TikTok Says Jack In The Box Chicken Teriyaki Bowls Are Made In The Microwave

You'd be hard-pressed to find a home kitchen in America that doesn't have a microwave – well, unless you're looking in Michael Strahan's house, that is. But despite how helpful microwaves can be for the home cook for both simple tasks, like reheating leftovers, to more complicated meals such as risotto, they don't exactly have the most positive of reputations throughout the restaurant industry. Sure, there are some chefs out there who champion the appliance, like David Chang, who told Insider in 2021 that he was on a mission to "get people to realize what an amazing piece of machinery" it is. However, as Food & Wine found last year, it seems that, for the most part, those working in the culinary industry believe the device has no place in a professional kitchen.

Even within the realm of fast food, there are some eateries where you'll never find this piece of kitchen equipment, like Chick-fil-A – though it doesn't look like every chain has said goodbye to the timesaving appliance just yet. McDonald's, for example, says that restaurants use microwaves to heat eggs for their sausage breakfast burritos. According to a TikTok video from user @guessthejack, Jack in the Box allegedly puts them to good use, as well.

You might not expect fast food restaurants to have actual chefs working in their kitchens, but Jack in the Box locations allegedly have a resident chef Mike on staff. In the case of the California-based chain, however, "chef Mike" refers to the microwave, which a video from TikTok user @guessthejack suggests is behind Jack in the Box's chicken teriyaki bowls. The post shows an alleged Jack employee grabbing a bag of white rice from a cooler, which then gets placed into a microwave. They repeat the step with pre-portioned containers of teriyaki chicken and veggies. Once cooked, the ingredients are assembled in a plastic to-go container

The viral video has been met with a mix of reactions. TikTok user @killaaveeee expressed disbelief over paying $10 for the microwaved meal, though not everybody was surprised. "What do people expect? One, it's fast food. And two it's a d**n burger place," one TikToker commented, while others couldn't help but poke fun at the situation. "Chef Mike the hardest worker," user @cl0naid wrote. "Compliments to the chef," another quipped.

As of this writing, Jack in the Box has not responded to the video, though a YouTube video posted by another alleged employee last year seems to confirm what the TikToker shared. However, some customers aren't letting the revelation affect what they get from the chain. "Imma still order it," one TikToker said.