Here’s a question for you: would you ever order a meal in one of those restaurants that touts its food as “heart attack-inducing?”

A judge this week settled a copyright infringement dispute between two restaurants (one in Las Vegas and one in New York City) that each wanted exclusive rights to use that phrase to sell gut-busting food that might/could/will kill you. (Ah, the beauty of a good marketing gimmick…)

The cardiac-inducing menu items? Glad you asked:

• New York’s 2nd Ave Deli’s “Instant Heart Attack” Sandwich is made with a half pound of corned beef, pastrami, turkey (or salami, pick your poison), served between two fried latkes. It costs $24.95… and no sharing.

• Sin City’s Heart Attack Grill’s “Quadruple Bypass Burger” is made with 4 half-pound ground beef patties, with all the trimmings. It costs $12.94 (also no sharing). If you want bacon with that (20 slices), add $3.69. Oh, and if you weigh more than 350 lbs., you eat for free.

The judge ultimately ruled in favor the 2nd Ave Deli, saying that even “unsophisticated” customers can tell the difference between a latke-based sandwich and a “gluttonous” cheeseburger. But just in case there’s any confusion, the judge says 2nd Ave Deli can’t advertise outside of Manhattan.

So, back to the question… can you see yourself sitting down and ordering either of these gut-busting items (and remember no sharing)?

I know it’s a free country and if you don’t want to be exposed to this kind of place, find another restaurant… blah, blah, blah. Now, don’t get me wrong, Mama likes her junk food (sometimes). But doesn’t it seem like selling these items is just a huge waste of food and money and further evidence of this country’s obsession with extreme eating?

What kind of message does this send? That overeating is a joke, something to be indulged because it’s entertaining? Then the joke is on all of us… because eventually, we’ll all pay in one way or another.