Sioux Falls Sees A Burger Boom And Economic Boon During Burger Battle

Here in Sioux Falls, we don’t mess around when it comes to burgers, especially in January, when the weather is bitterly cold, the carb overload begins to kick in!

The Downtown Burger Battle has become a full-blown winter tradition. Every January, downtown Sioux Falls restaurants throw down the spatula and compete to see who can create the most original, most mouth-watering, napkin-destroying burger in town. Bragging rights are on the line, along with a lot of satisfied stomachs.

The 2026 edition of the battle featured more than 50 downtown restaurants, each swinging for the fences with bold flavors and creative builds. When the smoke cleared and the votes were tallied via the DTSF Digital Passport app, Swamp Daddy’s emerged victorious, earning an impressive average score of 9.20 to claim burger royalty.

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But while Swamp Daddy’s may have taken home the crown, the real winner was Sioux Falls itself.

During this year’s Burger Battle alone, participating restaurants sold nearly 100,000 burgers, creating an economic impact of more than $3.5 million for the city. That’s a whole lot of buns, and an even bigger pile of lettuce (the money kind).

According to Dakota News Now, the average Burger Battle participant spent about $38 each time they dined out. That covered the burger, a drink, a side, and maybe even dessert, because once you’ve committed to a burger battle, you might as well go all in, right?

Add in out-of-town visitors who traveled to Sioux Falls specifically for the battle, many of whom stayed in hotels, which also served up some serious economic flavor to the city of Sioux Falls.

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And while Monk’s Ale House didn’t snag the top burger title, they did earn the Top Sales award after selling nearly 10,000 burgers. That’s the second time they’ve claimed that honor, a feat Kitchen Manager Omali Vanterpool told Dakota News Now he’s especially proud of.

If all this food talk has you thirsty, don’t worry, the downtown Sioux Falls crew has something else fun brewing in less than a month. The 10th Annual Mash Madness kicks off March 1 and runs through March 31, as downtown breweries, bars, and coffee shops begin to battle it out for drink supremacy in the city.