It’s easy to be intimidated by a four-foot burrito or by a 10-patty hamburger. But for some, the size of the meal is the point. Food challenges are even considered a competitive sport, with their own heroes and villains.
Even if you’re not ready yet for the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest (or the local qualifier in town), there’s still some absurd and fun challenges for you to take on around Kansas City.
When you head to these restaurants, wear your stretchy pants, bring a towel for the meat sweats, and get ready to rumble! And let us know if you emerge successful.
The Corner Mexican Food Restaurant
The Corner Mexican Food Restaurant
Only two people have so far successfully completed the Family Burrito challenge at The Corner Mexican Food Restaurant.
If you’re going to go, go big in Grandview with The Corner Mexican Food Restaurant. Family-owned and operated since 2017, you’ll find your traditional Mexican dishes, such as carne asada, enchiladas, and flautas.
They also serve the absolute monster, the Family Burrito, and encourage you to take the challenge. This burrito is as big as an anaconda and is approximately three feet long, with the girth of a fence post – it has to be served on two large platters.
To complete the challenge, you must eat the entire burrito, plus the three grilled full jalapenos on the side of the plate, in under 30 minutes.
The burrito comes with rice, beans, lettuce, onions, cilantro, and two proteins of your choice: ground beef, chicken, or pork. The burrito weighs in at a very healthy 6 pounds per section, but feels heavy enough to do dumbbell curls with. If you want to add guacamole, because why not, it’s an extra $10.
The prize for finishing The Family Burrito is, first off, you don’t have to pay for the burrito. You’ll also get six months of free meals at the restaurant and inclusion on the Wall of Fame.
If you don’t finish in the time period, it’s $40, which isn’t bad for a burrito this size (considering it can feed an entire family). But be warned, in the eight years The Corner has been doing this challenge, only two people have completed it – one of whom is professional eater Randy Santel. Check out his YouTube video to see him demolish the burrito in 16 minutes.
This is the video the restaurant will put up on the TV while people cheer you on for motivation. (It did not help me: I actually tried this challenge, and it did not work out well. I got through a nub.)
Where: 720 Main St, Grandview, MO 64030Mexico Lindo KC Restaurant & Bar
While Mexico Lindo also serves more normal-sized Mexican food, they offer an 18-inch burrito challenge that will test even the hungriest customer.
Before we begin, let’s give a shout-out to Mexico Lindo for having a very Instagrammable lobby. When you enter, there is an angel wing mural and a stunning Day of the Dead portrait.
For non-competitive eaters, their Menudo soup looks amazing, as does their Pollo Fundido — grilled chicken breast served over rice with a spinach or white cheese dip.
Mexico Lindo offers the 18-inch Burrito Challenge. The burrito is as thick around as a bodybuilder’s forearm, and you’ll need that kind of strength to finish this thing.
Although not as enormous as The Corner’s burrito, Mexico Lindo only gives you 15 minutes to complete their six and a half pound burrito. It’s filled with steak, chicken, pork, rice, beans, and French fries. You also have to finish the lettuce, pico, and ice cream-sized scoops of guacamole and sour cream that are served on the side.
If you don’t finish the challenge, you owe $25.99, which is still a great price for something so massive. If you do finish, you get a t-shirt and your picture on the Wall of Fame. You can see a video of their very first winner here.
Where: 1046 103rd St, Kansas City, MO 64114
Hole In Da Wall
Hole in Da Wall, located inside of a Kansas City gas station, offers the “Truman Road Chicken Sandwich” challenge.
Kansas City has a strong history of gas station restaurants, and Hole In Da Wall is another great addition. Located inside an Xpress Mart in the Historic 18th & Vine Arts District, Hole In Da Wall offers some of the best fried chicken in the city. The spices are a homemade mix based on a family recipe of co-owner Kevin Robe. They also serve fish and burgers that are worth a try, as their constant stream of customers will tell you.
But we need to talk about their absurdly large Truman Road Chicken Sandwich. If you don’t finish it, it’s going to cost you a bit over $40. In size, it’s bigger than a Frisbee and smaller than a hubcap, at least six inches high and containing two chicken breasts, cheese, bacon, lettuce, pickles, and onions. To win this challenge, you also have to eat a large helping of fries and two hot peppers.
If you can consume all this in 30 minutes, you’ll win $100 bucks, and the sandwich is free. Good luck, and here’s a look at what you’ll be taking on.
Where: 1800 Benton Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64127Chick-In Waffle
There’s no time limit for finishing Chick-In Waffle’s hot tenders challenge.
This challenge is a little bit different, because it’s not about the size of the food but the spiciness of it. Married couple Dennis Alazzeh and Sara Azraq opened up their first Chick-In Waffle in 2019 in Westport. Since then, they have expanded to south Kansas City, Lawrence, Liberty, Independence and Overland Park.
On their menu, you can choose from the classic chicken fingers and waffle combo, or go for flavors like tikka masala or KC BBQ. Their Asian Chili combo has tenders tossed in sauce, covered in cheese, sesame seeds and pickles, with your choice of waffle.
Their Hot Box Challenge is one you can do at home, but they warn you: “This isn’t regular spicy.” You can take the challenge on any of their normal meals, but with the extra spice.
Chick-In Waffle wants you to record your reaction as you eat the chicken. “No edits. No filters. Just real heat. Real Reactions.” You upload that video using a QR code, and that’s it, no time limit.
Chick-In Waffle picks lucky winners from the entries who receive a $50 Chick-In Waffle gift card. So even if you don’t finish the meal, you can still complete the challenge.
Where: Various locations around Kansas CityThe Upper Cut KC
We’ve written about The Upper Cut in the past, noting that this Liberty spot is one of the best butcher shops in the metro. Their burgers are made with Wagyu beef, which makes them extra juicy and tender.
And sure, you could get a regular burger, and it’ll be great. Or you can try to climb Meat Mountain. Meat Mountain is technically five hamburgers – and each burger is two, ½-inch thick patties.
So yes, you’re doing that math right: Meat Mountain is 10 patties tall. And at the summit, you’ll also have to overcome jalapeno poppers wrapped in bacon, pork shots (a mix of port and cheese), and onion rings too. You have to eat those as well. And just when you think you’ve conquered Meat Mountain, you have to eat several pounds of fries, too. All of this must be completed in 30 minutes.
The Upper Cut KC needs to know at least 90 minutes ahead of time before the challenge, as it takes a while to cook all of it. Win or lose, this challenge is going to cost you $74.99.
If you do win, you get $50 off their steaks and a t-shirt – plus the pride that you have finished a food challenge that only one other person has completed. Take a look and see if you’ve got what it takes to climb Meat Mountain.
Where: 1177 W Kansas St Suite B, Liberty, MO 64068Westport Flea Market Bar and Grill
The Super Flea burger at Westport Flea Market.
The Westport Flea Market has been around since 1981 and is known for their burgers. You can get their basic burger that started it all for just $10. It’s a classic date night spot as well, with trivia contests, pool and parlor games, and even video games.
For those who want to impress their date with their eating acumen (or maybe scare off a bad date?), you have The Super Flea.
The Super Flea challenge stacks five 10-ounce burger patties right on top of each other, and for losers, it will cost you $49.99. It’s 50 ounces of beef stacked high enough to practically reach your chin. Add in 10 strips of bacon, six slices of cheese, and six pieces of bun, and that’s a hefty task.
But that’s not all, because to win the challenge, you have to eat the fries as well – two pounds of their curly fries. (There are always fries.) Eat this all under 30 minutes, and your burger is free, you get a free t-shirt, and your picture is added to the Wall of Fame.
Don’t worry: Others have completed The Super Flea before. Actually, it was the same guy who finished the giant burrito — he eats a lot.
Where: 817 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO 64111Giant mimosas, but no prizes
AR’s Breakfast and Brunch sells a 64-ounce mimosa for $55 that’s meant for sharing.
Not every large serving of food is an official challenge. Sometimes you just need a lot, and in this case, that means very large mimosas. Like comically large.
AR’s Breakfast & Brunch is a well-known breakfast spot that serves all your favorites, like egg skillets, omelets, and biscuits and gravy. So of course, they’ve got mimosas to complete the meal.
You can order a normal one for $10, or try their giant mimosa for $55. It’s 64 ounces and meant for sharing, so keep that in mind (please don’t drink 64 ounces of a margarita all at once).
This isn’t a challenge, and there’s no reward for finishing fast, this is just fun. The rim of this comically large glass is so wide that you could probably bob for apples. AR’s has two locations in Westport (4117 Pennsylvania Ave) and in Overland Park (8021 Metcalf Ave).
In the River Market area, you will find The Farmhouse, another great place for brunch (300 Delaware St.). You won’t have to look far to find their Mimosa Towers. It’s approximately 84 ounces of champagne and orange juice to go right along with their house-made cinnamon rolls or eggs Benedict.
If you’ve ever wanted to drink a mimosa from a spigot, there’s no better place to be.
Dining and Cooking