A woman is calling out Whataburger after a recent trip to the chain left her feeling sick to her stomach.
In a video with over 10,000 views, TikTok user Celeste Pena (@222les) recounts how she ended up with a mouthful of dangerous meat. According to her, the restaurant “tried to kill” her.
Per Pena’s recollection, she visited a Whataburger location after work. She purchased a burger for herself and three-piece chicken tenders for her 3-year-old.
Before handing the tenders off to her child, she took a bite. She then looked at the meat—and discovered that the inside was completely raw.
“They didn’t even try to cook it at all,” she states.
The Restaurant Responds
Concerned, Pena returned to the Whataburger location. Trying to stay calm, she entered the restaurant and asked to speak to a manager.
“[The manager] sees me with my bag, and I’m like, ‘I’m just gonna need you to open up this bag,’” Pena recalls.
According to Pena, the manager saw the chicken and let out an audible “Oh, my God.”
“I was like, ‘Yeah, I took a bite of that,’” Pena continues.
From here, the manager left to investigate the issue. After a short time, she returned and offered Pena a refund. However, the refund was solely for the chicken tenders, not for the entire meal.
“No, ma’am. You’re gonna refund me the whole thing,” Pena states. “This was for my daughter, and I took a bite before my daughter, and she almost ate this.”
Eventually, Pena received her refund in the form of cash.
“I feel like I should throw up. Or, am I overreacting?” the TikToker asks in conclusion.
What Happens If You Eat Raw Chicken?
Eating undercooked or raw chicken can be very dangerous.
While one can eat some meats raw with minimal chance of illness, like lean beef and fish under specific circumstances, chicken is not one of those meats.
In general, chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before it’s safe to eat. Eating it under this temperature, either raw or undercooked, increases one’s risk of food poisoning.
Although food poisoning is rarely life-threatening, it can lead to problems like fever, diarrhea, dehydration, and more. These problems can be more pronounced in children.
If you suspect that you or your child has food poisoning, it’s best to consult a doctor as soon as possible. While many cases will subside without treatment, it’s still advisable to speak to a physician as soon as possible. From there, they will be able to tell you what treatment is best and which signs you should be watching for in the coming days to see if further treatment is necessary.
Commenters Are Disgusted
In the comments section, users were both disgusted by the food presented to Pena and the restaurant’s handling of the situation.
“For all the people saying why would they refund the entire order, they once gave me my entire order (3 meals) for free because they felt like they had me waiting in the drive thru too long,” wrote a user.
“13 for a box combo! If I have to go back up there ima get a FULL refund,” added another.
“This happened to me!!!!!!!!!! Never ordered them again,” shared a third.
@222les Mmmmmm I’m sorry @Whataburger I’m not with this…
BroBible reached out to Pena via Instagram direct message and Whataburger via email.