Franklin burger truck smashes competition

A Franklin food truck has taken out Burger Nation’s best burger title.

The Classic Smashie Double burger from Smashies in Pukekohe has been crowned the supreme winner of Burger Nation 2026, beating out more than 300 other competitors in a month-long celebration that saw Kiwis submit more than 7,000 scores online for their favourite burgers in New Zealand.

Smashies, a food truck, took out the supreme title with a burger that leans into simplicity and execution. Quality beef, balance and consistency created a crowd-pleaser of a burger that, combined with a loyal local following, meant their burger won with more than 700 votes.

The winners are named in four categories: meat, chicken, plant and seafood. They are:

Supreme winner & meat category winner – Smashies, Auckland

Classic Smashie Double: Two 1/4lb all-beef patties smashed crispy on the grill, layered with melty American cheese, Smashies’ secret sauce, and McClure’s pickles stacked inside a fresh-baked brioche bun.

Tegel Chicken category winner – The Offering, Wairarapa

Sweet Heat: A toasted pretzel bun layered with sesame ranch and McClure’s Bread & Butter Pickles. Crispy buttermilk chicken, lacquered in a spicy Asian glaze, melted cheese, streaky bacon, char-grilled pineapple and two-cabbage slaw.

Plant category winner – Urbanaut / Burgernaut, Auckland

Smashed Hash Smashburger with Cheese Dipper Cup: Smashed hash brown, smashed Impossible patty, Angel Food vegan cheese, house-made spicy apple chutney, grilled red capsicum, sliced red onion, McClure’s Bread & Butter Pickles and Burgernaut secret sauce on a smashed potato bun. Served with a dipper cup of house-made vegan cheese sauce.

Seafood category winner – Tipsy Oyster, Northland

The Oyster Goes To..?: Fat Tuatara Hazy tempura oyster, crispy onion bhaji, McClure’s Pickle & chipotle mayo, crab tartare mousse and ginger lime slaw.

Public votes for burgers were up 20 per cent on last year’s competition. Burger Nation co-founder Nick Brown says this year’s results highlight the strength of local hospitality and the communities that support their neighbourhood eateries.

“Seeing a food truck take out the top spot again really shows the power of being small but mighty. These are businesses that rely on their locals, and it’s those communities getting in behind them that make the difference,” says Brown. “There were some incredible burgers in the competition this year, and that made for some seriously tough competition.”

Co-founder Becs Caughey says the competition is about more than just finding the best burger.

“At its core, Burger Nation is about backing our locals and turning a simple burger into a reason to connect, explore and support hospitality. Yes, we’re on the hunt for New Zealand’s best burger, but more importantly, we’re creating visibility, foot traffic and positivity for an industry that works incredibly hard and sits at the heart of our communities,” she says.

Each of the winners will receive a trophy, the glory of being the best at burgers in the country, a year’s supply of McClure’s Pickles and a selection of sponsors’ products.

Now in its third year, Burger Nation celebrates burger joints, food trucks, bars, cafés and restaurants from the Far North to the deep South. Organised by Cook & Nelson, Burger Nation 2026 was supported by McClure’s Pickles, delivery partner Delivereasy, category sponsor Tegel, associated sponsors Dairyworks, Hellmann’s and French Bakery, and brewery partners Behemoth, Garage Project and Tuatara.