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. 
Its reputation revolves around its 72 oz (2.04 kg) steak meal (with bread roll, shrimp cocktail, and salad), which is free if you eat the entire meal in less than one hour (otherwise, the cost is $59.95). 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." 
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. 
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. 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. 
The restaurant was featured on an episode of the Food Network show Unwrapped.
The current record for the meal is 9.5 minutes in May 1987 held by Frank Pastore, former pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds. This was Pastore's seventh successful attempt at completing the challenge.
==Big Texan Motel==
Located directly adjacent to the restaurant on The Big Texan Steak Ranch property is the 54-unit Big Texan Motel. The 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 Horse Hotel was added behind the main motel building.
==External links==
*The Big Texan Steak Ranch official web site
*TexasMonthly - The Big Texan Challenge
*OutdoorFlix.com - Big Texan Steak Ranch
Big Texan Steak Ranch, The
Big Texan Steak Ranch, The
Big Texan Steak Ranch, The
Big Texan Steak Ranch, The