A woman’s TikTok post about a Chili’s Fajita Trio has sparked questions about the restaurant chain’s steak after she said the beef tasted more like a breakfast sausage patty than steak. Creator Sasha Bentley (@sasha.bentley8) shared the video in August 2026. Her caption alleged, “[Chili’s] Restaurants Are Serving FAKE STEAKS.”
In her post, Bentley said she ordered the Fajita Trio. Chili’s currently describes the meal as a combination of three proteins, including grilled chicken, shrimp and steak, served with flour tortillas, Mexican rice, black beans, peppers and onions, sour cream, pico de gallo and shredded cheese. Chili’s menu lists the dish as The Original Trio.
In the video, Bentley said the steak did not taste like steak to her. She compared its flavor to a breakfast sausage patty made by Jimmy Dean. Bentley then told viewers to pay attention to the food they eat at restaurants. “Please be aware,” she said in the post.
Other customers recounted similar anecdotes.
The comments beneath Bentley’s video included additional complaints about restaurant steak. One commenter said they encountered what they described as the same type of steak at Olive Garden and said the experience was unpleasant. The commenter also questioned the role of private equity in the restaurant industry’s food quality.
Another commenter claimed that the chicken was fake, too. Bentley replied that she initially thought the chicken might also be fake, but said she determined that it was a chicken breast.
Other online complaints about Chili’s steak also exist, although they do not establish that the chain serves fake meat. For example, customer reviews collected by Consumer Affairs include complaints about the quality and texture of Chili’s steaks and fajitas.
Some reviewers describe steak as tough or otherwise disappointing. One reviewer went further and claimed the meat was “fake lab-created meat.” The review itself provides no evidence supporting that claim.
Chili’s current menu identifies the protein in its Original Trio as steak.
The company does not describe it as a meat substitute or plant-based product. Chili’s official fajita menu similarly describes its steak fajitas as steak and lists steak as one of the three proteins available in the Original Trio.
Brinker International, the parent company of Chili’s, discusses its food and supply operations in its 2025 annual report, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The annual report does not identify the specific supplier for the steak used in Chili’s Fajita Trio.
No public statement from Chili’s was located that specifically responds to Bentley’s August 2026 TikTok or confirms the source of the steak used in her meal.
Published: Aug 18, 2026 12:39 pm