Zack "Danger" Brown, of Columbus, says he's now considering throwing a huge public potato-salad party with the money, which started pouring in after his request took on a life of its own.
Six days into the campaign, he's raised money from more than 3,500 backers worldwide.
The 31-year-old co-owner of a software company says he hasn't been getting much sleep.
Brown tells The Columbus Dispatch that he did it for the "pure enjoyment and silliness of life."
"Basically I'm just making potato salad. I haven't decided what kind yet," Brown wrote to start the campaign. Quickly, the campaign grew and Brown found himself adding "stretch goals" so he could expand his potato salad endeavors.
$35 - I will make 4x as much Potato Salad. I know $40 isn't 4x $10, but you guys have earned it.
$75 - Pizza Party!
$100 - I will try two different Potato Salad recipes.
And then... he made the news, posting a link to a CNET story, under the heading "ALL THE POTATO THAT'S FIT TO PRINT."
"We're making a lot of great progress. I think it's time for us to think about getting hats made. I added a new donor level for people who want hats," Brown wrote.
Then there were new stretch goals:
$250 - Better mayonnaise (from the natural foods section)
$300 - Call a chef to get a better recipe
$350 - Make way more potato salad and probably do a third recipe.
$1000: I'll do a live stream of the potato salad making
$1200: I'll pay someone to film a thank-you video for all of my backers!
"We're really tearing through these stretch goals. I honestly don't know what is realistic anymore. So, I thought maybe we try to double the current number?" Brown wrote. And the stretch goals mounted:
$3000: My kitchen is too small! I will rent out a party hall and invite the whole internet to the potato salad party (only $10 and above will be allowed in the kitchen)! The internet loves potato salad! Let's show them that potato salad loves the internet!!
Even better, the page has its own FAQ, mostly about the uncertainty of the ingredients that will be used. However, the FAQ also includes an assurance:
"I promise you I am working with people right now to assess the feasibility of sending potato salad, around the world. I will do everything I can to make a bite of potato salad a reality."
Brown promises at least four kinds of potato salad, including a vegan option. Brown says hehas been asked and agree to let the potato-salad-making process be filmed for the enjoyment of the Internet.
Anyone who donates $50 (which has already happened 65 times) gets the following reward:
POTATO SALADS OF THE WORLD: Receive a recipe book with potato salad recipes inspired by each country where we have a backer along with a bite of the potato salad, a photo of me making the potato salad, a 'thank you' posted to our website and I will say your name out loud while making the potato salad. The recipe book will have a dedication page with the name of each of our backers. Estimated delivery: Dec 2014
The Associated Press contributed to this report.