Florida Man Buys Burger Patties For Meat Cook Out. Then He Takes Them Back To Publix After Their Expiration Date Because He Never Cooked Them

A Florida man discovered a Publix “hack” after he let meat spoil. But his viewers aren’t too happy about it.

Carlos Gil (@thecarlosgil) posted a video with more than 161,000 views. In it, he explains that he purchased a package of burger patties from the grocery store chain. He forgot about the meat in his fridge for “10 days,” and it expired. So he took it right back to Publix and received a brand new package of patties.

Despite his enthusiasm about the “hack,” viewers said that Gil took advantage of the grocery chain. Multiple commenters even said that returns such as the one he made abuse Publix’s return policy.

What’s Publix’s Refund Policy?

Publix has a fairly flexible refund policy, as it allows customers to return any item purchased at the store with a receipt.

While Publix does reserve the right “to limit refunds based on misuse, or where prohibited by law,” viewers emphasized it was case by case. The store also doesn’t have an established time limit for refunds on items.

To some, Gil took advantage of the system by returning a product that was obviously spoiled days later.

“I took them back, and Publix refunded every penny, then told me to grab a fresh pack. No questions asked,” Gil wrote in his caption.

But Publix technically wouldn’t be able to put any returned package of meat back out for sale. Food safety guidelines prohibit stores such as Publix from reselling perishables, according to the Grocery Coupon Guide.

How Long Does Ground Beef Usually Last?

In Gil’s case, the meat had a sell-by date that had passed long before he returned the meat. That was one reason why his post garnered so much controversy. But when should Gil have cooked the meat if he did end up keeping the package?

Ground beef, such as the kind in burger patties, doesn’t typically last as long as a steak or filet, according to Healthline. That’s because grinding the meat can expose it to more spoilage organisms, thereby making it spoil quicker.

Healthline adds, “You should throw away ground beef if it has turned either brown or gray on the outside, as this indicates that it’s beginning to rot.”

The USDA advises individuals who do purchase ground beef to cook it within “1-2 days.” Other cuts, such as steaks, can remain in the refrigerator for “3-5 days.”

A Wave Of Criticism

Viewers largely lambasted Gil for bringing the meat back for a refund, including individuals who work in customer service.

“So you let meat spoil, then took it back for a refund? The sell by date is July 6…. It’s the 15th,” one viewer said.

“This isn’t the flex you think it is,” another commenter added.

Eventually, some viewers found out that Gil posted about the situation on Facebook and LinkedIn. There, he asked if he was the “BAD GUY” in the situation.

Multiple people criticized the online content creator on both platforms. “If you’re really posting about rotten meat, at least make some lame connection as to why this is relevant to the workplace,” one LinkedIn user said.

His post then made its way to Reddit, where a completely new audience had a slew of negative things to say about the content creator.

“This was done by a TikTok chad wannabe influencer giving out hacks. He made a video saying it’s a hack to just return out of date food then he had to go to [Facebook] to try to seek validation he’s canceled on TikTok,” one viewer said.

Outside of Gil’s post, many individuals praised Publix for taking the return in the first place. They added that they hoped the grocery store chain wouldn’t increase its prices due to others’ returns and purchases.

BroBible reached out to Gil via TikTok direct message and Publix via email.