Alligator Sneaks into Shop Terrifying Workers (Video)

A North Carolina bagel shop got the surprise of a lifetime when an unexpected visitor with sharp teeth and four legs wandered through the back door, turning an ordinary afternoon into a scene straight out of a movie.

The uninvited guest was a 3-foot alligator that casually strolled into Bagel Dock Express in Southport on Thursday, October 29, apparently determined to explore the restaurant despite having no business being anywhere near the kitchen.

Surveillance footage captured the bizarre encounter as the young reptile slipped through an open back door, wandered through a storage area and crossed the kitchen before making its way toward the front counter.

Shop owner Jesse Driscoll was busy overseeing the installation of a new oven when he suddenly spotted the scaly intruder. His reaction was priceless. Startled by the sight, Driscoll jumped back and hurried outside before returning with another man to show him the unexpected visitor.

“It’s just so far out of the ordinary for a bagel shop,” Driscoll told local station WWAY. “You can see lots of things. People coming in. Friends coming in to say hi. But, never in a million years did I think I’d see an alligator.”

Fortunately, the restaurant was closed to customers at the time, preventing what could have been an even more chaotic encounter.

Driscoll called 911, prompting Southport police and Animal Protective Services to respond. The reptile was safely captured and removed without anyone being injured.

The Southport Police Department couldn’t resist having a little fun with the unusual call, joking on social media, “Alligator- Isle 1.”

Bagel Dock Express also embraced its unexpected moment in the spotlight, sharing the surveillance footage with a hilarious explanation.

“Apparently, word of our fresh bagels has made its way into the swamp!” the business joked. “No injuries, no drama … just one very unusual customer! Fresh bagels. Wild experiences.”

While an alligator wandering into a bagel shop might sound unbelievable, encounters with the reptiles are not entirely unusual along North Carolina’s southeastern coast.

Earlier this year, Southport authorities dealt with a massive 12-foot alligator that appeared on a woman’s doorstep, while another measuring approximately 8 feet was discovered at a bank drive-thru.

Still, Driscoll probably never imagined that running a neighborhood bagel shop would involve calling the police to remove a reptile from his kitchen.

And although this particular customer left without ordering anything, it certainly gave the restaurant a story its employees won’t soon forget.