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A Franklin food truck has taken out Burger Nation’s best burger title.
The Classic Smashie Double burger from Smashies in Pukekohe was 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, Burger Nation says.
“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.”
Dave and Rachel Tomlinson own Smashies and employ four other staff to help run the burger truck as it travels around Franklin most evenings.
Their regular spots are in Pukekohe (Tuesdays), Waiuku (Wednesdays), Patumahoe (Thursdays), and Tuakau (Fridays) from 4pm to 8pm. On Saturday, April 11 they will also be in Onewhero.
“We’re incredibly grateful for all the support from the community. It’s all very humbling. It’s been nice to see a simple burger being recognised – where the meat is the star of the show,” Dave says.
The patties are 100 per cent beef, and the burgers feature a secret special sauce with 14 ingredients only known by the couple themselves. The buns are baked fresh each morning at a Pukekohe bakery, and the meat is sourced locally.
The couple began the burger business just 18 months ago, with Dave quitting his job six months ago to work full-time on the business. “The award has helped us verify that we are doing the right thing; it’s a real win for us. We’re really excited to see what the future brings.”
The winners were named in four categories: meat, chicken, plant, and seafood. They are: Smashies, Auckland (supreme and meat category winner), The Offering, Wairarapa (Tegel chicken category winner), Urbanaut/Burgernaut, Auckland (plant category winner) and Tipsy Oyster, Northland (seafood category winner).
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.”
