BIG TEXAN is home of the 72oz Steak Challenge as well as a famous landmark of must visit places on Route 66 check out this article of all the interesting places to visit on the 2,000 rode trip from LA to Chicago.

How the FREE 72oz STEAK DINNER legend was BORN…

Soon after the original Route 66 Big Texan open it’s doors in 1960, owner Bob (RJ) Lee was amazed at how many REAL Texas Cowboys, were coming in for his HUGE TEXAS SIZE STEAKS, that his menu offered. He also saw how much fun his out of town patrons & visitors were having watching these true Texans trying to “out do” each others carnivorous appetites. Most of his Big Cowboys dinners came from a near-by stockyard operation, & would stop in after a long days work. Friday’s was payday at the stockyard & he would cash their paychecks & offer 25 cent beer.

One Friday, he put several tables together in the center of the dinning room & sat all the cowboys together & told them he wanted to see who could eat the most one pound steaks in an hour. The cost was $5 per eater & whoever ate the most got to keep the entire entry-fee.

The rules were simple; you could not get up during the contest or have anyone help you eat, you did not have to eat the fat & if you got sick, you were out.

The cowboys put in their money,took a seat & the contest was on, steaks were flying.

One of the eaters took the lead by swallowing two steaks in ten minutes.
Next,he politely requested a salad & a shrimp cocktail be served with his third steak. He consumed the extras, then this soft spoken giant called for his fourth steak & ask for a baked potato & a bread roll. He wasted little time on devouring those items & called for his fifth steak.

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