The "'Big Al's Slider Challenge' In Turks & Caicos" Story

"Frantastic" our waiter

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with our waiter, Frantastic, as he tells us his friends call him, about the eating challenge that is offered at Big Al's Island Grill in Salt Mills Plaza in Provo, Turks & Caicos. Name for the restaurant came about as a tribute to the owner's father, Al Camozzi, a restaurateur whose family immigrated to San Francisco in the early 1930s.  Carol and I, along with friends Jerry and Just Sue, stopped in the restaurant for lunch today and stepped back in time to the 50s era.  Old-time lunch counter with chrome bar stools and high-back, padded cushioned seats in the wall booths brought memories from days gone by.  We seated ourselves and shortly a young man  brought us menus along with a big smile and greeting to Big Al's.

Interior decor of the restaurant.

 Asked him his name and he replies, "My friends call me Frantastic."  All his friends have nicknames and after one of his customers told him he was a fantastic waiter, Fran, as we assume his name must be, began to be called Frantastic.  Good with me!  Menu featured a large selection of burgers and salads and we all made our choices.  

Those who won the challenge.

Then while heading to the restroom, Sue noticed a wall featuring photos of customers who conquered "Big Al's Slider Challenge".  Asked our waiter what's up with the slider challenge and he told us that if we can eat 12 hamburger sliders with a big batch of onion rings and sauce in 30 muntes you would win a t-shirt and get your meal for free.  

What you must eat.

They even take your photo to post on the wall by the restroom.  Wall featured photos of more than a dozen who had won the challenge as well as a "Wall of Shame" which featured close to 100 patrons who lost the challenge.  We all passed on the challenge, opting for other choices more reasonable.  My Smashed Onion Burger was a real treat especially since I love onions.  Our time at the restaurant was thoroughly enjoyable and our waiter,  Frantastic, was a super guy who made our visit fun as well as filling.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Wall of Shame

Big Al's Logo