Paula Merritt / The Meridian Star file photoDoug Kennedy, right, and Caleb Rich, with Southern Pipe and Supply prepare hamburgers during Bud & Burgers last October in Meridian. Mitchell Distributing is sponsoring a virtual Bud & Burgers competition on Friday.

“Does it taste as good as it looks?”

Mitchell Distributing and Mississippi Virtual Bud & Burgers certainly hope so.

A Bud & Burgers competition will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, April 17. Due to the current shelter in place regulations, the event will take place entirely on a Facebook event page created by Mitchell Distributing. Participants will have until 8 p.m. to take a picture of their cooked burger (plated and dressed) and post it.

Anna Grace Tanner, communications manager for Mitchell Companies, said Bud U Burgers has been a successful event for the last six years.

“We have held competitions in Meridian, Cleveland, Starkville, Tupelo, and Biloxi,” Tanner said. “Now, everyone gets to join the fun.

“Meridian is our biggest competition, so we are very excited about their participation.”

This year’s virtual cook-off will feature multiple winning categories, such as People’s Choice, the burger voted on by others who have the most “likes” and shares; Best of Show, which is judged based on team spirit and costume get up; Bud and Burgers Champion, which includes a picture of your burger with a Budweiser, as well as Most Instagrammable.

Prizes will range from Budweiser speaker towers, to Weber grills and Bud Light Coolers, Tanner said.

“In addition, our company has donated soft drinks, water, and energy drinks to local hospitals and healthcare providers,” Tanner said. “We also have a t-shirt sale going on to raise money for the restaurant and bar industry,”

“We are very excited to bring Bud & Burgers virtual during this unknown time,” Tanner said.

“We thought this event would be a positive opportunity for our communities to feel a sense of togetherness even while participating from home.”