Voodoo Doughnut Has Suspended Its Doughnut Challenge After Death

All seven locations across the country and one in Taipei City, Taiwan, have suspended the challenge.

Voodoo Doughnut recently announced they will no longer host their eating challenge, after a man choked to death at the shop's Denver location earlier this month. 

Travis Malouff was attempting to eat a half-pound, five-inch glazed doughnut in 80 seconds or less when he began choking. Sources say that bystanders tried to perform the Heimlich maneuver, but were unsuccessful.

A witness told the Associated Press that Malouff turned away from the counter, his face had turned blue and then collapsed.

"Watching somebody participate in an eating contest, it looks like they're distressed," she told the AP. "The whole thing looks like a sign of distress. Nobody realized what was happening."

He was pronounced dead  by "asphyxia, due to obstruction of the airway," according to the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner.

Malouff's death came the same weekend as the death of a 20-year-old woman in Connecticut who was attempting a pancake-eating challenge when she choked to death.

The Portland Voodoo Doughnut locations previously offered the same challenge. The prize for the Tex-Ass doughnut challenge? A button, and the $4.50 doughnut for free.

All seven locations across the country and one in Taipei City, Taiwan, have suspended the challenge.

Previous Voodoo coverage:

One Man's Quest to Chomp Through 39 Pounds' Worth of Portland Food Challenges

I Worked At Voodoo Doughnut for 3 Months. Here's The Hole Story.

Doughnut kingpin Tres Shannon wants to make the whole city his fun park

Voodoo Doughnut Founder Tres Shannon Crashed Into a Honey Bucket

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.