Get to know the Maggy Awards: Best of Wake Living.
One of our most popular features, Wake Living’s readers’ choice awards highlight your favorite restaurants, businesses, people, and things to do in Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Knightdale.
Read on for answers to our most frequently asked questions:
What exactly are the Maggy Awards?
Formerly the Readers’ Choice Awards, the Wake Living Maggy Awards recognize the businesses, people, and places that make life great in Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Knightdale.
For an example, check out Wake Living’s 2026 winners here.
How are the winners chosen?
We ask readers to name their favorite people and places in 80-plus categories, which may change from year to year. Voting is open until 5 p.m. on Friday, November 20, 2026, by online ballot. Those receiving the most votes in each category become the winners.
Can I only vote for options in the dropdown list?
No! To make voting easier, we’ve added a list of common answers that appear in a dropdown list or as you begin typing. These options are meant to make voting easier, not limit your options. Feel free to write in your favorites if they do not appear in the list. And as always, you are welcome to leave fields blank if you don’t have a favorite.
Why are there three divisions of the Maggy Awards? Couldn’t you just recognize one group of overall winners?
Our publications — Wake Living, Cary Magazine, and Main & Broad — cover different regions, with towns of different sizes and preferences. To recognize winners relevant to the maximum number of readers, each publication honors winners from its coverage area.
Do I have to vote in every category?
Nope! You’re welcome to vote for as many or as few as you like.
May I vote more than once?
While we appreciate your enthusiasm and support for your favorite local business, you may only vote once in each publication’s Maggy Awards. Final votes are tallied based on one ballot per valid email address for each publication.
How can I suggest a category for next year’s ballot?
We revise the ballot every year to reflect the community support for each category. If you have a suggestion for the 2028 Maggy Awards, please shoot us an email at editor@wakeliving.com.
Are advertisers given precedence?
No. Winners are determined solely by reader votes.
But several winners are advertisers in the magazine.
True, some frequent advertisers earn awards because they are popular with readers. Many businesses also choose to run “thank you” advertisements to show appreciation for our readers’ support.
Are local businesses given preference?
Yes! We recognize that local establishments likely don’t have the widespread recognition of national chains, so in order to honor those local-first requests, we ask readers to place their votes for locally owned restaurants, shops, and service providers.
Why are there still some national chains?
The ballot does include locally owned franchises of national brands. We also include national brands that are based in North Carolina.
Is the number of locations factored into tallying votes?
No. We don’t divide votes among multiple locations — each vote counts toward the business as a whole.
Who is eligible for the Wake Living Maggy Awards?
The Wake Living Maggy Awards recognize businesses, people, and places located in or serving Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Knightdale.
I disagree with one of the winners. I had a bad experience!
No business is perfect. Even the best are bound to have off days. Consider giving the winners another chance to redeem themselves.
I missed the voting process this year. How can I find out about it for future years?
Subscribe to our email newsletter and follow Wake Living on social media so you won’t miss our announcements regarding the voting timetable.
