Big Texan record-holder returning next month

Molly Schuyler, who destroyed the Big Texan Steak Ranch‘s 72-ounce steak challenge record by polishing off the meal in less than five minutes, is coming back to the landmark Amarillo restaurant April 19 to not only defend her title, but eat three of those monster slabs of meat and all the sides in under an hour.

According to the Amarillo Globe-News, she’ll also encounter some competition during the first steak dinner:

Four teams of two — two professional wrestlers; two West
Texas A&M University football players; a married competitive eating couple who have each successfully completed the challenge; and a team to be drawn at random — will take Schuyler on to see who can finish first and claim a $1,000 purse.

You can see Schuyler’s record-setting effort in all its revolting glory here.

Back in 1966, a character by the name of Klondike Bill ate two of the 72-ounce steak dinners in an hour. No one has done three. The 72-ounce steak dinner includes a baked potato, shrimp cocktail, salad and a roll.

Schuyler will be a formidable challenge for the professionals and non-professionals alike. The Bellevue, Nebraska, woman shattered the old record of 8 minutes, 52 seconds, set by Joey “Jaws” Chestnut in 2008. To top it off, she ate a second 72-ounce steak dinner in about 10 minutes. She joined a professional eating circuit in 2013 and has broken eating records at other restaurants.

According to the restaurant’s database, about 11,000 people have successfully completed the 72-ounce challenge. That sounds like a lot, but about 140,000 have failed.

Although the Big Texan no longer sits on Route 66, it started on Amarillo Boulevard (aka Route 66) in 1960 and shows its Mother Road roots often. After Interstate 40 opened in the early 1970s, the Big Texas picked up and moved there to ensure its survival.

(Image of the 72-ounce steak meal at the Big Texan by Luigi Anzivino via Flickr)