Most bagel shops are used to serving hungry customers, but one North Carolina business got the surprise of a lifetime when an unexpected visitor wandered inside looking like he was ready to place an order.
And this customer had four little legs, a long tail and a mouth full of teeth!
On October 29, a baby alligator casually strolled into Bagel Dock Express in Southport, North Carolina, leaving owner Jesse Driscoll and his employees stunned.
The tiny reptile apparently spotted an open back door and decided to explore. Surveillance footage captured the adventurous gator wandering through the stockroom before making his way onto the sales floor like he belonged there.
No reservation, no waiting in line, just one very determined little visitor!
Driscoll couldn’t believe what he was seeing. After all, running a bagel shop comes with plenty of surprises, but an alligator walking through the kitchen certainly isn’t something covered in employee training.
“Never in a million years,” he told The Guardian when asked whether he ever expected something like this to happen.
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Naturally, the surveillance footage quickly made its way around social media, where viewers couldn’t resist joking about the gator’s unexpected breakfast adventure.
“He just wanted his bagel, bro,” one person commented. “Leave him alone.”
Another viewer pointed out just how tiny the surprise customer was.
“Aww, it’s just a baby,” they wrote.
And they were right! Measuring approximately three feet long, the little alligator was still a juvenile. American alligators can eventually grow much larger, but this youngster was apparently big enough to give an entire bagel shop a memorable afternoon.
Some viewers even joked that he might have been looking for a bagel topped with lox, the popular smoked salmon topping.
Unfortunately for our scaly friend, the shop wasn’t prepared to accommodate his unusual appetite.
Thankfully, the Southport Police Department arrived before the situation could become dangerous.
Officers worked alongside animal protection personnel to safely capture the little alligator and relocate him away from the business.
Police later confirmed that the unexpected visitor had been removed without incident, bringing the bizarre encounter to a happy ending.
Although alligators are native to coastal North Carolina, seeing one wandering through a restaurant is definitely not an everyday occurrence. Wildlife officials remind residents to keep their distance from these animals, no matter how small or adorable they may appear.
As for Driscoll, we’re guessing he’ll be keeping a much closer eye on that back door from now on.
And somewhere in North Carolina, one adventurous baby alligator is probably wondering why the bagel shop had such terrible customer service.
See you later, alligator!