Finding foreign objects in restaurant food is every diner’s nightmare. However, one Florida woman’s discovery at Texas Roadhouse has people questioning the chain’s kitchen hygiene standards.
Her find is particularly unsettling given that another customer allegedly found staples baked into the restaurant’s famous rolls.
Now, some people are swearing off Texas Roadhouse. They worry that they might find something nasty or potentially dangerous in their food. While the honey butter is delicious, it’s not worth the risk, they say.
Woman Finds Press-On Nail Embedded in Steak
In a trending video with more than 26,000 views, Florida woman @.mugbug showed off what she claimed to find embedded in her steak at Texas Roadhouse.
“This was embedded in my steak. First staples now press-ons Texas Roadhouse,” text overlay on the video reads.
In the clip, the woman and her family members check everyone’s nails at the table to prove none of them was the source.
“None of us have green nails. Let me see your nails, mom. None of us have green nails at all,” she says in the video. “Nobody got pinkies this tiny. Me’s gonna need my waitress. Go look at her.”
In the video, you could see a small green press-on nail with a design on it.
In the caption @.mugbug reveals that she was worried for her health. This is because the foreign nail had been in her mouth.
“Hopefully the cut on my gum doesn’t get infected,” she wrote in the caption.
“Not to mention the manager said there was no girls in the kitchen, but we literally saw at least three running around over the counter. And he told us that there’s a no acrylic policy, but even my server had acrylics on,” she added.
This Isn’t the First Time a Texas Roadhouse Customer Found a Foreign Object in Food
The woman’s reference to “first staples” points to another recent incident at a Texas Roadhouse location that went viral. A customer named Maya discovered multiple unused staples baked into one of the restaurant’s signature rolls. This was after her six-year-old sister bit into it and said, “Ouch! There’s something hard in here,” she said in the clip.
When the family called over a manager, they were initially told the restaurant would comp their full meal and that the staples could have accidentally been mixed into the bread when the bag was opened. But when the check arrived, only one meal had been comped.
A second manager then approached the table and claimed the restaurant was a “staple-free premise,” yet Maya quickly pointed out that wasn’t true since there were staples in nearby paperwork and on the restaurant’s bulletin board.
The second manager refused to comp the rest of the meal, saying, “I’m not comfortable comping your whole meal for something…there was no injury. That’s why I took the kid’s meal off in good faith.”
Maya’s mother took her little sister to the emergency room for an X-ray to make sure she hadn’t swallowed any staples. The family also contacted the Massachusetts Department of Health, which investigated the location. Former Texas Roadhouse employees commenting on the video confirmed that restaurants definitely have staples in various areas, including the hostess station and the manager’s office.
A Texas Roadhouse spokesperson told Boston 25 News that the health department found no signs of physical contamination, though the company was actively investigating. The family was offered a $70 gift card, which they refused.
@.mugbug Hopefully the cut on my gum doesn't get infected. Not to mention the manager said there was no girls in the kitchen, but we literally saw at least three running around over the counter. And he told us that there's a no acrylic policy, but even my server had acrylics on?? ? #fyp #TexasRoadhouse #pressonnails ♬ original sound – munk
Could You Sue if You Find a Foreign Object in Your Food?
If you find something dangerous in your restaurant meal, you might have legal grounds to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. However, it’s not as simple as just finding the foreign object.
According to LegalMatch, foreign objects in food can include anything from glass and metal to jewelry, plastic, hair, and even body parts. These objects can cause serious injuries to teeth, gums, throat, or the digestive tract. In some cases, they may require surgery to be removed.
To successfully sue, you need to prove several things.
- Proof of injury. You must show that you were actually injured by the foreign object. Common injuries include cuts or punctures to the mouth or throat, broken or chipped teeth, and digestion-related illnesses. If the foreign object doesn’t cause an injury (like finding a hair in your food) there’s little chance of success with a personal injury claim.
- Proof of financial damage. Provide evidence that your injuries resulted in financial damages, such as medical bills, treatment costs, or time missed from work.
- A legal claim. The legal claims you might pursue include negligence, product liability, breach of warranty, or intentional misrepresentation. A negligence claim is most common and requires proving that the restaurant or manufacturer failed to take proper steps to prevent the foreign object from entering the food or should have been aware of it before serving.
LegalMatch recommends keeping the foreign object when possible, taking photos of it and where it was found, noting witnesses, keeping packaging, and obtaining copies of medical and dental records.
Restaurants and food manufacturers are legally required to adhere to health codes and have a responsibility to ensure consumers aren’t injured.
Viewers are shocked
“They played in yo food,” a top comment read.
“Do people not follow health codes there?!!” a person said.
“Really find this hard to believe,” another wrote.
“Embedded? That sounds intentional. I’m so sorry that happened I don’t go out anymore but i could only imagine,” a commenter added.
The Mary Sue reached out to @.mugbug for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to Texas Roadhouse via email.
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