A county-wide event that fills tables, brings out the best in our community, and gives people a reason to visit Haywood
Filling your tables when it counts
Fat Burger Month is Visit Haywood's annual celebration of local restaurants across Haywood County. Every March, participating restaurants create their own outrageously good signature burger and compete for bragging rights across three categories: Fattest Burger, Most Creative, and Best Overall.
For the entire month, visitors and locals follow a sticker card trail through Canton, Clyde, Lake Junaluska, Maggie Valley, and Waynesville, eating their way through as many participating restaurants as possible, voting on their favorites, and competing for prizes. In 2026, over 20 restaurants took part.
Why sign up for Fat Burger Month
March is one of the quieter months on the Haywood tourism calendar. Fat Burger Month gives locals and visitors a specific reason to get out and eat during a period when foot traffic would otherwise be slow. Participating restaurants see a measurable bump in revenue during the event window.
Every participating restaurant is featured on FatBurgerMonth.com, promoted across our social media channels, included in the event's interactive dining map, and highlighted in email marketing. That's new and increased visibility, driven by Visit Haywood.
Fat Burger Month is promoted to local and out-of-county audiences as a fun reason to spend time traveling and eating through our mountain towns. Year after year, participants visit new restaurants throughout the campaign. The more unique the burger, the bigger the draw.
How to get burger-ready
If you own a restaurant, being a part of Fat Burger Month is simple.
- Sign up to participate and provide a $25 gift card
- Create a signature Fat Burger or burger-themed dish
- Put it on your menu for the month of March
- Train your staff to promote the campaign
- Encourage participation by handing out promo materials
Visit Haywood handles the marketing, the sticker cards, the prize program, and the promotion.
Each restaurant gets listed on the event page and interactive map, with a photo, description, and social media links on the consumer-facing event page.
Fat Burger Month 2026 by the numbers
20+
Participating restaurants
5
Mountain towns represented
90%
Of participants tried a new restaurant
31 days
Of countywide promotion, social media coverage, and visitor foot traffic
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