History

History of The Fat

Darrell Especialle

The #1 selling sandwich at Rutgers University created in

1997 by Darrell W. Butler...

If you've ever been to Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, you've undoubtedly heard of The Fat Darrell sandwich. Well MajesticGroove Entertainment™ is proud to announce that this artery clogger was created by none other than our founder, Darrell W. Butler, during his pre-personal trainer days.

It all started out with the Fat Cat, a Rutgers University staple invented in 1979, that consisted of two cheeseburgers, french fries, lettuce, tomato and onions- all on a single sub roll.

That Fat Cat remained the number one selling sandwich at the school ever since it was created in 1979...that is until 1997 when a new king was crowned-The Fat Darrell Especiale!

And while many other students have tried to create their own sandwiches since then, none have or may ever duplicate the startling success or longevity that the Fat Darrell has enjoyed.

Below are copies of the 1997 and 2002 articles that appeared on the front page of the Rutgers University Daily Targum newspaper...

(...almost the entire article is about Darrell and this Romano guy admits that he stole his idea from him, yet HE gets the color photo since he was a senior-GO FIGURE!...haha)

Patrons take bite out of Darrell,

Romano

Grease truck menus feature student-named sandwiches

(Originally published May 1, 1997) by: Sona Charaipotra-Targum Staff Writer

Rutgers College sophomore Darrell Butler is sick of the "bite me" jokes.

Ever since he created his own sandwich for the RU Hungry grease truck in January, he has been getting much attention.

"It's just like really funny...people just walk up to me and tell me how much they like it....It's really weird," says Butler, who created the Fat Darrell Especiale.

He has even signed autographs, "This one guy walked up, he's like, 'Dude, you got me through so many drunk nights," Butler said, "He actually had me sign his forehead with a marker."

"Other people have taken pictures," said Butler, a journalism and mass media and visual arts double major, "I'm just a normal student. They treat me like I'm a cult hero when I go to the grease trucks."

Butler, who wants to be "all over Hollywood" when he graduates, takes his newfound fame all in stride. "I don't get that excited about it, but it is pretty cool."

Butler is one of the few University students who have had sandwiches named after them at the grease trucks.

The Fat Darrell Especiale consists of chicken fingers, mozzerella sticks, french fries, marinara sauce and/or mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes and onions on a submarine roll.

Butler said he finds it hard to order anything else now that he has a sandwich named after him. He also finds it difficult to frequent any grease truck besides RU Hungry.

"They think I'm like this cartoon character or something, all of the sudden. I made this sandwich, so I'm like Scooby Doo or something, so I can only have Darrell snacks,: he said. "I'm like the spokesboy for RU Hungry."

Butler has started a trend. Rich Romano, a Rutgers College senior, created his own sandwich for RU Hungry after seeing the poster for the Fat Darrell Especiale.

"I went to RU Hungry over spring break, I was just hanging out there, getting to know the two guys, Abdul and Joe, that work there, and saw the Fat Darrell. I asked them, 'How do I go about getting my own sandwich?' and they just said think of a good combination," Romano said.

"And I went through about 10 different combinations, and, I was like, "No, that's disgusting; that's disgusting. Everything that was on the menu I was matching," added Romano.

He finally came up with the Fat Romano, a combination of cheesesteak, pork roll, french fries, eggs, mayonnaise, ketchup, lettuce, tomatoes and onions on a hero roll.

"The purpose was, I wanted a sandwich you can't eat two of," said Romano. "I figured people order cheesesteak with egg, people order pork roll with egg, s, put them together. It's pretty good too."

Romano, a political science major, said he is proud to represent RU Hungry.

Romano said he also enjoys the publicity. "I figure, how great is that, those grease trucks are packed every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night and there's my picture up there,: said Romano, "So that's part of the fun."

"The big thing is that I did it" said Romano. "There's 40,000 kids here, and two sandwiches. It's just cool, you walk through and they know who you are."

Joe and Abdul Eid, the operators of the RU Hungry grease trucks, said both the Fat Darrell Especiale and the Fat Romano are selling well.

"Whatever students want, we create," said Abdul.

The other grease trucks owners echo this sentiment. Mustafa Shemis, the owner of Jordan's Wagon, said students have created sandwiches for his grease truck, including the Fat Chris and the Big Tom.

"If it's popular, I'll put it in," said Marie, the owner of Rutgers Cafe. "Whatever the students want, that's what I'm here for."

Shortly after this article was published, the Fat Darrell became a staple at every one of the grease trucks as well as snack shops through the New Brunswick area. The Fat Darrell skyrocketed to number 2 in sales behind the Fat Cat and eventually overtook it as the top selling sandwich at Rutgers University. In January 2002, The Daily Targum printed a University Profile celebrating the 5 year anniversary of it's creation-the following is a copy of that article...

Alumnus lives in infamy for creation of Grease Truck staple

University Profile - Darrell Butler

(Originally published January 8, 2002) by: Hannah Stinson-Staff Writer

Rutgers College alumnus Darrell Butler knew from a very young age that he wanted to become famous one day. Little did he know that his notoriety at the University would come by way of the RU Hungry grease truck and a late night craving.

Five years ago, in January 1997, Butler inadvertently came up with a winning combination that was destined to become one of the most popular dining options for grease truck frequenters. "I had come from some frat party to get food at the grease trucks," he said, "Like the typical college student, I was pretty much broke. I had been craving chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks and french fries all week long but I knew that I didn't have enough money to buy all three. I talked the guy behind the counter into putting them all onto a piece of bread for me. I guess it sounded like a good idea because the next 10 or so people all asked for the same thing."

The owners of the RU Hungry grease truck dubbed the concoction the "Fat Darrell" and the sandwich quickly caught on with the other grease trucks as well as some local restaurants, Butler said.

Butler admitted that the instant fame was strange at times. His picture was posted wherever Fat Darrells were sold and students on campus began to recognize him. "All the drunk people would come up to me and they would tell me that I got them through their munchies," he said. "I was signing people's foreheads."

Not even Butler expected that his creation would rocket to popularity the way it did. "I thought it was just some small thing, but then people from other schools started recognizing me. A lot of college kids come to Rutgers just to check out the grease trucks. I was in Cancun one year for spring break and I actually overheard a group of people talking about the Fat Darrell. It was cool to step in and say, 'Yeah, I'm the guy who created that sandwich."

Butler is considering collaborating with friends and fellow Rutgers graduates to commemorate the five-year anniversary of the Fat Darrell. "We're thinking about having a pseudo-event," he said. "Maybe we'll pool our money together and come back one day and take over one of the grease trucks so that we can give out free sandwiches."

The class of 1998 graduate, who aspires to work in the entertainment industry, has used his collegiate innovation to aid his attempts to break into his field. "I'll mention the Fat Darrell. I'm into acting, music and writing - anything creative really - and with those fields it's good to show that you're getting your name out there in any way you can.

Butler noted the difficulties that go along with trying to succeed in the glamorous and glitzy entertainment business. He currently holds three jobs to support his acting and musical efforts-an editorial position at the Music Resource Group, the company that puts out the Musician's Atlas, a job in the marketing office for the Philadelphia Eagles and a position at Goldman Sachs, an investment banking and securities firm. "I've got a long way to go. I'm certainly going to be an overworked artist, but I know that I won't be a starving artist...my sandwich kind of paved my future for me. As long as I'm on the East Coast, I have free food delivered to me (from the establishments that sell the Fat Darrell)."

For more information about "Fat Darrell" creator, Darrell W. Butler, click here