Is The Big Texan Steak Ranch Still Open? Food Paradise Update

Food Paradise, Season 1, Episode 4

"Steak Paradise" (S1E4) featured The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery, an Amarillo, Texas restaurant along Interstate 40 known for its free 72-ounce steak challenge: diners who finish the steak and sides within an hour do not pay for the meal. The restaurant's own website, bigtexan.com, promotes a live stream of the challenge alongside a full steakhouse menu, a brewery, a take-out counter and mail-order steak sales, according to a site check on 2026-09-08. The property also includes the Big Texan RV Ranch and ties itself to Route 66 roadside heritage with its own history timeline and a large cowboy sign the restaurant promotes as a local landmark. Google Places lists the restaurant's business status as operational, and the site was live with current content as of the same check.

Man v. Food, Season 1, Episode 01 Aired December 3, 2008

Man v. Food (S1E01, aired 2008-12-03) featured the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, spotlighting its free 72-ounce steak eating challenge. According to Wikipedia (revised 2026-07-11), the steakhouse opened in 1960 along the original Route 66 and relocated to its current Interstate 40 frontage-road location in 1970, where it operates with an attached motel as a roadside attraction. Wikipedia also described the building as painted bright yellow with blue trim, with a large bull statue advertising the steak challenge outside. The restaurant's website, bigtexan.com, carried a 2026 copyright date and an active online ordering and retail storefront, according to a site check performed 2026-09-08. The business now presents itself as "The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery," reflecting an added on-site brewery not part of the original 1960 restaurant.