1 million buns, 300 tons of beef, 250,000 shirts every year
The Big Texan Steak Ranch has been a staple in the Panhandle, and all of Texas for that matter, since it opened in 1960.
Known for its iconic 72-ounce steak challenge and garish Western vibe, this legendary establishment along Interstate 40 in Amarillo continues to attract visitors from around the world eager to experience a true Lone Star State culinary tradition.
The Big Texan was recently named the most “delicious” steakhouse on Route 66 by Southern Living, and it also won the Deep in the Heart award from the Texas Restaurant Association last month.
Here’s a look at the Big Texan by the numbers
The Big Texan opened more than 63 years ago, totaling 22,693 days since its opening. Among them, the establishment only closed for 40 days Since: 18 in 1976 for a fire, A in 1998 for the filming of “Waking Up in Reno” and 21 in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also closed for half a day in 1990 for the founder’s funeral.
Since the opening, 91,943 individuals dared to face the known world 72 Ounce Challenge at the Big Texan Steak Ranch, but only 11%, Or 10,212 challengers, were victorious. The challenge includes a 72 ounce steak with a baked potato and all the trimmings, and a shrimp cocktail all of which must be consumed within the hour to get it for free.
Every day, the Big Texan Steak Ranch averages 3.4 attempts eat the 72 oz challenge. Women have a better margin of victory every other attemptwhile men are at one in six attempts. In fact, a woman set the current record for the fastest challenge time in March 2015.
Competitive eater Molly Schuyler rose to her challenge by 4 minutes and 18 seconds. Not stopping there, she also snagged the record for most challenge dinners consumed in a single sitting, completing three full dinners in less than 20 minutes. His caloric intake during this session was 11 calories per second, or 13,000 calories.
By the way, have you ever wondered how many calories the challenge contains? The estimate is on average about 6,937 with the following distribution: 5,256 in the steak more 90 juice, 284 in the potato, 72 in butter, six in lettuce, 493 in ranch dressing, 84 in roll, 454 in breaded shrimp and 198 in cocktail sauce.
Brenda, the giant rattlesnake on display in the Big Texan gift shop, is also a different kind of competitive eater, consuming 30 white mice per year.
Beyond the steak challenge, the Big Texan is posting impressive numbers throughout the year with 71 items on the menu, including 16 steak and prime rib options.
In a year, the Big Texan will cook and serve 1 million buns and i will sell it 250,000 logo shirts. And with 11 beers on tap, the Big Texan Brewery sells more 35,770 gallons of house beer per year, or 98 gallon each day. The Big Texan will also buy 31,000 pounds of bull testicles each year for its world famous veal fries.
Last year, the Big Texan sold enough potatoes to extend the height of the Empire State Building from end to end. 92 times. Assuming the average potato is between three and five inches, that’s somewhere between 321,000 And 535,000 potatoes.
The Big Texan also bought 606,700 poundsOr 300 tonsof beef last year, which is equivalent to the weight of ten Boeing 737 jet aircraft. Each day, the Big Texan serves approximately 22,383 ounces of steak, breaking down into 933 ounces per hour, 15.54 ounces per minute and 0.25 ounces per second.
Adjacent to the restaurant, the Big Texan Motel has 54 bedroom units and one 20 stalls stable behind the main building. And the Big Texan feeds 500,000 visitors per yearmainly from Route 66.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Big Texan Steak House by the Numbers
