Hundreds will try, many will come close, few will finish the 'Ugly Burger'

Six years ago when owner Matt Frey and his wife, Rachel, came to Bloomington, they knew this was where they wanted to build their third business. Bub’s Burgers & Ice Cream, located behind Smallwood Plaza, is a place where the food speaks for itself.

“The food seemed very simple on the menu, so I didn’t expect it to be as delicious as it was,” senior Rebecca Kharsa said. “The staff was really personable and friendly, too, so it was a nice experience to have in Bloomington. I’ll definitely be coming back here.”

Home to the “Big Ugly” burger, weighing in at 22 ounces precooked, Bub’s has become a new food-eating contest hot spot. 

Adam Richman of the Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food visited the original Bub’s Burgers and Ice Cream in Carmel, Ind., for a chance to finish off four Big Uglies in one sitting. Richman was defeated by the challenge, finishing only two and a quarter Big Ugly burgers.

Before Richman, there had been more than 50 people to finish two burgers, and only three people to finish three Big Uglies in one sitting. The hardest part about the challenge is that the diner must eat everything on the plate, including the sides of lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles in order to be named a winner and get their picture on the wall of fame, Frey said.

“We’ve had people come from as far away as Chicago, Cincinnati and St. Louis to eat the Big Ugly here in Bloomington just because they saw us on Man vs. Food and thought, ‘Hey, let’s drive hours and hours to eat a Big Ugly today,’” Frey said. “The response has really been a blessing.”

More than 6,000 photos adorn the walls each year at the Bub’s location in Carmel. Frey said he hopes to develop that kind of popularity here in Bloomington.

Since the Man vs. Food episode aired Aug. 18, he said business has been booming. More than 190 Big Ugly burgers are sold per week and more than 600 were sold last week at all locations.

“I was in the back forming burger patties with my hands,” Frey said. “We had so many orders. It really took me back to when I first started and we couldn’t cook fast enough.”
Waitress Aleesha Rhoadas remembers being amazed when she saw a child finish the burger.

“The boy was 8 years old, and he said, ‘I wanna do the Big Ugly!’” Rhoadas said. “I thought there was no way this kid could do it, but he nailed it. So, if any of these college guys think they can’t do it, I’ll always remind them that if an 8-year-old kid can finish it, they can, too.”

The restaurant also features lean elk burgers, as well as portabella mushroom and mahi-mahi sandwiches for vegetarians.

Frey, a Ball State grad, said that coming to IU was a great opportunity to extend his business to the college audience and bring a family feel to the town as well.

“It’s a delicate roll of the dice to be a new restaurant, especially in a college town, so you want to do well and make money,” Frey said. “But it’s not about greed, it’s about creating a great atmosphere and even better food.”