Between the pickle- and the tamale-eating world championships this year is a gaping hole in the national competitive food eating schedule: the Krystal Square- Off.
The nationally televised world hamburger-eating championship, expected to celebrate its seventh year in Chattanooga, is not listed on the roster of events for the International Federation of Competitive Eating, which has helped promote the event in the past.
On the federation’s website – called Major League Eating – the Square Off’s usual September date would fall between the Isle Casino Racing Pickle Eating World Championship on Sept. 12 and the Old Town Lewisville World Tamale Eating Championship on Sept. 25. But there’s no listing for the Square Off at all.
The Square Off’s own website has information about the 2009 competition, held Sept. 27, but nothing about this year’s. Usually by this time of year, the dates of pre-qualifying events for the Square Off are listed on its website. The 2009 list includes events in San Antonio, Texas; Birmingham, Ala.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Atlanta; Nashville; Knoxville; and Chattanooga.
Brian Cooley, who handles the event’s publicity with the firm Wicked PR, could not confirm whether the event was happening this year.