The Heart Attack Grill has gone into cardiac arrest and is closing its doors.
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The Las Vegas restaurant had earned a problematic reputation during its 21 years in business. Known for its hospital decor, the eatery's menu, which featured an item called the Bypass Burger, was far from healthy.
Jon Basso, who owned the popular eatery, told PEOPLE that he was closing the Heart Attack Grill as a statement "against the corporate entities bleeding tourists dry."
The Heart Attack Grill Was Tongue-in-Cheek
Those willing to step on "an electronic cattle scale" to prove they were over 350 pounds in front of the Heart Attack Grill's customers were treated to "unlimited free food." You would also receive a spanking if you did not finish your meal.
But the main attraction of the restaurant was its variations of the Bypass Burger, which featured four pounds of beef. It also served Flatliner Fries, booze, and Lucky Strike cigarettes. In other words, the Heart Attack Grill was defiant of your physician's health advice.
"People will undoubtedly find it hilarious that the 'villain' who spent years playfully trying to make them fat has suddenly developed a conscience about robbing them of their hard-earned money," Basso said.
He added, "But while the Heart Attack Grill was always a tongue-in-cheek exaggeration of dietary indulgence, there is a massive line between serving up a comedic portion of burgers and participating in the systemic price-gouging of the middle class."
The Owner Claims That Las Vegas Changed and Became Unaffordable
Basso went on to accuse the Las Vegas tourist economy of transforming into "a machine designed to overcharge hard-working people for absolutely everything."
He added, "I refuse to let my brand become another corporate trap that strips away the great, affordable American tradition of a Las Vegas vacation."
A letter on the Heart Attack Grill's website states that the restaurant decided not to renew its lease and elaborates on Basso's accusations, highlighting how casinos are pricing people "out of the quintessential American experience."
"Our core value, 'eat big and laugh loud,' no longer fits a city peddling forty-dollar 'artisanal avocado toast,'" it continued.
"We're proud of our 21-year impact on America's waistline. The obesity rate has risen from 30% in 2005 to nearly 45% today, and we pat ourselves on the back for leading the charge!"
Basso claims that investors have reached out to him with opportunities to bring the Heart Attack Grill to different cities.
