15 Most Intimidating Food Challenges in the US (Ranked)

You can find just about any kind of dining experience you want in the United States: quick and casual, elegant and elevated, classic and comforting, and pretty much anything else you can think of. Then there are those eateries that offer to push U.S. diners to their limits with outrageous meals that are as entertaining—for onlookers—as they are intimidating for the people tasked with consuming them. Although I don't think I could ever pull one off, I'm fascinated by them. They're the local equivalents of spectacles like Joey Chestnut stuffing an impossible number of hot dogs into his mouth in a minute or your favorite celebrity crying for mercy on Hot Ones. You can't look away. So, if you want to see—or be—a regular diner performing (or sometimes better, failing at) heroic deeds at a local eatery, you'll want to check out these 15 food challenges in the U.S.

1. The 72-Ounce Steak Challenge - Big Texan Steak Ranch, Amarillo, Texas

• The Behemoth: A 72-ounce (4.5 lb) steak, shrimp cocktail, baked potato, salad, and a buttered roll.
• The Time Limit: 1 hour.
• The Prize: The entire meal is free, and your name is added to the legendary wall of fame.

The Big Texan Steak Ranch is a Route 66 icon in Amarillo, Texas, that's infamous for its 72-Ounce Steak Challenge. This beefy throw-down stands out as one of the most iconic food challenges in the country. To win, you have to finish the whole 4.5-pound steak and all sides within an hour. If you manage to conquer the steak challenge, you'll earn bragging rights and a free meal. Fail, and you'll be saddled with the $72 tab and the shame of having to pay it—but you do get to keep the leftovers (assuming you'll ever want to eat steak again).

2. The Kodiak Arrest Challenge - Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse, Anchorage, Alaska

• The Behemoth: 4 lbs of Alaskan king crab legs, 14 inches of reindeer sausage, 7 crab nuggets, a daily starch, a vegetable medley, and a berry crisp with ice cream.
• The Time Limit: 90 minutes.
• The Prize: An "I Got Crabs at Humpy's" T-shirt and a permanent spot on the Wall of Fame.

Even among extreme food challenges, The Kodiak Arrest Challenge at Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse in Anchorage is intimidating. Four pounds of Alaskan king crab, seven crab nuggets, 14 inches of reindeer sausage, a daily starch, a vegetable medley, and a berry crisp—with ice cream—and you have to eat it all without leaving the table. The current record sits at 12 minutes and change—think you can beat it?

3. The Carnivore Pizza Challenge - Big Pie in the Sky Pizzeria, Kennesaw, Georgia

• The Behemoth: An 11-pound, 30-inch pizza loaded with pepperoni, ground beef, Italian sausage, ham, and bacon.
• The Time Limit: 1 hour.
• The Prize: A $120 cash prize (minus the $60 entry fee) and ultimate bragging rights.

The Carnivore Pizza Challenge at Kennesaw's Big Pie in the Sky Pizzeria has to rank among the most physically demanding food challenges in America (for me, anyway). The challenge centers on a staggering 11-pound pizza, loaded with six different types of meat. To complete the task, up to two people must finish the pie within an hour without leaving the table. It costs $60 to try the challenge, which must be booked in advance, and you earn $120 if you win. It'd sure give me the meat sweats!

4. The Mt. Olympus Burger Challenge - Clinton Station Diner, Clinton, New Jersey

• The Behemoth: A 50-pound cheeseburger featuring 25 pounds of pure beef, a massive bun, and pounds of toppings.
• The Time Limit: 1 hour.
• The Prize: A massive $1,000 cash prize, and the burger is completely on the house.

For a legendary burger challenge at a spot that's infamous for its burger battles, look no further than the iconic Clinton Station Diner in Clinton, New Jersey, and the Mt. Olympus Burger Challenge. Your opponent in this contest is an unbelievable 50-pound cheeseburger with 25 pounds of beef, a mind-boggling bun, and pounds of toppings. You and up to four friends have an hour to devour the behemoth. Do it, and you win $1,000, plus the meal is on the house.

5. The Kitchen Sink Challenge - San Francisco Creamery, Walnut Creek, California

• The Behemoth: 8 large scoops of ice cream, 3 bananas, 8 toppings of your choice, whipped cream, chopped nuts, and cherries.
• The Time Limit: Must beat the current store record time.
• The Prize: Free ice cream at the shop for a whole year.

If you're a dairy lover, you may want to raise your spoon to The Kitchen Sink Challenge, a leviathan dessert at The San Francisco Creamery in Walnut Creek, California. This beast of a sundae consists of three bananas, eight large scoops of ice cream, eight toppings—your choice of flavors and toppings—mounds of whipped cream, chopped nuts, and cherries. You must eat the whole thing without leaving your seat in less time than the current store record, with no outside help. If you conquer this massive ice cream challenge, you win free ice cream for an entire year.

6. The Phaal Curry Challenge - Brick Lane Curry House, New York, New York

• The Behemoth: A 16-ounce bowl of intense Phaal curry made with 10 types of chilies (including ghost peppers).
• The Time Limit: No official clock, but must be finished in one continuous sitting.
• The Prize: A free beer, a certificate of completion, and a spot on the "P'hall of Fame."

If your pain tolerance exceeds your stomach capacity, the Phaal Curry Challenge may be for you. You'll find it at Brick Lane Curry House in New York. To complete the challenge, you have to eat a 16-ounce bowl of Phaal, a British-Asian dish recognized as one of the spiciest curries in the world.

The meal consists of your choice of meat bathed in a thick sauce loaded with 10 kinds of chilies, including the infamous ghost pepper, which pushes the heat level past 1 million Scoville units—the restaurant claims it's the hottest curry in the world, and it's so spicy that the kitchen staff actually wear gas masks while preparing it.

7. The Great Divide Challenge - Gronk's Grill & Bar, Superior, Wisconsin

• The Behemoth: A giant stack of beef patties and cheese on a football-sized bun, served with a 2-pound shovel-load of fries.
• The Time Limit: 1 hour.
• The Prize: The $50 meal is comped, plus you get an exclusive t-shirt and a spot on the online Wall of Fame.

Gronk's Grill & Bar in Superior, Wisconsin, is known for pushing willing diners to their gastronomic limits with giant burger challenges. Take, for instance, the Great Divide Challenge. You have 60 minutes to eat an 8-pound mountain of stacked beef patties, cheese, a bun the size of a football, and a 2-pound shovel-load of fries. You can attempt it solo or bring one team member to help. Conquering the Great Divide means your $50 meal is comped, and you walk away with an exclusive t-shirt and your picture proudly displayed on Gronk's World Wide Web Wall of Fame.

8. The Fat Sandwich Challenge - RU Hungry?, New Brunswick, New Jersey

• The Behemoth: 5 legendary "Fat Sandwiches" packed with cheesesteak, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, french fries, and marinara.
• The Time Limit: 45 minutes.
• The Prize: The meal is free, and you get to design and name your own sandwich for the official menu.

Located on the Rutgers University campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey, RU Hungry? is known for The Fat Sandwich Challenge. Competitors have just 45 minutes to eat five of their original fat sandwiches—dense creations packed with ingredients like cheesesteaks, mozzarella sticks, and french fries. Winning means the meal is free, but the coolest part is that you could win the opportunity to design and name your own sandwich for the permanent menu.

9. The M.A.C. Daddy Pancake Challenge - M.A.C. 24/7 Restaurant, Waikiki, Hawaii

• The Behemoth: Three 14-inch pancakes smothered in butter and sweet toppings, weighing a total of 5 pounds.
• The Time Limit: 90 minutes.
• The Prize: A free meal, an official challenge t-shirt, and your photo on the Wall of Fame.

Do you love pancakes? How much? If you can pound down pancakes better than anyone you know, next time you're in the Aloha State, test your endurance at M.A.C. 24/7 Restaurant in Waikiki with the M.A.C. Daddy Pancake Challenge. To win, you have to eat three 14-inch, pizza-sized pancakes, smothered with sweet toppings, and weighing in at 5 pounds. You have 90 minutes to finish the stack by yourself to win a free meal, an official t-shirt, and your photo on the restaurant's Wall of Fame.

10. The Guajillo Burrito Challenge - Guajillo Mexican, Arlington, Virginia

• The Behemoth: A massive, tightly wrapped 10-pound burrito stuffed with classic Mexican ingredients.
• The Time Limit: 18 minutes.
• The Prize: The burrito is completely free, and you score an official t-shirt.

Guajillo Mexican in Arlington, Virginia, will have you feeling as stuffed as a gordita with its namesake burrito challenge. If you feel up to the task, you'll have 18 minutes to down a massive, 10-pound burrito. If you clear your plate before the clock runs out, your meal is free, and you earn an official T-shirt. If you fail, you're on the hook for the burrito, and you go home shirtless.

11. The Giant Sicilian Showdown - Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria, Los Angeles, California

• The Behemoth: A massive 54-inch by 54-inch square sheet pizza.
• The Time Limit: 2 hours.
• The Prize: A grand prize of $1,000 cash for the team.

If you love pizza and are capable of eating a lot of it, you may want to assemble a team and head over to Big Mama's and Papa's Pizzeria in Los Angeles to tackle the Giant Sicilian Showdown. Your team of 8 has to eat a 54-inch by 54-inch square pizza—crusts and all—in 2 hours or less with no break. Do it, and you'll win a $1,000 prize and the respect of Sicilians everywhere.

12. The Meat Sweats, No Regrets Eating Challenge - Crossbuck BBQ, Farmers Branch, Texas

• The Behemoth: 7 pounds of smoked brisket, burnt ends, sausage, pulled pork, ribs, chicken, turkey breast, plus 2 rolls and 3 large sides.
• The Time Limit: 1 hour.
• The Prize: $200 cash, a challenge t-shirt, and a spot on the restaurant wall.

Competitive carnivores who love a challenge will find one in the Meat Sweats, No Regrets Eating Challenge at Crossbuck BBQ in Farmers Branch, Texas. All you have to do to win is eat an entire Taste of Crossbuck platter. Sound easy? It's only 7 pounds of meat: 1 pound each of central Texas-style smoked brisket, brisket candy burnt ends, smoked sausage, black molasses pulled pork, St. Louis-style smoked ribs, soy smoked chicken, and smoked turkey breast, as well as two rolls and three large sides. You can have up to three friends help you, but you have to lick the platter clean within an hour. Winners receive $200, a t-shirt, and your photo on Crossbuck's wall.

13. Mega Cheesie's Challenge - Cheesie’s Pub & Grub, Chicago, Illinois

• The Behemoth: A 16-inch, 5-layer, 8-pound grilled cheese sandwich paired with a full pound of french fries.
• The Time Limit: 30 minutes.
• The Prize: A $100 gift card, a challenge t-shirt, and a high-five.

If you can pack in crazy amounts of comfort food without needing a nap, check out the Mega Cheesie's Challenge at Cheesie's Pub & Grub in Chicago, Illinois. If you step up to the plate, you'll have to put down a 16-inch, 8-pound, five-layer grilled cheese sandwich and a full pound of french fries in 30 minutes or less. It costs $75 to enter the challenge, but if you successfully clean your plate, you win a $100 gift card, a t-shirt, and a free high-five. If you fail, you get two consolation high fives—but that's it.

14. The 7-Alarm Challenge - Wing Dome, Seattle, Washington

• The Behemoth: 7 of the restaurant's signature, ultra-spicy hot wings.
• The Time Limit: 7 minutes.
• The Prize: The wings are free, plus you get a challenge t-shirt and a picture on the "Wall of Flame."

Folks who thrive on pain will appreciate the pure, blistering spice of the 7-Alarm Challenge at Wing Dome in Seattle, Washington. Challengers are tasked with downing seven of the eatery's hottest chicken wings down to the bone—in just 7 minutes. During the challenge, you can't drink anything, use any napkins, or use dipping sauces to cool down. In fact, the rules require you to lick your hands completely clean of any remaining sauce before the 7 minutes are up. Winners get their wings for free, an exclusive challenge t-shirt, and their picture proudly displayed on the Wing Dome's Wall of Flame.

15. The Mega Pancake Challenge - Ol' South Pancake House, Fort Worth, Texas

• The Behemoth: 8 massive, thick-style Mega Pancakes.
• The Time Limit: 1 hour.
• The Prize: The stack of pancakes is comped, plus you win a t-shirt and a spot on the wall.

The iconic Ol' South Pancake House in Fort Worth, Texas, offers challenge-seekers a true test of carb-loading endurance with its Mega Pancake Challenge. To succeed, you have to eat eight of the eatery's massive Mega Pancakes within 60-minutes without leaving the table. If you finish the entire stack in time, the pancakes are free, you get a t-shirt, and your photo is preserved on the wall of the pancake house for posterity.

Eating challenges in the U.S. are about more than just nabbing a free meal. They're entertaining, push your limits, and offer the potential for bragging rights and gastronomical fame. Whether you're testing the limits of your capacity or your tolerance for pain, extreme eating challenges promise an experience you won't soon forget.

If you're really serious about tackling some of the wild food challenges across the U.S., you could even string them together into a road trip.