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Recapping the CSPI 2018 Xtreme Eating Awards on Coast Live

Posted at 9:52 AM, Aug 01, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-01 09:52:43-04

HAMPTON ROADS, Va – Award season for high calorie restaurant foods is here and the winners are in, if you can call it that.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest’s (CSPI) has released it’s 2018 Xtreme Eating Awards.

According to the survey report: “Each of these restaurant items manages to cram in close to a day’s calories, often accompanied by at least a day’s saturated fat, sodium, or added sugar.”

CSPI bases their findings on a reasonable daily intake of about 2,000 calories, 2,300 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of saturated fat and about 50 grams of added sugar.

And the CSPI 2018 Xtreme Eating Awards go to:

Worst Way to Start the Day
The Cheesecake Factory’s Breakfast Burrito
2,730 calories
Restaurant description: “ A warm tortilla filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, chicken chorizo, cheese, crispy potatoes, avocado, peppers and onions, over spicy ranchero sauce.”
CSPI says: It’s like eating seven McDonald’s Sausage McMuffins

Worst Special Effects
Yard House’s Vampire Taco Combo
2,040 calories
Restaurant description:  a Vampire Taco Combo comes with two 440-calorie tacos—each stuffed with pork, “bacon chorizo,” cream sauce, and guacamole— plus 610 calories’ worth of spicy rice and pinto beans.
CSPI says: It’s like eating Nine Taco Bell beef tacos plus three cans of Budweiser.

Worst Cinematic Snack
AMC’s Legend pretzel
1,920 calories
What the Theater says: This Bavarian-style soft pretzel weighs 1.5 pounds.
CSPI says: It has more than three days’ worth of sodium.

Worst Adapted Pizza
The Cheesecake Factory’s Chicken Parmesan ‘Pizza Style’
1,870 calories
Restaurant description: “Chopped chicken breast coated with breadcrumbs, covered with marinara sauce and lots of melted cheese.”
CSPI Says: It’s like eating four pieces of Popeyes fried chicken plus four biscuits.

Least Creative Mashup
Chili’s Honey-Chipotle Crispers & Waffles
2,510 calories
Restaurant description: “Crispers on top of Belgian waffles. Topped with bacon, jalapeños, ancho-chile ranch. Served with fries & honey-chipotle sauce”
CSPI says: It’s like eating five Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts smothered in 30 McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets and five packets of barbecue sauce.”

Worst Makeup
BJ’s Restaurants’ Peanut Butter S’mores Pizookie
1,580 calories
Restaurant description: “Peanut butter layered on a Ghirardelli triple chocolate cookie with marshmallow fluff and marshmallows baked to a golden finish, then topped with vanilla bean ice cream.”
CSPI says: It’s like eating an entire (14 oz.) container of Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Ice Cream plus two cups of marshmallow fluff.

Worst Visceral Effects
Uno’s Deep Dish Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
2,320 calories
Restaurant description: “Penne with aged cheddar, parmesan and romano topped with buffalo chicken and baked in a deep dish pan.”
CSPI says: It’s like eating three orders of Olive Garden’s Cheese Ravioli.

Worst Revival
Shake Shack’s Double SmokeShack with sides
2,240 calories
Restaurant Description: “This modern day ‘roadside’ burger stand serves up the most delicious burgers, hot dogs, frozen custard, shakes, beer, wine and more,”
CSPI says: It’s like eating three McDonald’s Quarter Pounders with Cheese plus three McDonald’s Vanilla Cones.

Read more about the CSPI 2018 Xtreme Eating Awards at cspinet.org/xtreme-eating-2018.