Elvis Presley’s Surprising Last Meal Eaten in the Hours Before His Death

Elvis Presley‘s diet has achieved as much notoriety as the King of Rock and Roll. Fans are fascinated by what Elvis ate, who prepared his favorite comfort foods, and why some dishes were more beloved than others. However, it was just another ordinary late August day in 1977 when the King of Rock and Roll enjoyed his last meal in the hours before his death. What was the last thing that Elvis Presley ate?

Elvis Presley reportedly spent his last 24 hours

Presley was gearing up for a tour in mid-August 1977 and enjoying his time at his Graceland home with his fiance Ginger Alden, friends, and family members.

Per Express, Presley awoke late in the afternoon of Aug. 15. A night owl, Presley oftentimes woke up late in the day and stayed up all evening. That night, Presley and Alden kept a dental appointment.

They returned to Graceland, where Presley reportedly called his physician, Dr. George Nichopoulos, telling him he could not sleep shortly after 2 a.m. on Aug. 16.

At 4 a.m., Presley asked his cousin Billy and wife Jo to complete play racquetball with him and Alden at a court on his property. They reportedly played for a half-hour.

At 5 a.m., Presley reportedly took the prescription drugs he had previously requested from his doctor.

Two hours later, he took more pills, followed one hour later by insomnia medication.

At 9:30 a.m., Presley told Alden he was headed to the bathroom to read. Alden said she told Presley not to fall asleep while on the toilet. When Alden awoke after 2 p.m. that afternoon, Presley was not in bed beside her. She checked the bathroom, where she found the entertainer unconscious. He was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. after paramedics who attended to him on the scene transported Presley to a nearby hospital.

Elvis Presley’s last meal was surprisingly ordinary

According to The Chicago Tribune, Presley’s final meal ahead of his untimely death was remarkably ordinary.

Elvis’s last meal consisted of four scoops of ice cream and six chocolate chip cookies on August 16th, 1977, between the hours after returning from his racquetball game and when he died.

Presley was known to have an erratic style of eating throughout his life.

He indulged in fried breakfasts, meat with almost every meal, sweets, and the Southern comfort foods he was raised.

In a story published by The New York Times, Mary Jenkins, Elvis’ cook for 14 years, shared some insight into meals at Graceland, the palatial Memphis, TN estate.

”He said that the only thing in life he got any enjoyment out of was eating,” Jenkins revealed. ”And he liked his food real rich.”

Elvis’ favorite foods were enjoyed at his favorite Memphis, TN restaurants

Memphis Travel reported that Presley loved to eat at local Memphis restaurants when he ventured outside of his Graceland mansion.

Coletta’s Italian Restaurant claims to have created barbecue pizza, a Presley favorite, which he enjoyed with his entourage, also known as the Memphis Mafia.

Presley also regularly enjoyed meals at The Arcade Restaurant, the oldest diner in Memphis. He feasted on a meal that would become synonymous with Presley lore: fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches.