On April 26, the edition of Colombia Burger Master 2026 came to a close — the burger festival was created by gastronomic influencer and former actor and singer Tulio Zuloaga. With 3,493,094 burgers sold over seven days, the event cemented its status as one of the most attended culinary festivals in the country. Customer votes defined the winners in each participating city and municipality.
According to figures from the organizer, the event generated an economic impact of nearly 95 billion pesos (approximately US$26.1 million), including direct sales and consumption of complementary products such as drinks and sides. These results solidify Burger Master as a recovery platform for the national gastronomic sector.
Colombia Burger Master 2026: winners in the three largest cities
In Bogota, the top three spots were held by Godo Facts Food, Bicono, and El Chori Charrua. Also earned recognition Camacho’s and Pigasus, with a special mention for Ovejo, which presented a burger created in collaboration with Alvaro Clavijo, chef of El Chato.
In Cali, the winners were Qrico, Big Billy, and Juan Juan Parrilla, followed by Smash Burger Lab and Brazz.
In Medellin, burgers from Bunker Burger, LF Burger, and Bramante topped the voting, followed by Chum Burgers and Animal Cocina. Masfinca received a special mention for its proposal.
A festival that spanned across Colombia
In Bucaramanga, La Hamburgueseria 20.15, Oso Burgers, and Camacho’s stood out among the public favorites, with a special mention for Artesano.
The Eje Cafetero (the coffee growers’ region) also gained prominence this year. In Armenia, Calarca, and Filandia, projects combining gastronomic entrepreneurship and regional tourism stood out. The participation of small municipalities evidenced the expansion of the contest beyond the large capitals.
Local ingredients as a hallmark of identity
The 2026 edition showed a strong commitment to Colombian products: Paipa cheese, capers, browned butter, suero costeño brought directly from Monteria, crispy plantain sticks, and tartara sauce, a Santanderean flagship, featured among the ingredients of the winning burgers.
The participation price for the public was 21,000 pesos (US$5.77) per burger. Several restaurants will keep their burgers on the menu for a few weeks, though they will return to the establishment’s regular price.
The Burger Master boosts local economies
According to Tulio Zuloaga, 3.3 million burgers were sold in the previous edition, with an estimated impact between 70 and 80 billion pesos (US$18.8 million and US$21.5 million). The 2026 edition surpassed that mark in both units and economic impact.
“We received a total of 734,000 votes; congratulations to everyone, you deserve the cup. I have to say that everyone is a winner, those who are on the list and those who are not, but these were the public’s favorite burgers,” said Zuloaga when announcing the results.
The format of a unified price, high social media exposure, and direct consumer voting allows participating restaurants to reach sales volumes that, in many cases, far exceed their average weekly billing. Zuloaga noted that the festival’s goal is to strengthen the national economy by showcasing Colombian entrepreneurs and producers.