaurant owner trying to steal the recipe |
Squidward is an octopus even though his name suggests a squid. Real octopuses are remarkable; see which sea animal can change color.
The secret formula
The recipe for the Krabby Patty is the show’s most guarded secret, kept in a safe. Across the street, Plankton runs the failing Chum Bucket and spends almost every scheme trying to steal the formula, with help from his computer wife, Karen.
Created by a marine biologist
Stephen Hillenburg taught marine biology at an ocean institute in California before becoming an animator. He first drew SpongeBob for an educational comic about tide pool life. The show premiered on Nickelodeon in 1999 and became one of the most successful animated series ever. Hillenburg died in 2018.
Bikini Bottom life
- SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea with his pet snail, Gary, who meows.
- His best friend is Patrick Star, a starfish who lives under a rock.
- Sandy Cheeks, a squirrel from Texas, wears an air helmet underwater.
- SpongeBob takes boating lessons from Mrs. Puff, a pufferfish; see which fish can puff itself up.
Beyond TV
The franchise includes several feature films, a Broadway musical (2017), spin-offs like Kamp Koral and The Patrick Star Show, and countless memes. Bikini Bottom is said to be named after Bikini Atoll in the Pacific.
For another long-running cartoon’s hometown, see where The Simpsons live.
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