Fast food is a convenient option for people on the go. Pretty much everyone has their favorite drive-thrus for those days when they don’t have the time or willingness to cook.
One woman claims she had a frightening experience at a Whataburger. Nancy Gonzalez (@yourstruly9416) says she found a blade inside her burger. And she’s got a video of the alleged incident.
People are naturally horrified by Gonzalez’s claim. Many say she should sue Whataburger.
While scary and potentially dangerous, it isn’t all that uncommon to find cooking utensils or other items that don’t belong in your food.
Whataburger didn’t immediately respond to an email sent Wednesday.
Lettuce, tomato, pickles, and … a blade?
Earlier this week, Gonzalez posted a short TikTok that purportedly shows her Whataburger sandwich. There, nestled among the toppings, is a several-inch-long, serrated blade. Part of the knife is poking out the side of the burger.
A text overlay on the video suggests people “always” check their food before diving in.
It appears Gonzalez did just that, as the burger seems to be intact without any bites taken out.
In the TikTok’s caption, Gonzalez alleges that the store merely offered her a coupon as compensation for what could’ve been a far more serious mistake if she’d taken a bite. She could’ve been cut, chipped, or even lost a tooth.
In another post about the alleged incident, Gonzalez referred to it as a “real life Final Destination moment.”
“Absolutely not!!!” she wrote of the restaurant’s purported coupon offer.
People who say they used to work at a Whataburger claim to recognize the blade. Several said that it’s one of the razors the Texas-based chain uses to chop vegetables.
Gonzalez didn’t immediately reply to the Mary Sue’s inquiry sent via TikTok direct message.
New fear unlocked
Everyone’s heard horror stories about hairs and other things winding up in restaurant orders. Used band-aids are, unfortunately, among the more common non-food items that wind up in food.
Other items people report finding include a screw, a staple, and a stick, among other things.
Seeing a whole knife in a burger may be a new one for many observers, but it’s not unheard of. There are many reports online about finding knives, typically the tip of a broken one, in food.
Gonzalez’s TikTok definitely set people off. As of this writing, it has 132,800 views and 185 comments.
“Same thing happened to me,” wrote one.
Others slammed Whataburger and fast food in general.
Many people told Gonzalez that she should sue Whataburger.
These cases can be difficult to win, however, as you need proof that the restaurant is responsible for the item getting into the food in the first place. Further, absent an injury, it can be difficult to prove damages. And without damages, many find there’s generally little point to going through the process of suing.
How did this happen?
Without more information, there’s no way to know what circumstances led to the burger with an alleged side of blade.
Restaurant kitchens are hot, busy, and fast-paced—especially in the fast food industry. Every minute a customer waits for that burger is another minute they could decide to cancel the order or complain to management or even corporate.
Everyone who works in a restaurant knows this. When a restaurant gets slammed, you’ll see people literally running, trying to prep, prepare, and deliver each customer’s order.
Even if you’re not rushing around “in the weeds,” as food service workers refer to it, mistakes still happen. Feed dozens or hundreds of people every day, and it’s just a fact that sometimes things get messed up.
It’s definitely unacceptable to find a knife in your food, of course. But those concerned about biting into a blade or a band-aid should probably heed Gonzalez’s advice and take a peek under the bun before digging in.
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