BIG IDEAS: Attack of the GarganWiches!

Throwing dietary caution to the wind, restaurant operators make their stamp in the market with sandwiches diners can barely wrap their minds--let alone their mouths--around.

By Christine LaFave, Associate Editor -- Restaurants and Institutions, 11/6/2008 1:17:00 PM

Americans are a competitive lot, proud of their “go hard or go home”/ ”do it big or don’t do it at all” mentality. A host of independent and regional operations—some of them local legends—stand ready to meet the desire for sandwich-consumption superiority with these superstuffed stacks. 

Brazen? Yes. But nothing gets people talking like a 7-pound sandwich.

CONCEPT: Fat Sandwich Company; Normal, Okla., and Champaign, Ill. THE SANDWICH: The Big Fat Ugly, $25 THE BUILD: Two rolls, four cheeseburgers, a double cheesesteak, chicken cheesesteak, gyro meat, grilled chicken, bacon, sausage, pork roll, mozzarella sticks, chicken finger, chicken nuggets, macaroni-and-cheese bites, fried mushrooms, jalapeno poppers, pizza bites, onion rings, hash browns, American cheese, ketchup and mayonnaise. THE CHALLENGE: Eat it in 15 minutes (it’s 7 lbs.) and it’s free!
CONCEPT: Sonora Cantina; Big Bear, Calif. THE SANDWICH: Big Juan Burrito, $13.50 THE BUILD: Four meats, cheese, beans, lettuce, rice, sliced olives, green onions and tomatoes. THE CHALLENGE: Eat it in 45 minutes or less and win a T-shirt!
CONCEPT: HillBilly Hotdogs; Lesage, Huntington and Lavalette, W.Va. THE SANDWICH: The Homewrecker, $14.99 THE BUILD: 3.5-lb. beef hotdog deep-fried in canola oil and topped with sautéed peppers and onions, nacho cheese, house-made spicy chile sauce, jalapenos, mustard, ketchup, coleslaw, tomatoes, lettuce and shredded cheese, served on a grilled bun. THE CHALLENGE: Eat it in 12 minutes and it’s free, plus the guest gets a free T-shirt!
CONCEPT: Ike’s Place; San Francisco  THE SANDWICH: King Koopa, $9.99 THE BUILD: All-beef meatballs, marinara sauce, mozzarella sticks, stuffed jalapeno poppers and pepper Jack cheese on a choice of rolls.
CONCEPT: Big Foot Lodge; Memphis, Tenn. THE SANDWICH: Sasquatch Burger, $21.99 THE BUILD: 4 lbs. of fresh-ground chuck, two pounds of custom-made hamburger bun, 1.5 pounds of lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions and cheese. THE CHALLENGE: Eat it in one hour and it’s free, plus the guest gets his or her picture on the Hall of Fame!
CONCEPT: Mallie’s Sports Bar & Grill; Southgate, Mich. THE SANDWICH: Famous 10-lb. Monster Burger, $29.99 THE BUILD: 6-lb. Angus burger with lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese. THE CHALLENGE: Eat it in two hours and it’s free, plus the guest gets a $100 gift card and his or her picture on the Mallie’s Wall of Fame!
CONCEPT: Pancho and Lefty’s; Hare, Texas THE SANDWICH: The Big Kahuna Burger, $35 THE BUILD: 4 lbs. of hamburger, 0.5 lbs. of cheese, one whole onion, one whole tomato, one-half head of lettuce and 30 pickle slices on a 16-in. custom-made bun. THE CHALLENGE: Eat it in three hours (it’s 8 lbs., 3 oz.) and it’s free. As no one has conquered the challenge yet, the first diner to do so also will receive $100!
RELATED SITES: President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Association of Independent Competitive Eaters U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Food Pyramid International Federation of Competitive Eating