GUNDER -- Hungry isn't good enough.

Heck, starving may not even be sufficient.

It takes a mighty man -- or woman -- to polish off the Gunderburger, a beefy behemoth bigger than the town it's made in.

"It's a challenge to see if you can eat it," said Laura Ameling, a regular customer at the Shanti restaurant, home of the Gunderburger. "I think my husband has finished one, but I can't. It's too much for me."

The Gunderburger is a challenge for nearly everyone. At 1 1/4 pounds cooked weight, this jumbo burger measures 8 inches in diameter and is more than an inch thick.

Created 13 years ago by a now-retired Shanti cook, the Gunderburger is now the restaurant's mainstay. The burger is a legend throughout Northeast Iowa, inspiring motorcycle groups and car clubs to make frequent road trips to the Shanti. The meaty mammoth is also featured in culinary author Jeff Hagen's book, "Searching for the Holy Grill: The Most Divine Burgers in Minnesota, Wisconsin & Iowa" and was named among the top 21 burgers in the United States by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

Brenda Pfister, who owns the Shanti with her husband, Jeff, can't believe the notoriety the Gunderburger has attained.

"It just took off, and it's been going ever since," she said.

The Shanti, open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, goes through up to 100 pounds of ground beef a day, said cook Nikki Miller, flipping a sizzling Gunderburger with a 10-inch burger turner.

"In the summer we go through a lot more than that," she said.

It takes 20 minutes to cook a Gunderburger, which is topped with a special seasoning rumored to be a mix of 40 secret ingredients.

Pfister laughs at the idea of any secret. "We order the seasoning," she said.

The real mystery, the thing people most want to know, said Pfister, is "how come the bun is so small?" The bun is a standard hamburger bun, dwarfed by its mighty meat patty.

At $6.50, the Gunderburger is a bargain. For a fraction more, customers can order it smothered with grilled green peppers, onions and mushrooms and with a side of American fries. Diners shouldn't worry if they can't eat it all. Take-home boxes are routine with the Gunderburger.

"A lot of people order one and split it," noted Pfister.

Those who can finish a Gunderburger are a special breed, said Ameling. Even more special is the man who set the record for eating the most Gunderburgers in a single sitting.

In 1995, inspired by a contest prize, a man ate 4 1/2 Gunderburgers in a single sitting. The man's nickname was Animal.

"He was just a little guy," said Pfister, laughing. "After he got done he still had enough room for a can of Old Milwaukee."

Animal's record still stands, and he comes back for a Gunderburger every now and then, Pfister said.