You only told part of the story of the 72oz steak. Yes, it's 72oz (4.5 lbs) of beef, but if you eat it in the time limit, you get it for free. Your average burger is 1/3lb, so that's 13.5 burgers in one sitting.
Some people aren't so elitist that thinking they are in some part of the country not left or right coast would think this is just something that happens in their part of the world.
You have to eat the whole meal (inclusive of the shrimp cocktail, salad, baked potato, and dinner roll) without getting up and without throwing up in the allotted hour.
The no-throwing up rule was instituted some time ago because passers-by (mostly long-haul truckers at the time) would essentially dine for free irrespective of whether or not they completed the challenge. You are also on the hook for the $72, which was not the case back in the day.
I didn't want to spoil the fun of all those road signs telling about the free 72oz steak in Amarillo. (Those signs start popping up outside of Oklahoma City and Albuquerque)
If you're lucky you will see someone attempting the challenge. I remember some years back seeing a small 20 year old woman win her free meal. It was thrilling seeing a whole room of people root for someone to eat so much food.
I wonder what they do now, but part of your winning was to live in immortality by having a Polaroid taken and pinned to their winner's wall (or whatever they called it). Did they even get a free t-shirt? "I ate 4.5lbs of beef in one sitting, and all I got was this lousy t-shirt. (and constipation)"
Some people aren't so elitist that thinking they are in some part of the country not left or right coast would think this is just something that happens in their part of the world.