A celebration dinner with an accompanying steak is supposed to be the one meal where nothing goes off script.
But that wasn’t the case for one Texas family. A diner says their night out at Chili’s came with an extra pest they did not order, ruining the fun.
‘We Found a Maggot’
A content creator (@dan.yell.aa) shares a clip from a dinner with their daughter at a Texas Chili’s. Their video has since accumulated more than 40,000 views.
The brief video shows the creator’s steak at the table. They’ve clearly cut into the steak to reveal a small worm, which is visible on camera.
“My daughter took me to Chili’s on Fairmont to celebrate and we found a maggot in our steak,” the creator writes in their caption. “My daughter was mortified. The [manager] tried to minimize the whole situation.”
The creator elaborates in their comment section about how the restaurant allegedly handled the moment. They described the restaurant’s cook manager as someone who “gave [them] attitude and acted like it wasn’t a big deal, like it happens often.”
Chili’s responded in the comments, calling the situation “unacceptable” and asking the creator to DM them. Other commenters questioned whether it was a maggot at all.
“This is a caterpillar from broccoli,” one viewer commented. “Not a maggot at all.”
“That’s not a maggot nor a meat parasite,” another echoed. “That is a caterpillar from the broccoli. We have completely 86 our broccoli due to this. Watch out for all broccoli at all restaurants!”
It is unclear, solely based on the creator’s video, what type of worm was in their meal.
What Should You Do if You Find a Worm in Your Food?
The federal government says that for a problem with restaurant food, you should “call the health department in your city, county, or state.” The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) similarly advises that complaints about restaurants, grocery stores, “or other retail establishments” should go to the state and local regulatory agencies that oversee them.
In Texas, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) investigates complaints about food establishments in areas “not permitted or inspected by a local health authority.” Where a local health department covers the restaurant, DSHS advises consumers to contact that department instead.
Local processes, however, vary. For example, Austin’s health department sends reports of suspected foodborne illness to an online form or its service line. Other problems, such as dirty conditions, can be reported to 3-1-1. It also advises reporting soon, while details are fresh, and having the restaurant’s name and address and the date and time of the meal ready.
@dan.yell.aa
Subplot News reached out to the creator via TikTok comment and Chili’s via email.
