The Big Texan -- Amarillo Texas

The Big Texan -- Amarillo Texas

The Challenge: Eat a 72-ounce steak, salad, shrimp cocktail, baked potato, and roll in under an hour.Price: $54 Prize: You get the meal for freeDetails: In the more than 40 years since the challenge began, more than 37,000 people have attempted it, according to the restaurant's Web site. Nearly 6,200 have succeeded, about one of every six.

Far more men try than woman, says owner Bobby Lee, but about half the women who do start, finish. "It's not an ego thing with women," says Lee.

The oldest to eat the meal was a 69-year-old grandmother and the youngest, an 11-year-old boy. Former major league pitcher Frank Pastore still holds the speed record at under 10 minutes.

Denny's Beer Barrel Pub -- Clearfield Pennsylvania

The Challenge: Polishing off a 15-pound burger by a two-man team.Price: $30Prize: You get your meal for free.Details: Denny's has a three-tiered challenge: A single person can opt to attack the three-pound burger, the six-pounder, or a two-person team can go for the mammoth "Beer Barrel Belly Buster" that weighs in with 10 pounds of meat, 25 slices of cheese, and a whole lot of toppings.

Denny Liegey has offered challenges since 1991, but it was only last February that anyone was able to consume a six-pounder (which is actually more like 10 or 11 pounds with the bun and toppings).

Only two teams have attempted the 15-pounder challenge so far; neither came close.

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop - Orlando Florida

The Challenge: Eating a two-liter ice cream sundae with all the toppings, including fudge, strawberries, caramel, pineapple, almonds, Oreos, and Snickers chunks in less than an hour.Price: $21.99 Prize: You eat for free.Details: Only a couple of people a month try to finish this Everest of ice cream dubbed the kitchen sink sundae, according to manager Andrew Carlson. Most people only order it as a group. But just this week, reports Carlson, "We had a guy come in five days in a row and he finished it every time."

Schiappa's Restaurant -- Lebanon Illinois

The Challenge: A two-person team has to eat a 29" pizza pie with four toppings and regular crust in under 30 minutes.Price: $34.95Prize: You get your meal for free, a coupon for another 29" pie, a hat and a tee shirt, and your picture gets hung on the wall of fame. You're also eligible to take part in an eat-off where first prize is a three-day trip to Cancun.Details: Steve Schiappa has been challenging pizza eaters for about a year. He said that only a couple of teams have managed to finish the pie, although many have come close. "Usually one member of the team does his half, but the other one falls short."

The Corner Bar -- Rockford Michigan

The Challenge: Downing 12 or 20 chili dogs in under four hours.Price: $1.49 per dogPrize: Eat 12 dogs and you enter the Corner Bar Hall of Fame. Eat 20 and get your meal for free. If you beat Brenda Gould’s amateur record of 43 chili dogs, you win $500.Details: The Corner Bar has been challenging overeaters since 1968. The original record was set back in 1982 when a 5'3", 110-pound local woman took every bit of the allotted four hours to break the old record of 42 dogs. This record stood for 23 years until Brenda set the new record. There have been several competitive eaters attempt the challenge, and Tim Janus holds the professional record with 43 and ½ dogs.

Manager Paul Bible said he gets about a dozen people a week attempting to nosh their way to immortality. It's required to at least have the chili topping, but many eaters add mustard and ketchup as well.

Crown Candy Kitchen - St. Louis Missouri

The Challenge: Drink five 24-ounce malts within 30 minutesPrice: $3.45 eachPrize: You get the malts for free and your name posted on the store's wall of fame.Details: It doesn't sound too hard, does it? Well guess again. Of the hundreds who have tried, only 30 have succeeded.

Owner Andy Karandzieff says the number of candidates for the challenge run hot and cold; some weeks he gets five or six, then nobody will attempt it for a month or two. Not surprisingly, peak malt challenge season is during St. Louis's hot and humid summers. Ben Monson holds the record with 7 malts in 6 minutes.

Gus & Paul’s – Springfield, Massachusetts

The Challenge: A two person team has 30 minutes to complete the sandwich that includes 2.5 lbs of corned beef, 1 lb Swiss cheese, 2 sliced tomatoes, 1/2 head of lettuce, 1.5 lb water roll, 1/2 lb of mustard, 1 lb sliced pickles, 1 lb of coleslaw, and 1.25 lbs of French friesPrice: $59.99Prize: You get the sandwich for free.Details: Many have tried this challenge and failed so the owner has modified the challenge. The challenge rules previously stated that the sandwich and sides had to be eaten by 1 person within an hour. The new rules allow for 2 people to complete the challenge but the time allotted has been reduced to 30 minutes.

The Big Texan

Nutrient Your IntakeRecommendationAcceptable Range

Calories 4870 2400

Protein (gm) 495 52

Carbohydrates (gm) 82 130

Total Fat (gm) 272 135 -190

Saturated Fat (gm) 105 < 54

Cholesterol (mg) 1555 < 300

Vitamin A (mcg) 390 900

Vitamin C (mg) 56 75

Calcium (mg) 352 1300

Sodium (mg) 8510 1500 - 2300

Source: mypyramid.gov (15 year old male)

Denny’s Beer Barrel – 1 Person


Calories 9422 2400

Protein (gm) 700 52


Total Fat (gm) 510 135 -190






Sodium (mg) 20,000 1500 - 2300


Beaches & Cream – The Kitchen Sink


Calories 9360 2400

Protein (gm) 145 52


Total Fat (gm) 80 135 -190






Sodium (mg) 5400 1500 - 2300


Schiappa’s Pizza – 1 Person(2 meats and 2 veggies)


Calories 4350 2400

Protein (gm) 220 52


Total Fat (gm) 200 135 -190






Sodium (mg) 9750 1500 - 2300


Crown Candy Kitchen - 5 Malts


Calories 4800 2400

Protein (gm) 110 52


Total Fat (gm) 170 135 -190






Sodium (mg) 2410 1500 - 2300


The Corner Bar – 12 Chili Dogs


Calories 4675 2400

Protein (gm) 200 52


Total Fat (gm) 295 135 -190




Vitamin C (mg) 5 75


Sodium (mg) 15,170 1500 - 2300


Gus & Paul’s Corned Beef Sandwich – 1 Person


Calories 3325 2400

Protein (gm) 190 52


Total Fat (gm) 225 135 -190






Sodium (mg) 11,570 1500 - 2300


The Big Texan -- Amarillo Texas

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