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I agree Adam...I think the whole schitck is exactly that....a schtick. If thier food was any good maybe I'd be more inclined to eat there again.

http://eatingtheroad.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/heart-attack-grill-diet-center/

They're just trying to tap into the whole shock/controversy thing...and unfortunately that does work. Those news stations can't get enough of it. If you really want to dislike them watch the video on their homepage (How to Kill a Giant):
http://www.heartattackgrill.com/

As a Londoner who stumbled across HAG through the wonder of the Internet, I say a whole-hearted bravo to Dr Jon.

The world is tired of the politically correct, nanny-ing, food fascist lobby. If you want healthy food then of course that is your right but equally if I want an unhealthy meal it is my right. It is a fundamental right. My freedom of choice.

I applaud Dr Jon for giving me that choice and embracing the non-PC mantle so thoroughly. His restaurants look fun, inviting and offering tasty food. If the waitresses are happy to wear that clothing to show off their body, then that is their right. No one has ‘press-ganged’ them into working there.

I would love to visit HAG when next in the US because

A. I love a good burger
B. I'm keen to poke a finger in the eye of those who seek to deprive EVERYONE of something because a SMALL segment of lazy, spineless individuals have no self control and need to be protected from themselves.

Even in the UK I can hear of Dr Jon's railing against the system and I welcome it.

@Lvn4life: Nooo! Please don't feel like that.

Think of these things like a beach and tides. These memes, like the Heart Attack Grill one, ebb and rise. For some reason, something catches fire and goes around the web.

Weird people like me, who have hung out on Burger Beach for too many years, have seen this cycle for many burger-related things. But normal people, who only visit Burger Beach occasionally, may think something's new and send it along.

My point is that it's always nice to get emails from you, even if we have seen something already. It's a reminder that we probably need to blog about it again.

The reason I resisted this one over the years is outlined above. I think it was you and the 3 or 4 other people lately who made me realize we probably should acknowledge this place in some way on AHT.

Thank you!

see this link; apparently this place isn't on Men's Health magazine's radar:

The Worst Burgers in America

Seems we have lots of over-politically correct readers here Mr. Kuban. But I suppose that's better than having lots of a-holes, right?

In any case, I think you probably already figured out to avoid "controversial" burger joints in the future, no matter how much pressure you get. It stinks for readers who are strictly here for burger knowledge, but hey, you win some you lose some, eh?

A very occasional 8,000-calorie burger isn't going to kill you anywhere nearly as quickly as a steady diet of 600-calorie Big Macs. I prefer seeing these kinds of novelty joints to corporations like McDonald's that position themselves as a source of regular family meals. For all those extremely unhealthy-looking people in that video, illness and death will come, not from the small percentage of their diet that they're consuming in that place, but the crap they're eating throughout the rest of their day. I say let unhealthy food be celebrated as something for special occasions, and save the outrage for all the junk that gets marketed as average, ordinary food.

You gotta give props to a place that does it's fries right - in lard. The only thing missing is twice-frying 'em.

Best fries I ever had: Arthur Bryant's, KC, about which Saveur had to say: "Twice fried in lard, as they should be."

Those fries would be completely illegal here in NYC. I think I'm gonna open a trans-fat speakeasy somewhere downtown and serve kick-ass fries.

Wow. I just rechecked this thread, and I'm shocked, too. I don't know if it's my rant that set the tone or what, but this really is out of character for longtime AHT readers.

Sad to see all the people pronouncing the burgers themselves disgusting or what not. AHT is the blog, after all, that created and celebrated the Fatty Melt and the Bacon Fatty Melt—both equally as insane (or maybe more) as the burgers at the Heart Attack Grill. And many of you jumped on that bandwagon and cheered for the Fatty Melt family.

My point was not that the burgers looked hideous, monstrous, or disgusting but that I didn't like the "heart attack" theme because it helps tar all burgers with the same greasy brush. Yes, the largest of these Heart Attack Grill burgers would certainly give your doctor reason to worry, but I'm not advocating against the burgers. Certainly not everyone visiting HAG gets the largest burgers—and the video even notes that.

It's always been my belief that AHT readers are smart people and have self-control. They know their limits and their health status and choose to eat accordingly or in defiance of those factors. That's why, historically, this blog has avoided moralizing about burger size or portions and has focused instead on flavor, texture, juiciness, and balance.

The knee-jerk reaction here is sad.