Texas mom buys Whataburger chicken tenders for her toddler, takes the first a bite and realizes she saved her child from danger

Celeste Pena is speaking out against Whataburger after a visit to the fast-food chain left her shocked by what she almost fed her 3-year-old daughter. The Texas mom found a completely raw chicken tender after taking a bite herself, a move that likely protected her toddler from a potentially dangerous situation.

Pena shared the incident in a TikTok video that quickly gained over 10,000 views. She explained that after a long day at work, she stopped at a Whataburger location and picked up a burger for herself and a three-piece chicken tender meal for her young child.

Before handing the tenders to her daughter, Pena took a bite of one first. According to BroBible, the inside of the chicken tender was entirely raw. “They didn’t even try to cook it at all,” she said in her video.

Taking a bite before feeding her daughter was a decision that ended up mattering a lot

Pena immediately returned to the Whataburger location and asked to speak with a manager. She held up her bag and said, “I’m just gonna need you to open up this bag.” According to Pena, the manager’s reaction upon seeing the uncooked chicken was immediate; letting out an audible “Oh, my God.” Pena then said, “Yeah, I took a bite of that.”

The manager left to look into the issue and then returned offering Pena a refund, but only for the chicken tenders and not her entire meal. Pena pushed back, saying, “No, ma’am. You’re gonna refund me the whole thing,” and explained, “This was for my daughter, and I took a bite before my daughter, and she almost ate this.” Whataburger eventually issued her a full cash refund.

Eating raw or undercooked chicken can be dangerous. For chicken to be safe to eat, it needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Eating it below this temperature increases the risk of food poisoning. In other alarming food and health news, a woman who traveled abroad for weight loss surgery returned home without a stomach.

Food poisoning can cause symptoms like fever, diarrhea, and dehydration, which can be much more severe in young children. If you suspect that you or your child has food poisoning, it is best to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

The comments section of Pena’s TikTok video filled with users who were equally concerned. Pena also shared the video on other platforms, and much like debates around whether partners should post each other on social media, the responses were strongly divided. 

One user wrote, “She’s refunding the meal that you brought back what’s the problem.” Another commenter added, “you should call corporate .. they should of offered you more . that was inexcusable by the person who cooked it and the manager.” A third user simply shared, “it’s better to cook at home nowadays.”