The 9 Most Intense Restaurant Spice Challenges In The US

We can't speak to why someone would want to undertake a food challenge. But given the past popularity of viral internet sensations like the cinnamon challenge, chubby bunny challenge, and the chicken nugget challenge, we know plenty of people love them. And, even today, there are still food eating contests that turn heads. Far beyond the internet of things, food challenges have existed in different forms across time zones and cuisines. Take the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, for example. It's televised annually, and the contestants have become so popular that we now know what Joey Chestnut's go-to way to eat a hot dog is outside of the competition.

Food challenges aren't a walk in the park either. They often push people's bodies to the extreme, and none do so more than spicy food challenges. Why is that? Capsaicin — the chemical compound that causes the hot sensation you get when eating something spicy — is no joke. It can cause sweating and flushed skin, and the stomach ache after isn't any fun, yet people still do it. Since we're in the business of giving the people what they want, we're going to walk through nine of the most intense restaurant spice challenges to be found across the United States. Get your glass of milk ready (since dairy is the best way to tame a dish that's too spicy) and let's go.

Smoke Eaters is a Northern California eatery that specializes in wings and has been serving patrons for over 20 years. Each customer has the option to choose from 13 levels of heat for their wings and can wash down that spice with 48 different types of beer on tap. As to be expected from a wing joint, the ambiance is all sports all the time. Except, of course, when the true spectacle is just a table away.

The Hellfire Challenge can be a little, well, hellish. That's because it requires challengers to consume 12 wings in 10 minutes. Sound easy? Think again. The wings are slathered in Smoke Eaters' hottest of sauces, and there are no drinks to quench your thirst and no napkins to clean up with. That means finger licking is required. What's arguably the worst part is the customary five minutes at the end for the heartburn and sweats to kick in. Adam Richman of "Man v. Food" on Travel Channel even struggled to complete the challenge, though he did win out in the end.

Spice is often associated with things like wings or chewing on raw peppers, but Chunky's has another vessel for getting spice into customers' stomachs, and it starts with a burger. The type of beef for the juiciest burgers isn't a primary consideration in the creation of this recipe — it's all about the spice level.

The rules go like this. Patrons have to sign a waiver and be over 18 to participate, and then they have 25 minutes to eat the burger. This sounds like a walk in the park, except that the half-pound burger contains fresh jalapeño, serrano peppers, Habanero sauce, and ghost peppers. Even if you're able to get it down, there are other rules to follow, like no restroom breaks, sharing, or spitting anything out. And to ensure that everything stays nice and spicy, there's a five-minute waiting period after the burger is finished before a win is determined. "Man v. Food" host Adam Richman also attempted this challenge and was able to successfully earn his photo on the Wall of Flame.

Buffalo Wild Wings is a staple for affordable wings, beer, and game day shenanigans. With 26 sauces and dry rubs, there's a flavor and spice level out there for just about every wing eater, but the restaurant's challenge is not for the faint of heart. The official rules for the Blazin' Challenge require participants to be 18 or over and be a part of the Blazin' Rewards (the restaurant's rewards group). Once that's squared away, then comes the wings.

In five minutes or less, participants need to eat 10 Blazin' Knockout wings — made with nine different hot peppers. All meat must be removed by mouth, not hand, and there can't be any meat left on the bone. Drinking, bathroom breaks, and vomiting are means for disqualification. And, we aren't here to sway you, but winners get 1000 Blazin' Rewards points, which is equal to around $100, which can buy plenty of wings and beers.

You might not think of Quaker Steak and Lube as the place for a hot wing challenge, but its fiery Atomic Scorpion wings — coming in at a searing 800,000 Scoville units — will definitely make you reconsider. For reference, that's on par with the Nagabon Jolokia, a variety of ghost pepper. Like most extreme food challenges, participants must sign a standard waiver before attempting the challenge.

What sets this challenge apart is its flexibility: There's no strict time limit, and beverages and condiments are allowed to help tame the burn. Still, there are rules to follow, such as no bathroom breaks once you start, and the provided silicon gloves must stay on throughout. Finish successfully, and you'll earn more than just relief: Winners score a free t-shirt and get their name proudly displayed on the restaurant's chalkboard, cementing their victory among other fellow winners.

Plenty of cultures around the world consume foods with more spice than the average American eats on a regular basis. One culture that truly embraces heat is Thailand, and Jitlada's Thai-inspired recipes take this idea to heart. Among the menu items you can find at Jitlada is the Dynamite Spicy Challenge. Unlike some other spice challenges, this one comes with some customization options to make the delicious punishment exactly what you want.

Select your choice of protein — basic options are available, like chicken and beef, or you can go big with a whole sea bass or lobster tail — along with bell peppers, green beans, Thai basil, and fresh and dried Thai chiles combined into a colorful stir fry. Challengers have to eat everything on the plate (veggies included). The challenge has been around for well over a decade, and we imagine it will be around for many more, as Jitlada has been in business in LA since the 1970s.

Ever wanted to eat a curry made with the hottest chilies on Earth? If so, Brick Lane Curry House is the spot for you. The Phaal Curry Challenge takes the key components that define a curry, such as spices and herbs, and adds seven types of peppers, including one ingredient that's worth the double-take: Caroline Reaper peppers. Remember the Atomic Scorpion challenge from Quaker Steak and Lube? That was only 800,000 Scoville units. Reaper peppers can hit upwards of 2 million Scoville units.

The curry is so hot that chefs can be seen wearing gas masks when preparing it to avoid getting any irritating fumes in their mouths. The goal is to finish the entire bowl within 30 minutes, but only 5% of participants succeed, making it a tough task to complete. Even with a delicious mango lassi in hand and the promise of your photo on the Phall of Fame, we can't imagine putting our tastebuds through this extreme spice challenge.

You may have wondered before how to order food at a sushi restaurant. At any other sushi restaurant, we'd tell you that perfecting your order matters, but the spicy food challenge at Bushido Japanese Restaurant requires little planning. Dubbed the Seppuku Challenge, participants are approached with a mammoth task even without the spice: consume 10 spicy tuna hand rolls in succession. Sushi lovers may rejoice upon hearing this, but we didn't even get to the craziest part yet. The heat goes up with each hand roll.

Something a little different about this challenge is that it can be completed over time. Make it past roll seven and need a break? Don't worry — you can come back later to complete it. But fall before the seventh proverbial hurdle and you're out. It's worth pushing through the pain since winners get a Bushido headband that earns them some complimentary fare of the chef's choice every time they come back.

If you're the kind of eater who thinks buffalo sauce is child's play, Jake Melnick's Corner Tap in Chicago has a dare that might actually test your limits. The XXXX Challenge involves eating eight wings coated in a fiery mix of Carolina reaper, Trinidad scorpion, ghost pepper, and habanero pepper sauce. It's not just a drizzle either — these wings are positively drenched — and yes, just like most of the others on this list, a waiver is part of the deal.

What you get in return for completing the XXXX Challenge is more about bragging rights than freebies. Finish all eight wings, and you'll score a t-shirt, which is totally worth the hot flashes, right? Fall short, and you're just another face wiping sauce off your hands in sweaty defeat. Many brave diners have left losers, with more respect for spice than they had before walking in the door.

Free t-shirts are like the flame that we are drawn to where food challenges are concerned. At Fire on the Mountain, Portland's Original Wing Joint, participants in the El Jefe Challenge are tasked with eating 15 El Jefe wings in three minutes for the honor of a branded t-shirt. The catch is that, to get the free t-shirt, you have to endure the spice without drinks, sauces, and or celery to cool off your taste buds. Not to mention, only one napkin is allowed. It's a head-to-head match between your stomach and some seriously spicy wings.

Finish on time and you'll earn a shirt plus a place on the coveted Wall of Flame. For those who don't make it? You're left with sauce-stained hands and the knowledge that a couple of chicken wings were hotter than you could handle. The El Jefe is less about savoring and more about survival, which makes it exactly the kind of wild contest that wing fanatics line up for.