Since 1960, one restaurant in Amarillo, Texas has dared hungry travelers to conquer a mountain of beef that weighs more than four pounds. The Big Texan Steak Ranch made the 72-ounce steak challenge famous, turning a simple dinner into a spectacle watched by thousands. Behind that giant neon cowboy and the ticking clock lies a wild story of fires, family grit, and record-breaking eaters that keeps people coming back for more.
1. It opened on Route 66 in 1960
R.J. “Bob” Lee launched The Big Texan in March 1960 inside the old Underwood’s Bar-B-Q building on Amarillo’s famous Route 66. A massive 60-foot neon cowboy stood out front, waving at road-trippers cruising the Mother Road.
Back then, Route 66 was America’s main highway, connecting Chicago to Los Angeles. Lee knew that hungry travelers needed a memorable pit stop, so he built a place they couldn’t miss.
That glowing cowboy became an instant landmark. Families, truckers, and adventurers all pulled over to see what the fuss was about, and the legend began right there on the side of the highway.
2. The 72-oz steak challenge started in the early 1960s
According to the restaurant’s own records, a one-hour steak contest appeared in November 1960. The challenge page credits Lee’s bold promise, “eat the whole 72-oz dinner in an hour and it’s free,” to 1962…