Over Half Of People Want Steak To Be Their 'Last Meal'

Did you know that any meal could potentially be your last meal? That bowl of cereal and orange juice you had this morning or the sandwich and soda you had for lunch could very well be the last thing you ever eat. Accidents do happen after all, and you never know when it's time to punch your card at the pearly gates. This raises the question: What would be your last meal here on Earth?

The concept of a "last meal" seems to be an intriguing, if not somewhat morbid, fascination for some people. In a way, these meals are a window into the mindset of a person who knows that this will be their last Earthly repast. The Crime Museum, for example, details the final meals of some of history's greatest killers, from John Wayne Gacy's KFC and fried shrimp-filled buffet to Saddam Hussein's simple boiled chicken and rice. Tastemade describes how Elvis Presley dined on cookies and ice cream before his death to Napoleon's final meal of liver, kidney, eggs, and garlic toast as he spent his last years in exile. When it's someone's last, an average everyday dish can become something legendary, terrifying, and tragic.

But outside of the realm of infamous killers, musicians, and emperors, what would the average person request for their final meal on Earth? It seems that many people would prefer to go out in style, enjoying a quintessential steak dinner.

According to a survey done by Linz Heritage Angus, it would seem that 64% of individuals would prefer that, if given a choice, they'd take steak as part of their last meal. Not only that, but 47% of participants admitted that they would enjoy steak more than three times a week, provided "there were no factors preventing them from doing so," of course.

But why steak exactly? Is it just because a good steak dinner, even when you're staring Death in the face, is just a really good dinner choice all around? Well, sure, why not? After all, if you like beef, nothing beats a steak that's seared to perfection. There is, however, also some level of "comfort" one may find in enjoying a steak dinner. CBS News reports that, in 2012, inmates on death row seemed to have a preference for comfort foods as their last meals, leaning towards fried chicken, French fries, ice cream, pie, and steak. If your final meal is going to be the last food you eat before you go into the great unknown of the afterlife, why not enjoy something that makes you feel good?

If all this talk of a steak dinner has made you hungry, you're free to explore some ways to cook a perfect steak for your final meal of the day or visit one of several well-regarded steakhouses. You never know when it'll be the last time.