Have y’all heard of this restaurant (if it can even be called that)!? My sister sent me an email about it this morning, and after doing a little bit of my own research, I am shocked! I honestly thought it something someone made up, but sadly, it’s not.
Let me back up a bit. Heart Attack Grill is a hamburger joint based out of Chandler, AZ. The restaurant is based on the premise of serving extremely high calorie food that’s “so bad for you it’s shocking.” Get this – the waitresses are “nurses” who take orders (“prescriptions”) from customers (“patients”). Just wait, it gets better. The burgers go from a Single Bypass to a Quadruple Bypass. The fries are deep fried in lard, and the shakes are made with butterfat. And if you’re over 350 pounds, you eat for free. Oh and don’t worry, if you’re too full at the end of your meal, they have wheelchairs and “doctors” ready to escort you out to your car.
I really do believe that we, as consumers, have the control. We all have the freedom to make choices about what goes into our bodies. However, I am not so naïve to believe that’s where the debate ends. The American food system is a dichotomy. On one end you have people eating healthy foods, exercising, and making good choices in general. On the other extreme, you have the opposite – poor choices followed by poor choices. And then you have the average American in the middle. In my opinion, different factors cause people to move along the spectrum – level of education, internal motivation, financial situation, etc.
When you really think about business, the goal is to make money – bottom line. Most companies will do anything in their power to woe the consumer, including deceptive marketing. I think this restaurant chain is a perfect example of this. It plays on the weaknesses of its patrons and convinces them that eating crappy food is ok because it’s fun…and why try to change something that seems impossible (i.e. cleaning up your act and getting healthy). I mean nurses, prescriptions, patients, wheelchairs???
I could really say more, but I’m going to stop here (for now). I just hope with all my heart that healthy living bloggers take over the world and show people that by using a little creativity and taking small baby steps over time, you can change your life and have a little fun doing it!!! 
What are your thoughts about this restaurant and what it stands for?
eeek and GOOD GOD! I do hope that we take over the world, though more successfully than pinky and the brain 😉 heheh
I really do get mad when restaurants/vendors are selling things like that. As well as so many of the food network shows that share recipes that are all unhealthy. Some not so healthy offerings at a restaurant is fine. All unhealthy offerings (and ridiculous ones that like) not fine.
Uuughhh
P and I saw it on TV and read a few articles about the place… ummm… ridiculous. Its a roaring success right? people want to do what feels good sometimes even though it will make them feel a bajillion times worth later on. it scares me. but all we can do is set a good example
i’ve heard of this place. it makes me sick to think about it
Eww this is disgusting! I have no problem with eating a burger and fries every so often, but this is just on a whole different level. It’s like they’re making fun of all the health problems that exist because of the unhealthy diet of the average American. We need to be putting effort into fixing those problems, not trivializing them! 😛
Yowsa! This is pretty repulsing…I mean I’m all for indulgent foods for sure, but to go as far as to blatantly advertising this in terms of bad health. I just don’t get it. No way would I support this place..eww.
Restaurants like this make me SO angry! They are making a mockery of such a crucial condition! Heart disease is not something to joke about and obesity is a serious issue in society! Regardless if it’s a one-time meal or not, why on earth would the restaurant even concoct such recipes! Gah I to could go on but I’ll stop here!
I think I saw this on some TV show. All I can say is people who eat something like this are demented, even if it is just for a day.
I saw this on 20/20!
While it grosses me out and I think they are totally irresponsible… we all have a choice to vote with our wallets and NOT eat there.
I never eat fast food. Ever. The restaurants are still in business and they aren’t going anywhere… but I’m not perpetuating the french fry nation.
I agree with you 100%. I think we all have the power to make our own decisions. However, the whole mockery of obesity and completely “downplaying” the seriousness of it, really makes me mad.
It’s really a sad state of affairs but people (much like you said) make their own decisions and for someone to willingly participate in something so repulsive blows my mind.
I’ve been following your blog for a while now, but this is the first time I’m commenting..cause this is just SO ridiculous. Yes, a joke is a joke and sometimes it’s fun to eat “unhealthily” but this is TOO extreme. Heart attacks, obesity, etc are serious issues..
Oh my god this place has to be a joke?! Thats awful! If i’m honest I used to eat all kinds of fast food, not everyday but still more often than I should have been! Generally whilst hungover! I’m happy to say that I haven’t eaten at McDonalds or anything like it for months and I don’t plan on slipping back into bad habits! Ever! It makes me sick to even think about it! And to make jokes about such a serious condition just to make money is sickening I don’t know how they’re allowed to stay open!
Wow. This is absolutely disgusting! I can’t believe that such a restaurant exists and it really makes me sad. But the thing is that if there’s a market for such a thing then this place will thrive and unfortunately I do think it’ll continue to thrive.
I’ve heard of that place, actually. Think I heard the owner recently has a heart attack. Ironic.