These days, Court Street visitors flock to the brick street to binge on something other than just alcohol.
Big Mama’s Burritos, Bagel Street Deli and Goodfella’s Pizza have all adopted food challenges that feature plus-sized meals to be inhaled in record times.
In Big Mama’s burrito challenge, participants must eat a 4-pound burrito, dubbed the MegaMomma, in 20 minutes, said Sarah Cecil, 29, Big Mama’s store manager.
“Anybody that does it, I tell them we have a strict no-puking policy,” Cecil said.
Of the 50 people who have attempted the challenge thus far, only six have won wall-of-fame status, Cecil said. Along with recognition, MegaMomma winners receive a T-shirt and are not charged for the $16.99 burrito.
Down the street, hungry contenders can also attempt to ingest a half sheet of pizza in 20 minutes at Goodfella’s Mafioso Challenge.
Goodfellas’ manager Kent Clements, 24, said challengers must finish a half a sheet of pizza topped with 100 pepperonis and 1.5 pounds of cheese in 20 minutes.
“You have to eat it all, even if it falls on the floor,” Clements said.
The Mafioso Challenge, which began last Friday, has had only one attempt, and the participant was unable to finish.
“It’s definitely doable if you’re a pro,” Clements said. “But this kid just walked in off the street — he wasn’t ready.”
Another Court Street food challenge is Pickle Fest, held at Bagel Street Deli during the last week of Winter Quarter each year.
Contestants compete in 10-minute heats. The person who consumes the most pickles wins the competition and has his or her personalized sandwich added to the deli board indefinitely, said Annastasia Chambers, bageler at Bagel Street Deli.
“Pickle Fest may be the best day of the year,” said Chambers, a fifth year senior studying political science.
Although Court Street food challenges have taken recent notice, Kiser’s BBQ Shack, 1002 E. State St., coined its own food battle in 2009.
Kiser’s competition, the Boss Hog Challenge, serves 10 to 15 challengers per month, said Ashley Reed, a cashier at Kiser’s and senior studying healthcare administration. Reed said that less than half of participants are able to finish the challenge.
The challenge involves consuming two half-pound burgers each topped with a half pound of pork and is fixed with lettuce, onion, tomato, pickle, bacon and four ounces of cheddar cheese.
The burgers, along with a pound of fries, must be consumed in 30 minutes, Reed said, adding that Kiser’s also follows a clean-plate rule, similar to that of Goodfellas’.
“If you happen to drop anything on the floor, you can pick it up off the floor,” she said.
sg409809@ohiou.edu
