The Type Of Steak You Should Avoid Ordering From Chili's

"I feel God in this Chili's tonight," declared a soused Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) in one of the better episodes of "The Office" — and depending on what you order, you might just find him there, too. A casual American restaurant in the same vein as Applebee's or TGI Friday's, Chili's has recently had some success courting fast food fans. The franchise has long differentiated itself from the others with just a touch of zing, evident in the name; a special sauce, if you will, not unlike the sauce that coats the franchise's famous baby back (baby back, baby back, baby back) ribs. (Such a shame the fine state of Oregon, the only state without a Chili's, can't enjoy it.) It helps to know your options, though. For instance, there are two steaks offered by Chili's, and you definitely want to order one over the other. Pick the ribeye, skip the sirloin.

Just to give you a bit of context, a ribeye is, as the name implies, a steak cut from the rib area of the steer. A sirloin, on the other hand, comes from the middle of the steer's back, between the round and the loin. (A myth holds that the cut got its name from England's King James I being so delighted by his meal that he knighted the cut of steak in question "Sir Loin," but this is just a myth.) Both cuts can be delicious in the right hands, but at Chili's, the ribeye is clearly the better choice.

To be clear, you know your own preferences better than we do, and if you truly prefer sirloin to ribeye, go right ahead and order the sirloin. But a ribeye is, simply put, a higher-quality cut of steak than a sirloin: not only is it more tender, but it's more flavorful, as well. (This is not necessarily a given when it comes to steaks, where flavor and tenderness are sometimes inversely proportional — case in point, filet mignon.) Chili's ribeye is also larger than its sirloin, and judging by calorie count — 620 for ribeye, 390 for a 10-ounce sirloin — it's more filling, too. And, at just two dollars more than the sirloin, the ribeye is not that much more expensive.

If you really need to save money or you're counting calories the sirloin might be a good option for you. Otherwise, sticking with the ribeye may be the better choice. Finish off the Margarita of the Month and enjoy the meal.