We took on four of the toughest eating challenges across the country – but could we finish them?
But competitive eating contests are now going mainstream in the UK, with enterprising starved restaurants serving them up to attract punters.
5
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, dozens of outlets are now offering a variety of food challenges, from finishing the biggest steak to gobbling up a mountain of burgers.
The trend, which started with Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in the States in 1972, is now popular with social media influencers.
But how would the average Brit fare taking on the gargantuan meals?
Four of our brave writers braced their stomachs to find out.
NEWCASTLE
32-inch pizza to be finished in one sitting
(They're open for 13 hours) - Difficulty 4/5
What is it? Massive pizza with 20,000 calories.
Only two people have ever polished off one of these 32in pizzas – Pizzaholic restaurant owner Ilhan Ozcan and competitive eater Kyle Gibson.
5
It's big enough to feed someone for ten days.
Staring at the humongous pizza, which I must eat all in one go, I realise that a single slice is bigger than my head.
I am shocked by the sheer weight of cheese and crust.
After 25 minutes, I have consumed 60 per cent of the pizza, but I am shaking with nausea and I am defeated, which means I have to pay my full bill, £93.99.
Boss Ilhan said: 'It's popular. The rapper 50 Cent was here and we delivered one to Bryan Adams after his show in Newcastle. We used to challenge people to do it in 20 minutes but it was too difficult.'
ALEX STOREY
PLYMOUTH
The Big 60: 60oz steak to be finished in 60mins - Difficulty: 2/5
What is it? 60oz steak equivalent to seven-and-a-half average servings.
Barbican Steakhouse's 5,000-calorie steak is £64.95.
Around 200 people have tried the Big 60 Challenge in the past decade but just a handful polished it off in under 60 minutes.
As the medium rare slab was placed in front of me, I felt confident.
But 45 minutes later, I threw in the towel with eight ounces left.
Co-owner Tahir Bhatti said: 'Our best time was under 20 minutes. He was an average-looking guy, but the mad thing is his wife told us he'd had a bucket of KFC on the way.'
BEN ENDLEY
LEEDS
The Paralyser: Monster English breakfast in 12mins - Difficulty: 3/5
What is it? Breakfast including four slices of bacon, four sausages, four hash browns and equivalent of a loaf of bread, plus trimmings.
A 2,000- calorie feast.
5
Competitors have less than 12 minutes to finish the £18 meal and get their money back at the Greasy Pig.
The current best time is 3.27 minutes.
I managed four slices of bacon, three hash browns, two half slices of bread, half a sausage, a scoop of beans and a couple of mushrooms.
Boss Mitz Bala said: 'It causes a stir on social media, it attracts influencers with huge followings.'
SAMANTHA YULE
LONDON
Eating 13 burgers in 10mins - Difficulty: 5/5
What is it? Ten minutes to eat 13 burgers.
I'm a glutton, so was looking forward to taking on Red Dog Saloon's burger-eating challenge.
5
But then I found out I would need to eat 13 6oz whoppers in ten minutes to claim £5,000, and my stomach began to shrivel.
Professional scoffer Leah Shutkever ate 12 and it's her record you have to beat.
My mood darkened as I was served a mountain of meat, cheese, onion and suffocating brioche bun.
Halfway through the fourth, I surrendered. I ate three and a half.
Tourists began to film me on their phones through the window of the Soho branch.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Jay-Z teams up with Caesars and SL Green to bid for huge Times Square Casino project
MEGASTAR JAY-Z joined forces with some of the biggest names in the casino business, looking to pitch a Caesars Palace Times Square casino project in New York. The rapper - real name Shawn Carter - was among several attendees to sit in front of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and bid for one of three $500 million downstate licenses. 1 The Roc Nation co-founder was representing a partnership alongside Caesars Palace and SL Green Properties and pledged $250million in benefits to the community as part of their pitch to convert an existing office on Broadway. They face stiff competition though with EIGHT applications in total having been submitted to the New York State Gaming Commission. Jay-Z, who grew up in Brooklyn, says the location was "perfect" for the partnership group and says the introduction of a casino resort would only "fulfil and enhance" the area, which he likened to huge landmarks around the world. The 150,000-square-foot gambling hall would boast 1000 casino rooms, a Caesars Sportsbook, four restaurants associated with high-profile chefs and a spa. Concerns over the venue becoming the main attraction to Broadway have been rebuffed by the entrepreneur, who insists they would only act as an 'additive' to a tourist spot which entices over 50 million tourists per year. During the presentation, Jay-Z said: "It's our chance to change the narrative and create something all around the world. "If we treat Times Square with the love and the attention that it requires, it can fulfill its promise. 'This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I believe, to support something that's homegrown. 'As we hear a lot of talk about community, we are the community. We're from this community. 'We're not coming to compete with Broadway. We're coming to be additive. "Anything that we've done in the past, we've always included the community. We've never excluded the community.' The group's proposition also indicated a forecasted $7 billion in direct tax revenue and $26.7 billion in local economic activity in the first 10 years. Roc Nation also stated they'd supported more than five million people with social impacts worth more than $78 million. More than 3,000 construction jobs would be created as a result if they were awarded a license, and the 3,800 permanent jobs it would create would be 'mostly filled by New Yorkers'. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
American living in the UK visits Poundland for the first time - but has one major criticism
An American who is living in the UK visited Poundland for the first time but he had one major criticism. Kobie Jordan, who is from the US but now living in London, took to his TikTok @kjordyyy to share a video of himself touring the popular British discount chain. However as he browsed the aisles, he was confused by the range of prices on items, despite the store's name suggesting a flat £1 cost. In the clip, which racked up 44,000 views, he said: 'It's automatically giving me Dollar General vibes. But the things aren't a pound, which is kind of crazy. I'm seeing £3.' UK-based social media users were quick to point out that while the store originally sold everything for £1, its pricing model has changed over the years due to inflation. One person said: 'When it first opened, everything was a pound. Then lockdown happened!' Another added: 'It used to literally be everything £1 now it's just a pointless shop full of stuff that's not £1.' But it wasn't just the pricing that raised questions. Kobie also had a cheeky take on the name itself, hinting that Poundland carries a very different, and much more risqué, connotation back in the US. 'They couldn't choose a different name besides Poundland? Poundland, really? UK... at least it's not called Pound Town,' he joked in the video. He even captioned the clip: 'Not a bad store... but the name is a bit sus.' Despite the eyebrow-raising branding, Kobie was surprisingly impressed by the store itself. He said: 'It's giving like a low key mini Walmart,' before adding, 'I'll be honest, most dollar stores back in the States are kind of like dirty, dingy... but there's something so clean and sterile about this one. Like, it's so pristine.' As he explored more of the shop, the American stumbled on a beloved British snack that he was eager to try. He added: 'Also, party rings. Never had them, but apparently all my British friends said they're a staple when you're growing up. Gotta try them one day. 'I'm genuinely shook with the variety of everything, cause it's not a big store from the outside, but they have a little bit of everything, which I kind of like. 'Imagine like a clean, sterile small Walmart mixed with Dollar General- that's what you have. Poundland. Many rushed to the comments to leave their own thoughts on his fair review of the discount chain 'I think I've explored every square inch of the store. I don't know what I was expecting from a Poundland, but it's pretty legit, innit? 'Living the dream, man. Living the dream in Poundland of all places.' Many rushed to the comments to leave their own thoughts on his review of the discount chain. One person said: 'My husband's American and wants a 'Poundland' T-shirt as he thinks the name is so funny.' Another suggested: 'Please try Greggs, Wetherspoons, Sports Direct and Primark.' Someone else added: 'Back in the day everything was a pound!!! There's 99p stores as well' A fourth added: 'Poundland needs to rename itself at this point. Bring back the days when everything was actually a pound'. It comes after Kobie revealed the British cultural habit of being 'over-polite' is sometimes confusing for visitors. The TikToker admitted he's still adapting to the famously apologetic and overly polite nature of British culture. In the clip, which racked up more than 45,000 views, he revealed one train journey in particular left him completely stumped. He said: 'As much as I love living in the UK, there's just one thing I have to talk about. 'Their over politeness almost to a fault. It's no secret they have a huge apologising culture. Always saying sorry, sorry all the time. But boy, do I have a story for y'all.' Kobie explained he was on a 'super packed train' from Birmingham to London when an older gentleman boarded the train and began eyeing the seat beside him, but wouldn't take it. He said: 'Every single seat was taken except for one. Right next to me, there's an older gentleman that just got on the train. 'He kept looking at me. Cause it's not my job to tell you to come sit if he wants to sit. He's a grown man, he can come sit. 'He would even look, look at me and look away. His wife had found a seat, but he was kind of looking at me like I was doing something wrong.' The American admitted he was tempted to offer the free seat to the man but he hesitated as he claimed the man could just grab the seat if he wanted it. He said: 'Part of me wanted me to offer my seat next to me to him, but I was like, wait a minute, it's an open seat, he can just come grab it if he wants to sit there. 'And me being from the US, it's hard for me to judge these type of situations here because, one, I don't know if he's actually just being too polite, maybe he's not too fond of me, or it just doesn't make sense.' He concluded: 'If y'all know me, y'all know I love the UK. And this is just my opinion and I Gotta see how it is. 'As much as I love it, that's one thing that I just can't really get my head around.' Many British commenters quickly weighed in, offering their own interpretations of what the elderly gentleman may have been thinking. One person said: 'I think he wanted you to give up your seat so him and his wife could sit together.' To which Kobie responded: 'Very true, why didn't he ask?' Another added: 'It polite to offer the seat… especially to pregnant or older people. He may not have wanted to have assumed he should squeeze past you.' Kobie added: 'Again that's so British. If you want to sit. Sit.' Someone else added: 'We're just polite to a fault. There's an unwritten rule about sitting next to people, although in PACKED situations usually doesn't apply. 'The 'look' would typically be inferred as a request to sit there and then the other party obliges.' A fourth added: 'I'm English. if he wanted the seat he would have either taken it or asked' Another added: 'As a old English lady who loves good manners, you acted in the correct manner. the choice was his to stand.'
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Why England and Spain's unique rivalry goes beyond the Euro 2025 final
At kick-off in the Euro 2025 final, England and Spain will be rivals. But before and after, many will be friends and allies, united by a common cause. Keira Walsh is determined to win on Sunday, to become a two-time European champion as part of the first-ever England team to defend a title at a major international tournament. But Walsh also wants Spain to enjoy their moment, to make up for what was lost. Spain will undoubtedly enjoy the occasion more if they beat England to add to their World Cup triumph, but Walsh was aware of the wider meaning. England's players were hurt after their World Cup final defeat to Spain in 2023; though what followed in Sydney was the greater injustice. Spain's victory was overshadowed by Luis Rubiales kissing Jenni Hermoso without her consent during their trophy celebrations. 'I don't think, for them, there was enough spotlight on how incredible they played and how incredible some of their players were,' Walsh said. 'It was all about the other stuff that had gone on.' Spain's stars lamented that there was not enough change in the country after winning the World Cup, now the focus is solely on them and the unique control they can bring to the pitch. 'They play incredible football and they deserve to be there,' said Walsh. 'As a human being I just want them to go out and just enjoy the game.' Walsh's two and a half years with Barcelona mean she has a deeper connection with several members of the Spain squad. When she felt homesick, the Spain captain Irene Parades would invite the midfielder to her family home for dinner. She grew close with many of their stars, such as Aitana Bonmati and Mariona Caldentey. But England stood as a collective with Spain after the World Cup final, even if they had not shared a dressing room or spent time as teammates. The Lionesses felt Spain were robbed of the boost they received by winning the Euros in 2022. There is respect and admiration on both sides, in understanding that their role as players is not just what happens on the pitch but in leaving the game in a better place from where they found it. England used their platform to call for social change after winning the Euros, while Spain have made sacrifices to fight for what they deserve. Patri Guijarro sat out of the last World Cup in protest of unequal treatment. Now Spain's players have seen improvements off the pitch, Guijarro is back and has been the best holding midfielder at the Euros. Sarina Wiegman has previously spoken of the relationship between England and Spain as an example of the 'special community' in the women's game, where both sides are aware of their higher purpose. After the Rubiales scandal, Spain took a stand with Se acabo, a #MeToo movement in Spanish football and beyond. Wiegman has similarly empowered England to use their voices, as seen during the Euros by the defiant response of the team following the racist abuse suffered by Jess Carter. England have supported Spain even as they have emerged as the dominant force and their battles on the pitch have grown. After the World Cup, Spain learnt their talent was not enough to stop what happened to them with Rubiales, but the changes within the Spanish Football Federation mean there is now nothing to hold them back from expressing their joyful, flowing passing. It is on the pitch and in their respective playing styles where there is the clearest contrast between Spain and England, who embraced 'proper England' for the first time in a rugged, disciplined 1-0 win at Wembley in February – the last time the world champions lost a match. The blueprint Arsenal used to dethrone Barcelona in May's Champions League final in Lisbon is one that England may need to replicate. Arsenal were organised off the ball and committed to frustrating the world's best players, while they took their chance when it came. There was also a bit of needle in the heat of the moment, with Chloe Kelly involved as she pushed Alexia Putellas off the ball. Barcelona's stars will also remember that pain, with Bonmati particularly devastated after the defeat. There will be many of the same players involved in Basel, with the links between England and Spain also illustrated by the success of Arsenal and Barcelona in growing the game domestically and across Europe. Arsenal and Barcelona have become the two best-supported women's teams in the world, and in Switzerland during Euro 2025 there have been as many 'Williamson' and 'Russo' or 'Aitana' and 'Alexia' club shirts as some national sides. There may as well be two other teams in the Euro 2025 final, to go along with England and Spain. Within that, there is also the connecting influence of Caldentey, who swapped Barcelona for Arsenal last summer and ended up taking the Champions League with her from Catalonia to north London. Caldentey's winning mentality, forged at Barcelona, influenced an Arsenal team who had consistently failed to win the biggest prizes. It was said Caldentey brought a 'contagious' mindset that 'moved the culture forward' - that feeling is still fresh in the England squad, through its sizable Arsenal contingent. Walsh and Lucy Bronze, meanwhile, can bring insight into the opposition after their time at Barcelona. When playing in midfield with Bonmati and Putellas, Walsh was expected to play short passes all the time, to the extent that she experienced something of a reverse culture shock when she returned to England and signed for Chelsea in January. She admitted she had 'lost' her ability to play long but it has returned at the Euros, where most of England's success has come when they have mixed it up and gone direct. The Lionesses are technical and can play too - but not like Spain, no one can. Instead, England have taken pride in their resilience throughout the Euros, in knowing they are never beaten. 'They can do the same,' Walsh said, after Spain also came through extra time in their semi-final to beat Germany. It is another reason for England to admire Spain, as well as another hurdle to overcome when they meet as rivals on Sunday.
