A hungry bear in Colorado decided to skip the reservation and head straight for the food, helping himself to a meal right off a restaurant table.
The wild encounter was captured on video and quickly got people talking online.
Text over the clip joked, “PSA: Aspen’s newest restaurant critic has arrived.”
The bear can be seen eating directly from a table while nearby diners wisely keep their distance.
At one point, the animal appears completely comfortable with the setup, casually enjoying the leftovers as if it had every right to be there.
“He’s a paying customer,” one viewer joked.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
Others found the sight more concerning than funny.
“It is sad that they have to resort to this to survive,” one commenter wrote.
That concern is not unfounded.
Recent drought conditions in Colorado have pushed some bears to search more aggressively for food, increasing the chances of encounters in neighborhoods, towns and other populated areas.
As bears prepare for winter, they need to consume large amounts of food, which can lead them toward trash cans, bird feeders, pet food and, apparently, restaurant tables.
Wildlife experts strongly warn people not to intentionally feed bears.
Homeowners are also encouraged to secure garbage, bring pet food indoors and remove or properly store anything that could attract wildlife.
If a bear wanders into a public area, experts say the most important thing is to remain calm.
People should not run or scream.
Instead, the National Park Service advises calmly identifying yourself by speaking and slowly waving your arms so the bear recognizes you as a person.
In many cases, the animal is simply looking for food and will eventually move along.
Still, getting this close to a bear is never something to take lightly.
This Colorado visitor may have looked like a very determined restaurant customer, but diners made the right call by giving him plenty of space to finish his unexpected meal.