Quick Chek Holds 2nd Annual Original Toasted Italian Sub Eating Contest

June 6, 2006

1ST OF 3 QUALIFIERS THURSDAY, JUNE 8 IN HACKENSACK Winners advance to Championship at Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning HACKENSACK, NJ – Talk about grabbing a quick bite at lunch.   Some of the world’s top competitive eaters will be at the Quick Chek store at 720 Main Street in Hackensack on Thursday, June 8 at 2:00 p.m. to see how many fully-loaded 6-inch Italian subs they can eat in 10 minutes during the second annual Quick Chek Original Toasted Italian Sub Eating Contest. The event is the first of three qualifiers leading to the Championships at the Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning at Solberg Airport in Readington on July 29. Each competitor will start with three fully-loaded 6” Italian subs. Upon completion of each plate of three, each contestant will be “reloaded” with three additional subs. The top three finishers advance to vie for the championship during the three-day Festival, July 28-29-30, the largest summertime hot air balloon festival in North America and the premier family entertainment event in New Jersey. Last year’s event was won by “Gentleman” Joe Menchetti, who ate 6 subs (while wearing a full tuxedo). The chow downs are sanctioned by the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters (AICE), which seeks to create opportunities for its individual eaters to participate in competitive eating venues to promote events, products and charitable causes. “The contest was a big hit last year, drawing a number of local eaters who wanted to challenge AICE’s professional eaters,” said Howard Freeman, Executive Producer of the 24th annual Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning. “Eating competitions always attract a big crowd, both participants as well as onlookers.” “This contest has presented us with great opportunities for people to taste the best sub around,” added John Schaninger, Vice President of Sales and Merchandising for Quick Chek.   “AICE is excited to bring this fun event to the local stores and to be working with the Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning for the second year in a row,” said Arnie “Chowhound” Chapman, Chairman of AICE. Picnic style rules apply to the Original Toasted Italian Sub Eating contest. All subs must be eaten without separating, dunking, mashing or deconstructing the delicious subs. Among the “professional” competitive eaters expected to participate are Ian “The Invader” Hickman of Sterling, VA, the holder of three national titles including one for potato latkes; Joshua “The Lumberjack” Hearne of Albany, NY, who has a third place finish in a world pickle eating contest; and “Skinny” Scott Soifer of Bayside, Queens, a 3-time Queens matzo ball eating champion. Anyone interested in participating can register at http://competitiveeaters.com. The Z100 Party Van will also be on site to further spice up the action.    

The Quick Chek Original Toasted Italian Sub Eating Contest Dates and Locations:

June 8 – Hackensack, NJ – 720-730 Main Street, 201-342-3086 – 2:00 p.m. June 22 – Hazlet, NJ – 1170 Route 36 South, 732-739-1425 – 2:00 p.m. July 13 – Bridgewater, NJ – 361 Union Avenue, 908-231-9732 – 3:00 p.m. July 29 – CHAMPIONSHIPS – Readington, NJ – Solberg Airport – 3:00 p.m. Founded in 1966, privately-held Quick Chek operates more than 100 stores throughout New Jersey and employs more than 1,700 team members. Founded on the principle of “value added” marketing, Quick Chek’s innovations have redefined the term “convenience store,” enabling the Whitehouse Station-based company to become a market leader in food service with an exceptional fresh coffee and fresh food program that has raised the bar for the entire industry. Advance tickets for the 2006 Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in association with PNC Bank, July 28-29-30, are now available at all Quick Chek locations with a portion of the proceeds from ticket purchases benefiting The Children’s Miracle Network. For further information call 1-800-HOT-AIR-9 or visit online at www.balloonfestival.com.