Heart Attack Cafe in AZ on the Travel Channel
 

I watched a really disgusting program on extreme eating yesterday. One of the restaurants featured was the Heart Attack Cafe. I had heard of it before - everything is cooked in lard, huge portions, unlimited fries, etc. But the really disgusting part is that they have a scale in the restaurant. Anyone who weighs over 350 lbs. eats free. They have patrons who come in every day and are so happy because as long as they stay fat, they can eat free every day "for the rest of their lives".

Ugh. That's horrible. I'm sure for many of those people "the rest of their lives" will probably be considerably shorter than they imagine :(

eta: Here's their website. Gross.

eta again: Their slogan is "Taste worth dying for!". Gross gross gross.

15 years or so ago, my sister and I said we were going to open a restaurant exactly like this, with this exact name.

We were only half-serious. They stole our idea.

I'm in the restaurant biz and remember reading about them a few years ago in a trade publication. They are doing remarkably well, and survived when a lot of restaurants didn't in recent years.

I thought it was a slightly inappropriate niche concept then. People will put out the cash for big burgers and fries served by hot chicks in short skirts with lots of cleavage. Now that I've become more conscious of cholesterol I think it is somewhat frightening.

At least they are up front with their concept though. In researching high cholesterol foods this week I've found a lot of places that claim to be healthy on the surface but really aren't. At least this place calls it like it is.

Exactly. I'm a lot more offended by a "kids menu" dish at an average sit-down restaurant with 1800 calories than by any of the monstrosities here. One is for shock value and tourist traffic (though there will always be people who go every day) and makes it clear that you're making a bad nutritional choice. The other is the every day state of food in America, where even a grilled chicken breast entree with sides can be so heavily buttered and sauced and served in so huge a portion that the dinner can have 2800 calories (I'm looking at YOU, Claim Jumpers!)

I saw a show on this a few years back...

I would visit if ever in the area....

Nothing secret about the place...it's all right out there!

I find this more sad thab gross...

Hey, put it all out there, less basis for a frivolous lawsuit like those against McDonald's a few years back whining about how the food made them fat and caused them health and emotional problems. Not saying that it won't happen, but less likely.