I think the following story is a wonderful indicator of the kind of place I work (that is meant as a compliment as I think the company and the people I work with are a lot of fun).
Today at work a large chunk of the company gathered outside for the McRib challenge 2006. One guy took on the
challenge of trying to eat 10 McRib sandwiches in one hour. Throughout the week emails had circulated laying out the official rules.
For anyone who might not know, the McRib is a sandwich from McDonalds that is only offered as a special “limited time offer” periodically. For some reason it has gathered quite a rabid following. Where I work there is actually McRib mailing list among all the other various work and social mailing lists. There are “save the McRib” campaigns.
Here are some excerpts from the email thread that went around work leading up to this challenge:
Revised contract below. Read over and request additions/subtractions/modifications where necessary. If we all agree on this, how does Thursday sound?
Us
Responsible for up front cost of 10 McRibs.
Responsible for obtaining and returning with 10 McRibs
McRibs must be purchased and “made” on day of event
Must Provide:
1 Liter of Mountain Dew
1 Bottle of Water
1 Bucket
Allow no less than two days of advanced notice
Is allowed to film event
Responsible for creating “prize shirt” in the event [name deleted] succeeds.
Must be positive and prize like (no practical jerk like joke)
Creation of shirt will not begin until event is over.
[name deleted]
Has one hour to eat 10 McRibs.
Us delivers all 10 McRibs
First McRib is unwrapped and placed on table in front of [name deleted]
Both hands on table prior to clock start
All McRibs must be eaten and swallowed.
Any throwing up prior to 2pm disqualifies [name deleted], event ends as a loss.
Upon losing, [name deleted] becomes responsible for full reimbursement of McRib sandwiches.
Nutritional info of 10 McRibs:
4,900 calories (standard daily diet is usually about 2,000)
250 g fat (or slightly more than half a pound)
10400 mg of sodium (about a third of a salt shaker)
Fun fact:
The McRib buns contain protein.
He made it through 4.5 before grabbing the bucket.
GROSS! AWESOME!
I remember a McDonald’s commercial a few years ago for “Super Sizing” where a man on a business trip was having a really rough time, so he goes into McDonald’s (the warm glow ofthe Golden Arches pulled him in – ah, someting familiar far away from home!) and he walked up to the counter where the cashier asked, “What can I get for you today?” and he replied, “I don’t care – just Super Size me.”
Tom and I would then try to come up with the grossest combination of McDonald’s food that we could think of – I think I won with “Fishwich and a Shamrock shake.”