Get ready to restaurant hop as local diners celebrate the fifth annual Chattanooga Burger Week April 21-27.
This is the biggest Burger week to date, with 40 restaurants preparing to serve mouth-watering burgers for just $8, according to Lynsie Shackleford, Director of Media at Events Hatched.
“In our first year, I think we only had maybe around like 15 or 16 restaurants,” Shackleford said. “It grows every year. A lot of our participating restaurants come back year after year, but we also get new ones that we're really excited about.”
Shackleford said Burger week started in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.
“We wanted a way to drive business to restaurants in town,” she said. “And it was really successful, and our participating restaurants really liked it and came back the next year and the year after that and the year after that. So, yeah, it's been a really great way to incentivize patrons to get out and try burgers and see new menus and new restaurants and keep coming back.”
Burger week is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Tennessee Beef Industry Council.
“They are really about helping local beef farms and getting the word out about beef being a healthier protein,” Shackleford said. “They love doing burger week with us. They go to restaurants throughout the week and try burgers and do video content and post about it. I mean, it's their favorite week of the year.”
This year there are exciting new incentives for the patrons. Organizers created a website and this year there is also an app that patrons can use.
“It helps us get the word out about who's participating,” Shackleford said. “It lists all the restaurants, and you can filter restaurants. For example, if they have a gluten-free option. If they have a vegetarian option, if they have a patio, if they're dog friendly. There is a map you can pull up to see if there's a burger spot right next to you that you can go try.”
The app is available on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
When you arrive at your restaurant of choice you can check in using the app and start earning incentive points.
“There are so many fun surprises and giveaways throughout Burger Week,” Shackleford said. “Through the app every burger that you try gets you points so every time you go into a participating restaurant you can check in and earn points. Once you've earned 100 points then you're entered into random prize drawings.”
Shackleford said patrons could win a $25 gift card to one of their participating restaurants. Once you’ve earned 250 points or more, then you're entered for the grand prize drawing of $500 in restaurant gift cards to their participating restaurant and a day pass to Common House to use their pool and their facilities.
She said her team will be out and about at various restaurants handing out swag bags.
This year Burger Week is partnering with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. Shackleford said many of the participating restaurants will have a donation bin where patrons can drop off non-perishable goods.
“We love the Chattanooga Area Food Bank,” Shackleford said. “It is such a great non-profit in town and it's beloved and so it's just a way for us to give back a little bit more. At least 17 of the restaurants will have donation bins. You can use the app to see where those are located. You can bring a canned items and you take a photo of yourself through the app, donating the item, and you can get five extra points.”
Shackleford said you can take donation selfies more than once to receive extra points.
“And of course, you can donate to them,” she said. “We'll have different links and QR codes that you can scan to donate monetary investments to the food bank.”
This year there are more awards categories. There’ll be a winner for “best overall,” “most creative,” and “best classic burger.”
“We will have trophies for those winners, and they will get bragging rights,” Shackleford said.
To download the app, see participating restaurants, and learn more about Chattanooga Burger Week visit chattanoogaburgerweek.com