Michigan's 'Best Burger' Draws Eager Customers

Talley's Log Cabin sees double its burger sales after winning state-wide contest.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 9:33pm

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A bold, colorful silkscreen print featuring a single, iconic burger repeated in a tight grid pattern, using a high-contrast palette of bright neon hues and heavy black outlines to transform the everyday food item into a modern pop art piece.A vibrant pop art celebration of the burger that put Talley's Log Cabin on the map as Michigan's top-rated sandwich.Today in Detroit

After being named the winner of Michigan's 'best burger' award, Talley's Log Cabin restaurant in northern Michigan saw a surge of customers travel from as far as Dearborn and Ohio to try the award-winning sandwich. The restaurant, located about 20 miles east of Interstate 75, reported doubling its burger sales over the celebratory weekend.

Why it matters

Winning a statewide 'best burger' contest can provide a significant boost in business and visibility for a small, rural restaurant like Talley's Log Cabin. The influx of new customers from across Michigan and even neighboring states highlights the power of positive media coverage and word-of-mouth to drive traffic to local eateries, especially those located off the beaten path.

The details

Talley's Log Cabin, the winner of the Detroit News' 2026 Burger Bracket competition, saw its burger sales double over the celebratory weekend after the announcement. Owner Tyler Smith said the restaurant, which is about a 30-minute drive from Gaylord, Michigan, is usually slow in April due to the spring weather, but Thursday through Saturday were 'huge' with new customers eager to try the award-winning burger. Manager Matt Miller said people came from as far as Livonia, Dearborn, and even Ohio to sample the sandwich, which comes with or without American cheese, plus lettuce, tomato, and pickles on a sesame seed bun.

  • The Detroit News announced Talley's Log Cabin as the winner of its 2026 Burger Bracket on April 9.
  • The restaurant saw a surge of new customers over the following Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

The players

Talley's Log Cabin

A restaurant located about 20 miles east of Interstate 75 in northern Michigan that was named the winner of the Detroit News' 2026 'best burger' contest.

Tyler Smith

The owner of Talley's Log Cabin.

Matt Miller

The manager of Talley's Log Cabin.

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What they’re saying

“My phone starting dinging at 3 a.m. (PDT). People were texting me 'Congratulations,' which was really cool, obviously, so I turned my phone on silent and woke up to 97 text messages at 6 a.m. local time.”

— Tyler Smith, Owner

“That was the No. 1 comment they made all weekend: 'We read the article in the newspaper and we drove 3 1/2 hours, 4 hours just to try this world-famous burger.' It's impressive to make that kind of travel and come all this way for a burger that got recommended through a newspaper.”

— Matt Miller, Manager

“They said it was worth the drive from every person I spoke to so far. They said it was absolutely living up to the hype, one of the best burgers they've had throughout the country.”

— Matt Miller, Manager

What’s next

The restaurant plans to continue promoting its award-winning burger and capitalize on the increased visibility and customer demand in the coming weeks and months.

The takeaway

This story highlights the powerful impact that winning a prestigious local food award can have on a small, rural restaurant. Talley's Log Cabin's surge in business after being named Michigan's 'best burger' demonstrates the value of positive media coverage and word-of-mouth in driving traffic to unique, destination-worthy eateries, even those located off the beaten path.