The U Challenges You to Eat The Graduate Quickly

Eat this Graduate, you win nada.

​Gut Check has given up its long-standing opposition to eating contests and challenges because, hey, 50 million Elvis fans can't be wrong. Besides, we like Midtown's The U (3108 Olive Street, 314-371-1718), which on Saturday, September 11, will host a competition to eat "The Graduate" as quickly as possible.

What is the Graduate? It's a burger: two beef patties, four strips of bacon, two chicken strips, a fried egg, chili, fried onion strings, giardiniera, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, provolone cheese and cheese sauce. Oh, and a bun, of course.

Whoever records the best time wolfing down this beast wins $250, with $100 and $50 going to second and third place. Which even after you deduct the cost of Immodium is a generous pile of cash.

The event runs from 2-6 p.m., with the contest at 5 p.m. Registration costs $20. (Visit the challenge's official website to do so.) Proceeds go toward the cash prizes and St. Louis University's Center for Entrepreneurship.