The gourmet burger eatery in Queenstown earned high praise for serving ''the best burger in the world'' by the travel section of CNN online yesterday.
The article told its millions of worldwide readers ''if Michelin stars were still dished out the way they originally were, Fergburger would bag at least a couple, arguably three. (`Exceptional food, well worth a special journey.').
''Like checking out the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Ferg's has become the compulsory stop in Queenstown.''
CNN described the crowds which often spill on to Shotover St and noted the ritual many overseas visitors have of taking a ''burger selfie'' with their smartphone, then showing it to envious friends via social media.
Queenstown did not miss out on the exposure and was name-checked as ''New Zealand's adventure capital''.
However, CNN reported the familiar story of the company's consistent rebuff of franchise offers and was unable to expose the real identity of Fergburger, or talk to the business owner, all of which adds to the urban legend, by accident or design.
Fergburger general manager Stephen Bradley told the Otago Daily Times yesterday that the CNN coverage was ''creating a few ripples'' and staff were ''highly humbled and very proud of the story''.
''Certainly not a title we would have chosen,'' Mr Bradley said.
''It's a claim that we won't make.
''We're proud of Ferg' and Queenstown and it's recognition of 13 years of hard work by an awful lot of people, so we're chuffed.
''Our immediate focus still is Queenstown, but it would take something very special to make us expand and I think the longer we go and the more we put into here, the more that holds.''
