The Big Texan Steak Ranch

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The front view of the Big Texan Steak Ranch.

The Big Texan Steak Ranch is a steakhouse restaurant and motel located in Amarillo, Texas, United States which opened off of Route 66 in 1960 and moved to its present location on Interstate 40 in 1970. Fire gutted the west wing of the restaurant in 1976, destroying $100,000 in antiques, but in 1977 it was reopened as a bigger facility.

1 The Big Steak
- 1.1 Eating Records
2 Big Texan Motel
3 References in popular culture
4 References
5 External links

[edit] The Big Steak

Its reputation revolves around its 72 oz (4.5 pounds or 2 kg) steak ("The Texas King"), which is free if one can eat the entire meal (which also includes a bread roll with butter, potato, ranch beans, shrimp cocktail, and salad) in less than one hour. Otherwise, the meal costs $72.00. Several individuals annually are able to eat the steak and are listed at the restaurant.

According to the official website, "You don't have to eat the fat or gristle (if you can find any), but we must judge this. Again, we want you to win but we do know our meats and will judge accordingly."^[1]^[2]

The building is painted a bright yellow, with blue trim. A large cow statue advertises the free 72 oz. steak. The now-closed Texas Tornado Museum resided off in a far corner of the parking lot on the property.^[3]^[4]

In the center of the large open floor of the main dining room of the restaurant is a raised platform. On the platform is a single chair and a table for one, with a bucket beneath the table. There are two full shakers of salt on the table, and nothing else. A digital timer stands at the back. On the wall behind the platform hangs an enormous cattle skull. This platform is the "stage" upon which those who choose to accept the steak-eating challenge eat their meal.

As the steak finishes cooking, the cook tells the host staff to encourage the participant to go to the bathroom. Before eating the steak, a manager explains the rules of the dinner, then the participant signs an agreement of health liability.

The restaurant also features a giant rocking chair, "shooting gallery," slot machines, limo service, and gift shop.

[edit] Eating Records

Fastest time to consume one meal: Competitive eating champion, Joey Chestnut, finished the meal challenge in 8 minutes & 52 seconds. (The "unofficial" record is held by a Bengal Tiger, who ate the steak in only 90 seconds.)
Most meals in one hour: Brian Gookbong Lee from Pasadena, California, four complete 72 oz steaks; as a result, he was awarded a life-time pass to the Big Texan.

[edit] Big Texan Motel

Located directly adjacent to the restaurant on The Big Texan Steak Ranch property is the 54-unit Big Texan Motel. The cinder-block construction motel is designed to resemble a main street in an old west town, and features Texas themed decor and a Texas-shaped pool. In 2004, a 20 stall stable was added behind the main motel building.

[edit] References in popular culture

The restaurant has been featured by numerous television programs, including an episode of the Food Network show Unwrapped and was named the World's tenth "Best Place to Pig Out" by the Travel Channel.
The credits for the Disney/Pixar film Cars mentions the restaurant, and well-known Route 66 booster Becky Ransom.
Maxim Magazine voted The Big Texan one of the top 10 steak houses in the USA in their November 2006 issue.
The restaurant was featured on the Travel Channel's Steak Paradise.
The restaurant will become the official caterer for the musical drama "TEXAS" in Palo Duro Canyon starting summer 2007.^{[citation needed]}
In the "Maximum Homerdrive" episode of The Simpsons, the Simpson family visits a restaurant called The Slaughterhouse. The Slaughterhouse appears to have been modeled after The Big Texan as, among other similarities with The Big Texan, it has a Western theme, its menu features a 72 oz. steak, and it has a steak-eating competition.
On two episodes of King of the Hill: "The Company Man" and "And They Call It Bobby Love", a restaurant similar to The Big Texan is visited by the Hills.
In the John Candy movie The Great Outdoors the idea is parodied, with the protagonist eating a 6-pound steak to win a free meal.