A restaurant in Wisconsin received an unexpected customer on Tuesday afternoon when a large deer came crashing in through their window during the lunchtime rush hour.
The buck bolted past the cowering customers and into the kitchen, where it was escorted out through the back door.
“Our team members experienced a lunchtime surprise when our unexpected guest entered the restaurant,” Danielle Moore, director of communications at Noodles & Company, told Newsweek.
Noodles & Company
The incident took place at Noodles in Beloit, Wisconsin, during the lunchtime rush. “Using the window as his mode of entrance, [the deer] then proceeded to walk around the restaurant and kitchen before making a swift exit through the back door with the help of a team member,” Moore said. “Our team members’ priority throughout the process was to make sure the deer made it outside of the restaurant safely and that no one was harmed during the encounter.”
The entire incident was captured on CCTV. “Luckily, no one was harmed during the event and everyone had a good sense of humor about the unexpected visit,” Moore said.
Wisconsin is no stranger to deer break-ins, and in March 2022 similar footage was shared by a pub in Oshkosh. In December 2021, a similar incident took place at a CBD retailer in Amesbury, Massachusetts, crashing through the store’s back window.
According to the Humane Rescue Alliance, incidents like this are particular common during the fall months, when deers are looking to mate.
“Bucks will become territorial during this time,” the organization said. “They have been known to crash through windows after seeing their reflection and believing it is a challenging male.”
Deers can be easily frightened and can be dangerous and aggressive if they feel threatened, particularly during mating season. Therefore, it is important to give them space and allow them to make their own way out of the property.
After the deer left through the backdoor at Noodles, the site was temporarily closed to be deep-cleaned and to ensure that the food quality had not been compromised. “We are thankful that a teacher was onsite with their class for a field trip and helped get everyone to safety,” Moore said.
To commemorate the occasion, Noodles has added a new dish to their menu: “2 Buck Mac & Cheese.”
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.