Cow in Mario Kart World Eats Burgers, Steak

If you're a Mario Kart fan, you may have caught wind of the latest buzz surrounding Mario Kart World—Nintendo’s newest entry in the iconic racing franchise. Among the exciting reveals is the introduction of a brand-new playable character: the adorable Cow from Moo Moo Meadows.

Once a background character in one of the series’ classic tracks, Cow has officially stepped into the spotlight and become a full-fledged racer. And fans couldn’t be more thrilled. The internet has already exploded with memes, fan art, and endless excitement over this lovable new addition to the Mario Kart roster.

But that’s not all—during IGN’s hands-on preview at a recent Nintendo event in New York, something curious was confirmed: yes, Cow can eat burgers and steak (and plenty of other food items too). This revelation sparked some lighthearted controversy among fans after a clip from the Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct 2 trailer showed Mario enjoying a burger—something made from beef.

So what happens when Cow, a bovine herself, bites into a burger or takes a bite of steak?

Well, during the gameplay demo, it was revealed that players can grab food items from Yoshi's diner locations scattered throughout the race courses. These spots function like drive-thru stops, where racers can pull up and collect take-out bags filled with various meals—including burgers, steak kebabs, pizza, and donuts—similar to how they'd collect traditional item boxes.

And guess what? Cow can enjoy every single one of them.

Yes, Cow CAN eat steak in Mario Kart World. pic.twitter.com/qN5PZ9IIM4

— IGN (@IGN) April 4, 2025

While Cow doesn't seem to gain any special effects from eating these items (unlike other characters who change costumes), she certainly appears to enjoy her meal. Is it just for fun flavor? Could there be a hidden power-up triggered by consuming certain foods that Nintendo hasn’t revealed yet? Or are we looking at plant-based versions of these dishes—think veggie burgers and Beyond meat kebabs?

We reached out to Nintendo for clarification, but no official word has been released so far. Perhaps it’s just another quirky detail meant to add charm and personality to Cow’s unique character design.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our full preview of Mario Kart World, including the video version where Cow makes a memorable appearance. And if you're wondering whether Cow has any secret unlockable transformations in store—we can only hope.

Imagine if the cow gets a transformation costume.
— u/Shinuto94 on Reddit

Until then, enjoy your races—and maybe think twice before grabbing that steak when playing as Cow.