Dagwood Challenge

Exactly how dramatic can a sandwich be? I found out this past Sunday the answer to this question. While at home for drill with the 121st ARW, I went to lunch with seven of my collegues at a little place tucked away on South High St. Ohio Deli may look like a quaint hometown establishment, but those walls hold a lot of drama thanks to their "Dagwood Challenge". The Dagwood challenge dares diners to eat the Dagwood sandwich, a pound of Ohio Deli's delicious fries and a pickle in under 30 minutes. Just for the record "Man vs Food" star, Adam Richman, finished the challenge on his show in just under 20 minutes.

That fateful Sunday, three members of my team stepped up to the challenge. The Capt. and two Senior Airmen tried their luck with the sandwich stacked with turkey, ham, roast beef, two types of cheeses, lettuce, tomato, onion and garlic mayo. That sounds like a great combination, but on a sandwich that measures over six inches tall and two and half pounds,it doesn't make for such a tasty treat... especially when you have to eat it at warp speed.

As the race began, you knew it was going to get interesting... Everyone had their own strategy. Tilson was set on eating as fast as he could, Megimose had his sandwich taken apart piece by piece, and Capt. was just laughing at the size of the sandwich well into the two minute mark.

Here is Tilson at the 5 minute mark...

And here is the Capt. at 5 minutes... See the difference?

As these Airmen in uniform, on their lunch break, devoured these ginormous sandwiches, people in the packed restaurant started to take note. The guy at the table behind us shouted out tips for beating the sandwich, the two boys next to Megimose shouted out encouragement to him as he ate, and the old couples sitting beside us looked in half terror, half amazement as these competitors chowed down.

As the competition continued, Tilson finished at just over 17 minutes, and the Capt. threw in the towel, but one Airmen brought the drama finishing just a second under the 30 minute limit. At the end, the little boys were giving atta' boys with every last fry, and poor Megimose was trying to stomach (literally) the pound of fries and all of the cheese he left for the end. This was something I couldn't watch. Cheese and fry handfuls are just a little too much for me. As he finished that last bite and stood up, belt buckle bursting open, the whole restaurant stood up and cheered. You would have thought he won a gold medal.

Don't give up! You can do it!!!

(The little boys at the next table did ask for a picture with Megimose... their hero!)

Tilson at the finish... Smiling on the outside, crying on the inside...

The Capt. at the finish... It's okay ma'am...

So we learned a few things at this lunch. 1) Roast beef is not delicious by the handful.. and neither are fries after a pound. 2) The man who holds the record for eating this thing in four and a half minutes is amazing. and 3) If we are attacked by giant sandwiches, America is safe...