Restaurant Eligibility

Anyone may nominate a hamburger from a SOUTH DAKOTA restaurant. To be eligible for the contest the hamburger must meet the following criteria: 

1. To qualify as a hamburger, the burger must be 100% BEEF, although other ingredients may be added to the patty (such as spices, vegetables, etc.)
2. All burgers must be composed of a formed ground beef patty/patties served on a bun or other bread product (such as biscuits, focaccia or tortillas). Burgers may include any combination of condiments (such as ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard), sauces (such as barbeque or hot sauce), cheeses and toppings (such as bacon, onions, tomatoes and lettuce). Every component of the burger must be placed between the bun or bread pieces or served open-faced on a bread product.

Official Rules

1. Entries will be accepted online between May 1, 2024, and June 16, 2024. Nominations will close at 5 p.m. CDT on Sunday, June 16, 2024. To enter online: Visit www.sdbeef.org. Click on “So Dak’s Best Burger”. Follow the on-screen directions to submit your nomination.
2. Burgers must be available on the nominated restaurant’s regular menu.
3. The restaurant must be open for business by the beginning of the nomination period – May 1, 2024 - and must be open year-round.
4. The SDBIC retains the discretion to make all decisions regarding the interpretation of these Official Rules. All decisions of the SDBIC are final. 

Selection of Finalists

Five (5) burgers/restaurants will be selected as finalists from throughout the state based on the number of nominations each restaurant receives. The SDBIC retains the discretion to make all decisions about selecting these five finalists. All decisions of the SDBIC are final.

• All burgers nominated from a single restaurant will be included in that restaurant’s final nomination total.
• Restaurants who receive nominations for multiple locations will be counted per individual location not as a total.

Judging Criteria

Selection of the 2024 So Dak’s Best Burger will be conducted by an anonymous judging panel. Judges will not announce their presence at your restaurant or request a free meal. The decision of the judges is final.

The following guidelines will be used in judging:

• Taste (of burger patty) – 50%
• Appearance and Presentation – 30%
• Proper cooking temperature / degree of doneness – 10%
  To medium doneness, internal temperature reaches 160° F.
• Overall – 10%