Behold the Mega Pancake Challenge

Eight pancake stack is a tall order

The Ol’ South Breakfast House doesn’t skimp on its pancakes.

The pancakes are made from seven squirts of batter from a funnel the size of a coffee can. They’re then browned on a counter-sized griddle.

Ol’ South President Rex Benson says a short stack is made up of three pancakes, but the restaurant is known for its Mega Pancake challenge -- a tower of eight pancakes.

“We’ve had football players come in who have attempted it…. We’ve had a wide variety of people that have tried it,” says Benson.

Diner Hattie Kemp looked in awe at the stack sitting on the table behind her. “You’re gonna have to have a really big appetite to finish all that it wouldn’t be me.”

300 people have tried to conquer the challenge since it started in 2009. If you can eat them all in an hour your meal is free. You also get a t-shirt, a mug and your picture on the wall.

“That’s a lot of fun when you see the entire dining room clapping for them and things like that, so it’s pretty neat” adds Benson.

Did we mention the butter? The cooks carve out a hole at the top of the stack and dump in the goodness.

“This is a little surgical procedure, yes. That way it sits in there just fine -- cause you have to have butter to eat pancakes, right?” asks Benson.

Testing your tolerance for too much breakfast, the stack measures seven inches high and 12 inches wide. It’s way too much for Kemp. “You couldn’t cut through it. It would be too big of a bite.”

It hasn’t stopped two people from completing the challenge and, yes, they’re still alive. Benson says he’s talked to them. “Oh, definitely. They’ve made it through it, yes. And that is one thing we do; make everyone sign a liability release prior to attempting the contest."

Whether you want the mega stack or a more manageable one you’ll find them both between South and Old University in Fort Worth where hunger gets shown the door.

Ol' South Pankcake House
1509 South University Drive
Fort Worth, TX 76107
www.olsouthpankcakehouse.com

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