Oklahoma fast-food franchise challenges customers with massive nine-patty T-Rex burger

A burger that vanished decades ago has somehow crawled back from the fast-food grave, and it is a monster. The T-Rex weighs in at a staggering 3,000 calories and comes with a price tag hovering near $30. A franchise owner in Edmond, Oklahoma, recently hung a sign out front advertising this specific challenge. Participants who can demolish the towering nine-patty cheeseburger, loaded with all its fixings, within nine minutes win a T-shirt and a special prize, according to Allrecipes. The sign posted on Reddit in early September listed the cost at $29.99 and dared customers: "Think you can take down the T-Rex? Prove it."

Not everyone is eager to face this culinary beast. Comments on Reddit were split sharply along lines of disgust versus daredevilry. One user called it gross and dumb, while another warned that the real prize was high cholesterol and clogged arteries. Jokes flew about a heart attack waiting to happen. Someone noted that Dave Thomas, the chain's founder, would be rolling over in his grave if he saw this promotion now. Despite the warnings, others claimed they could destroy the stacked burger, with one calling it a pretty decent deal.

Lauren Manaker, a dietitian based in South Carolina, told Fox News Digital that eating something like this is less about daily nutrition and more about the experience of indulgence. She explained that a single massive meal can pack an enormous amount of sodium, saturated fat, and calories into one sitting. This often leaves people feeling uncomfortable afterward, particularly if they rush through it. If someone insists on trying it for fun, she suggested sharing the load, slowing down, and balancing the rest of the day with plenty of water, fruits, vegetables, and other satisfying foods to counteract the impact.

An employee at the Edmond location told Fox News Digital that the promotion is expected to roll out across restaurants in the state starting Sept. 10. The special prize includes a voucher for a free meal. The staff member added that participants do not need to finish the fries or drink that accompany the burger to claim their reward.

This giant burger has a history stretching back to the mid-2000s. Multiple reports indicate it first appeared as a joke in an issue of Sports Illustrated, which led curious folks to try ordering it at various Wendy's locations. Eventually, a franchise in Brandon, Manitoba, began offering it officially. The idea went viral quickly and grabbed the attention of corporate headquarters, who decided to put a stop to it back in 2013. A representative for the franchise at the time stated that neither they nor any other Wendy's would condone or promote anyone consuming nine patties in one sitting for obvious reasons.

Despite the ban, the burger survived as a secret menu hack according to social media users. The trick involves ordering a Dave's Triple and then customizing it with six extra patties to assemble the T-Rex without ever entering an official challenge. Fox News Digital reached out to Wendy's corporate headquarters in Ohio for further comment on the resurgence of this massive item.