Largest restaurant eating challenge payouts
Here is a list of the largest restaurant eating challenge payouts I am aware of. Additional challenges will be added to the list if documentation is provided:
- $300 / $1300, unamed 130 pound woman, 3 2+ pound burritos, Green Burrito, Orange County, CA. The base reward for completing the challenge was $300. The restaurant owner gave the woman a $1000 bonus for finishing the challenge a second time in his presence. The feat was mentioned in a 1993 Los Angeles Times article, so it is at least that old.
- $1200, Mandy Brown (1992), 72 ounce chicken fried steak meal, Thudpucker’s (now closed), Spokane, WA
- $1000, Stephanie Torres, Hugilio Pizza, Virgilio’s, Lakewood, CO
- $1000, Pat Bertoletti, 29 Inch Pizza, Barlo’s Pizza, Indianapolis, IN
- $1000, Dale Boone, 28 Inch Pizza, Roma’s Pizza, Augusta, GA
- $1000, team of 7, 54 Inch Sicilian Pizza, Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria, Los Angeles, CA
- $666, Malory Roe, 6 gyro challenge, South Side 6, Bowling Green, Ohio
- $500, Dale Boone (2009) and Jon Squibb (2010), 32 inch pizza, Paventi’s Pizzeria, Charlotte, NC
- $500, Balinda Gould, Hot Dog Hall of Fame (43 chili dogs), The Rockford Corner Bar, Rockford, MI
- $500, Tom Gilbert, OMG Burger, The Catch, Anaheim, CA
- $500, teams of 3 in 2009 and 2010, Zeus Burger Challenge, Clinton Station Diner, Clinton, NJ
- $500, 16 teams of 2 2001-2010, Pointersaurus Pizza, Pointer’s Pizza, Richmond Heights, MO
- $450 Randy Santel, The Haus Pizza, Pizza Haus, Jefferson City, MO
- $400, Brad Sciullo, Belly Bruiser Burger, Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub, Clearfield, PA
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stephanie_wu said (Registered August 17, 2010)
March 3, 2011 @ 12:58 pm
Are these just challenges where there has been a winner? Because I know some ($500, $1,000) where there haven’t been winners yet.
stephanie_wu said (Registered August 17, 2010)
March 3, 2011 @ 12:59 pm
Also, how did Goose win at The Catch? I thought you could have no previous eating experience?
stephanie_wu said (Registered August 17, 2010)
March 3, 2011 @ 1:02 pm
Oh, and I’m not sure if this is an error, but I thought the Hugilio Pizza challenge was at Virgilio’s in Littleton, CO, not California? Or maybe OJ knows something I don’t, like maybe that is where they are headquartered?
NReda said
March 3, 2011 @ 1:33 pm
Hugilio’s is in Colorado. I imagine this was just a typo.
Goose was able to collect at The Catch because they didn’t have their “no pro eater” rule in place yet. I remember my conversation with the manager verbatim, from when I completed the burger in Summer 2010 (before Tom got there) beyond the time limit. They let me have the burger for free because they wanted proof that one human really could eat it.
The manager said: “Yeah, we might lose money on one pro eater here or there, but we’re more than making up for it off on the lost challenges from ordinary customers.”
Goose comes in and wins the $500, and suddenly one prize pay-out is too many. The rules are changed to bar anyone who stands a chance of actually winning the challenge.
But: if you have no previous eating experience, you can make a run for the $500. I wonder how many individuals possess the ability to eat 8 lbs in one hour but just don’t know it yet.
Matt "Mega Toad" Stonie said (Registered June 22, 2010)
March 3, 2011 @ 2:09 pm
I think theres gonna be a clear #1 spot being replaced on this list soon OJ o.0
keep an eye out =]
Matt Cohen said (Registered April 12, 2010)
March 3, 2011 @ 2:28 pm
Bigger the food, the bigger the money- GO GET IT STONIE! !!!
ojrifkin said (Registered July 27, 2005)
March 3, 2011 @ 2:40 pm
Lakewood, CA has been changed to Lakewood, CO. Thanks.
These are actual payouts I am aware of and not potential prizes.
stephanie_wu said (Registered August 17, 2010)
March 3, 2011 @ 4:02 pm
Thanks OJ and Naader! Yeah, it’s funny how some restaurants have no problem paying out $500 a pop (Pointer’s Pizza) while others think one time is one time too many. I guess the Catch just wanted the free publicity without having to do their fair share.
NReda said
March 3, 2011 @ 6:14 pm
@ Matt Cohen Bigger food isn’t always worth the pain!
I was involved in the 7-man effort against the Grand Sicilian pizza in Los Angeles. The side effects of digesting over 10 lbs of pizza may not have been worth the cash involved. Considering what this activity does to the body, there’s no way anyone could really be in it for the money. Money just makes it a little sweeter.
Matt "Mega Toad" Stonie said (Registered June 22, 2010)
March 3, 2011 @ 8:33 pm
Naader, i think any amount of cash can askew ones sence of rational thinking, or at least concequences =]
i dunno, ive seen people do crazy things for money
SPBBBBMBBB said
March 4, 2011 @ 7:26 am
Don’t forget the Carnivore Challenge!!
the great gavonne said
March 5, 2011 @ 2:32 pm
I am instituting my own challenge.I challenge any competitive eater to drink me under the table.I will treat them to White Castle(or any fast food restaurant) if they win.Any takers?
Bellybuster said
March 6, 2011 @ 6:31 pm
The Goose tries to enter local contests under assumed names. He goes up against local eaters knowing he will win just to stroke his ego…. And its really big…..