Customer asks for medium steak at Chili’s. Now they’re swearing it off forever, say they’ll go to Applebee’s instead: ‘I think I heard it moo’

If there's one thing the internet absolutely refuses to agree on, it's the right way to prepare a steak.

While professional chefs overwhelmingly consider medium-rare to be “the gold standard,” the average Joe is not pulling up to a chain restaurant with a Michelin palate. So inevitably, tastes clash and internet discourse ensues.

One person is going viral for posting a steak that didn't match their expectations. Deadandbroke22 (@deadandbroke22) said a steak they purchased at the popular restaurant chain Chili's was “undercooked.” Many viewers disagreed vehemently, while others said the steak was indeed raw.

Why are they never going to Chili's ‘EVER again'?

Deadandbroke22 shared footage of a steak they ordered at Chili's. In the caption, they wrote, “Will NOT be going to chillis EVER again. Applebees has my heart and soul.” The video itself has more than 8.8 million views, with thousands of commenters digging into the entree.

In the video, the creator sliced into their steak to reveal its dark red, unevenly colored interior. Over the sound of “saxophones getting louder,” the creator audibly groaned, “Ewwwww.”

“Ordred a steak medium,” the creator wrote in text overlaying their video. “Got it movin.”

In their caption, the creator called the steak “gross,” “raw meat,” and “undercooked.”

One of the most-liked comments under the creator's video, which has accumulated more than 59,300 likes, also identified the steak as undercooked.

“That's not rare,” the commenter wrote with a sobbing emoji. “That's beware.”

@deadandbroke22 will NOT be going to chillis EVER again applebees has my heart and soul #rawmeat #saxophone #undercooked #gross #chillis ♬ Saxophones getting louder – Slowed – AntonioVivald

Rare vs. raw steak: How to tell the difference

While there is no singular, comprehensive guide online detailing the differences between these two steak stages, enough connoisseurs have weighed in on social media forums to give folks something to work from.

Rookie grill chefs ask the age-old question, “rare or raw” across the subreddit r/steak. The consensus among Reddit comments seems to be that the following three key qualities set rare steaks apart from raw ones: the fat, color, and texture.

A steak is generally undercooked if the fat lines are still bright white. Moreover, if a person cuts open a steak and the center is a very dark red, that could also indicate a raw steak. Lastly, while raw steaks are a bit mushier and damper, rare steaks have a seared, solid exterior, even if the interior remains slightly red.

Unlike other forms of undercooked meat, steak is still generally safe to eat, with the notable exception of certain demographics such as pregnant people. This is because steak has a much more solid exterior than other meats, which lends its interior protection from harmful bacteria, according to Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse.

“A whole-muscle steak's solid structure acts as a natural barrier against the inward migration of bacteria,” Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse says. “This means that the harmful pathogens primarily reside on the exterior, leaving the interior relatively pristine. When a steak is seared at high temperatures, the intense heat effectively eliminates these surface bacteria, rendering the steak safe for consumption even when the center remains undercooked.”

Buzz News has reached out to Chili's via email and the creator via TikTok comment.