81-Year-Old Babs Daitch Wins "Best Technique" at San Francisco's Lesbian Pie-Eating Contest

On November 23, 2025, Rikki's Sports Bar in San Francisco's Castro District hosted what is believed to be the city's first lesbian pie-eating contest, an event that combined humor, community spirit, and fundraising for an important cause. The competition was organized by the Curve Foundation to support the 2026 Lesbian Visibility Week, with participants competing in an "epically sloppy, no-hands, no-forks battle for bragging rights and a $100 cash prize."

Rikki's, the Bay Area's first sports bar dedicated to women's athletics, has become known for hosting queer-friendly, women-centric community events since its opening. The venue's commitment to celebrating lesbian culture and community made it the ideal location for this tongue-in-cheek event.

The lesbian pie-eating contest concept originated from Franco Stevens, founder of Curve magazine, whose nonprofit Curve Foundation now manages the legendary San Francisco-based lesbian magazine's 30-plus-year archives. Stevens explained that she had long hosted a "Friday Pie Day" on the day after Thanksgiving as a way for friends and family to share leftover pie from the holiday. The idea for a pie-eating contest emerged from what she describes as "a funny lesbian joke," rooted in the double entendre that has existed in queer culture for decades.

While Stevens notes that lesbian pie-eating contests are not necessarily a long-held tradition within the LGBTQ+ community, they have begun appearing as tongue-in-cheek one-off events at queer bars in cities like Portland and Brooklyn in recent years. The concept even inspired comedian Jenny Hagel to deliver an extended riff on "Late Night With Seth Meyers," bringing the playful tradition to a mainstream audience.

Among the contestants was 81-year-old Babs Daitch, who took home the title for "Best Technique" at the event. Her approach to the competition emphasized deliberation and appreciation rather than pure speed. When asked about her winning technique, Daitch stated: "I took my time savouring every morsel of crust hidden beneath those sweet hills and valleys." She later shared on social media that her victory proves "once and for all that experience matters."

A video of Daitch's participation, posted on November 28, 2025, showing her being cheered by the crowd, garnered more than 48,000 likes on social media, making her an unexpected internet sensation. Her success resonated with the broader LGBTQ+ community, with social media users celebrating her as an "Absolute LEGEND" and praising her as "Iconic" and a "Diva."

While Daitch won the "Best Technique" award, the overall winner of the contest was a contestant named Jenn, who finished her pie first. Regardless of individual placements, the event proved to be a resounding success for the community. The Curve Foundation announced that the contest raised $2,000 for Lesbian Visibility Week. In a statement, the foundation wrote: "The SF Lesbian Pie-Eating Contest at Rikki's was an absolute smash, and we're still riding the high from all the joy."

The event exemplifies how the lesbian community continues to create spaces for joy, humor, and connection while supporting meaningful causes. Babs Daitch's viral moment serves as a reminder that age is no barrier to participation in community celebrations and that the most memorable victories sometimes come from approaching life with intention and appreciation.