This Texas Restaurant Is Home To A Steak Challenge Only 11% Have Conquered

There are at least 14 foods that actually are bigger in Texas, and at the very top of that list is the massive hunk of meat served at the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo. Truly putting the "challenge" in "food challenge," the meal that competitive eaters and free-food enthusiasts alike try to finish at this time-honored establishment includes three cocktail shrimp, a loaded baked potato, a salad, a dinner roll (with butter included and required), and an absolute mammoth of a sirloin steak that weighs in at 72 ounces.

Not only must you consume every bite (sans fat and gristle) to win the challenge and get out of the $72 bill, but you must do it all in under an hour. There are other rules that daredevil customers must follow, like not leaving the table, not accepting help with cutting or eating, and absolutely no puking.

The famous food challenge has been accepted by adept eaters like Adam Richman, who chose the Big Texan for his first "Man v. Food" challenge. He made it look easy, putting away the whole meal with just over 29 minutes left on the clock. Most folks, however, don't fare quite as well. As of this writing, a whopping 94,705 people have taken on the challenge since its inception in 1962, but only 10,413 have successfully completed it. (For those without a calculator handy, that's a low 11%.)

The Big Texan is home to one of the most colossal food challenges in "Man v. Food" history, and several other famous food lovers have sought out the 4.5-pound steak. For example, the food challenge was featured on the "Are You Garbage: Route 66 Tour" comedy special with Kevin Ryan and H. Foley. The food-loving comedians cracked jokes as they watched a gentleman try to take on the meal, but he was ultimately disqualified for vomiting. But make no mistake, competitive eaters like Joey Chestnut and Molly Schuyler (who cut Chestnut's impressive nine-minute record nearly in half in 2014) aren't the only ones who can put away that much food. In January 2025, a 14-year-old boy from Oklahoma completed the challenge, and in 2008, an 11-year-old finished the meal — and still asked for dessert.

While there's plenty of spectacle at the Big Texan, that's not what the restaurant is all about. It also cares about supplying quality beef to those who accept the challenge. The steak in question is dry aged for weeks before it's grilled to the customer's liking. It's also coated with a homemade seasoning that enhances the steak's seared crust. This blend includes sea salt, garlic, black pepper, dill, and some other spices kept under lock and key. Fortunately, you can purchase shakers of the steak seasoning, so you can add it to your own grilling repertoire.