A 75-pound Oatmeal Creme Pie smashed 160 other Little Debbie varieties in becoming the biggest hit Sunday afternoon as thousands celebrated the brand's 50th year selling snack cakes.
The table-length dessert suffered the same fate as most free food offerings, standing 5 inches tall for a brief period before getting sliced and devoured.
It became a pile of crumbs within 45 minutes.
"Some are healthy, and some just taste good," said Margaret Twombly, as she reflected on Little Debbie granola bars and the world's largest Oatmeal Creme Pie, respectively.
Prepared by the company's research and development team, the gooey vanilla icing spread between two cookies symbolized the economic glue provided by Little Debbie's parent company, McKee Foods Corp., which employs 6,000 workers nationwide. Many make their living inside the Collegedale plant.
"A lot of them have been here a long time, and some of them have spent their lives here," said company spokesman Mike Gloeker. "You can't buy that."
Little Debbie, whose picture is featured on products, grew up to become company executive Debbie McKee Fowler, but Sunday's partygoers were able to meet 2010 look-alike contest winner Rhea Lynne Conner, 7.
Wearing a signature cowgirl hat above auburn curls, the Livingston, Tenn., native said she liked everything about being a dessert celebrity, admitting that she enjoys when classmates call her "Little Debbie" and "Cupcake."
"I like signing autographs and the giant oatmeal creme pie," said Rhea, who won a $5,000 college scholarship for her resemblance.
Organizers said at least 1,000 people attended the three-hour outdoor festival despite periodic thunderstorms. Small children honked a tractor-trailer's horn all afternoon, giving them a look through the eyes of truck drivers who deliver Swiss Cake Rolls and Fudge Rounds across North America.
Visitors lifted bags bursting with goodies toward the end of the day after browsing the Collegedale Bakery Store, which featured a 20 percent discount for the anniversary celebration.
"My grandson just loves when Grandma brings home treats from Little Debbie," said Donna Shelman. "You can't resist it."