SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — More than two dozen businesses are competing in the Downtown Burger Battle in Sioux Falls.

Tami Brown may not be in the burger business, but the owner of the Spice and Tea Exchange has seen a positive impact from the battle in the past.

“We see people come in either before they go out get burgers if a place is really busy and they’re waiting to get in or after they get done eating, they’re just wandering downtown if it’s a nice January evening, which in South Dakota that’s relative,” The Spice and Tea Exchange owner Tami Brown said.

We’re now about a week into the Burger Battle and just starting to come out of a deep freeze.

“We’ve had some people in, but I think it will really start picking up when it warms up again,” Brown said.

Last year’s competition saw tens of thousands of burgers sold.

“It really comes down to that increase of foot traffic, and of course the Burger Battle brings people to downtown Sioux Falls. It helps those Burger Battle restaurants involved, but just having people walking around, maybe seeing a shop that they’ve never been to,” Downtown Sioux Falls community outreach manager Sadie Swier said.

“Anything we can do to support each other, so we tell people, ‘Hey if you’re going to be down for dinner tonight, go get a burger somewhere,’ and we talk it up, and we know they also tell people, ‘Stay downtown, shop, and have a good time,’ so it’s a great community down here,” Brown said.

Swier reminds people that if they want to take part in the Burger Battle from home, there are carryout and delivery options.

To see what’s on this year’s menu, click here.