Galveston Austin Middle School teacher Chris Young wet his appetite for competitive eating recently when he tackled the 10-patty challenge at Mac-ies Smashburger & Fries.

The popular burger joint near downtown that shares space with its sister restaurant, Galveston Bagel Company, as of mid-June 2023 has had 11 contestants for the burger challenge with no winner to date.

In order to complete the challenge, contestants must finish 10 quarter-pound patties, 10 slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato, the homemade brioche bun, and a full air fryer basket of seasoned fries in 30 minutes. Mac-ies special sauce accompanies the towering stack of smashburgers but is not a required ingredient.

An avid runner with a hearty appetite, Young has eaten Mac-ies triple-patty burger in the past and said he watched YouTube videos to prepare for the 10-patty challenge. He works as a canner at Galveston Island Brewing in summer months and donned their T-shirt for luck during the challenge. He drank the local brew in lieu of water.

“Mama said I couldn’t have Blue Bell ice cream if I didn’t finish my meal,” joked Young, as he struggled to finish more than three pounds of meat, cheese, vegetable, and potatoes. He managed to consume nine patties, most of the bun, and one French fry before the finishing bell tolled.

He carried on after he timed out, too, finishing the final burger and bun. “My parents always told me to finish everything on my plate.”

Food competitions are growing in popularity across Texas and the nation. The Major League Eating organization was established in 1997 and is responsible for 70 to 80 eating contests per year across North America, most notably Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, which has aired on ESPN since 2003.

Various challenges of this type are featured on the Food Network and the Travel Channel with shows like “Man V. Food,” which premiered in 2008 also contribute to the popularity of this growing food fad.

You’ll need to bring your wallet along with your appetite just in case; the price of the challenge is waived if you consume the entire meal but if not, you’ll get a bill for $60.

Young answered the call for a challenge participant sent out by Mac-ies owners on Facebook who absorbed his bill. Young said it was a “win/win” situation that he couldn’t pass up.

“Mac-ies burgers are the best in town. They’re tender and seasoned perfect and come on a home-made bun. I’m a big fan and I really thought I could do it,” he said.

All Mac-ies burgers are hand rolled, fresh, never frozen, and seasoned with a proprietary spice mix.

Customers will be happy to hear that the street construction in front Mac-ies that has plagued this business for the past few months is scheduled for completion by the first week in July. And, just for the record, it is pronounced Mackees, with a hard “c,” named for the daughter of owners Shelby and Dillan Mena.

Look for a third, high-end concept to open at the same location soon, named “Natalynn’s” after another of their children. Mac-ies Smashburger & Fries is located at 1110 23rd Street near Broadway. They are open Wednesday thru Saturday 11am-8pm, Sunday and Monday 11am-2pm, and closed Tuesday.

For more details call 409.370.4540 or visit their website at www.mac-ies.net. Does your Galveston eatery offer a food challenge? Contact us at info@galvestonmonthly.com.