"Now, if you've ever wondered how Nathan's Famous started its contest, the oft-told tale traces its roots back to a group of immigrants who tried to prove how American they were by eating the most hot dogs. While that story isn't exactly true, the contest has been going strong since 1972, helping inspire various food challenges at restaurants around the country."
"To be clear, the most difficult doesn't always mean they're the biggest. Sometimes, an epic food challenge isn't about quantity or volume. It may come in the form of ultra-hot wings that have most people questioning their life choices up to that moment. Without further ado, here are 16 of the most epic food challenges found in the U.S., which aren't for the faint of heart."
"For anyone who's never seen "The Great Outdoors," please put it in your watch queue now - the food challenge is one of the most iconic food scenes in cinematic history. John Candy's character faces off against a piece of meat called the Old '96er, and it's not very far off from a legit steak challenge that's been going on since 1962."
Restaurant food challenges in the U.S. range from massive portions to extreme spiciness and endurance contests. Some contests have longstanding traditions and myths, such as Nathan's hot dog contest whose oft-told origin story involves immigrants proving their Americanness, while the official contest has run since 1972 and inspired many restaurant challenges nationwide. Television shows like "Man versus Food" and social media influencers have popularized these challenges and encouraged creators to take them on. Difficulty can stem from heat or technique rather than sheer volume. Iconic examples include the Big Texan's 72-ounce steak challenge, rooted in customer competitions dating to 1962. Sixteen particularly epic challenges exemplify the range and severity of these tests.
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