11 March 2024 , 15:21
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McDonald's customers were sent into a frenzy after a pet owner brought live insects into the branch so they could feed their snake.
The fast-food chain confirmed they were forced to close their doors at The Drove Retail, Newhaven, East Sussex, for several hours on Friday. Pest control rushed to the restaurant and did "precautionary checks". The venue underwent a thorough cleaning to ensure the venue was safe following the bizarre incident.
Social media users commented on the bizarre scenes and said "It's the worst McDonald's we have ever been in before the insect incident, we used it a couple of times before catching the ferry."
A boa constrictor was previously found in Bognor Regis (RSPCA / SWNS.COM)Another person wrote: "Who decides 'I'm going to take my snake out with me to a restaurant' to feed it its own food. But then again it's Newhaven." Others questioned why the owner was feeding the reptile insects, reports Daily Mail. "Pretty sure snakes don't eat insects?", someone said. A fourth added: "Snakes don't eat insects so did the person take the snake in maccies?? Whatever went in there is not hygienic."
But this wasn't the first time a snake has been spotted at a McDonald's in a seaside town. In 2022, McDonald's staff found a 5ft boa constrictor outside the restaurant in Bognor Regis. RSPCA Inspector Hannah Nixon, who answered the call, said: “Based on the report that was phoned in, I was expecting an adder, which is a fairly common native British snake.
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“But when I peeked in the box, I was confronted with a full 5ft of boa constrictor – a full, non-native snake and not what I was expecting at all. The poor animal did look like he had been in the wars a bit, with a few scratches and cuts, so I have taken him to our Stubbington Ark animal centre in Fareham, Hampshire, to get him checked out.”
McDonald's responded to the incident and said they asked the customer to leave the premises. It is unclear why the owner wanted to feed their snake on-site. A spokesperson for McDonald's said: "On Friday evening, we were made aware that a customer had entered our Newhaven restaurant with live insects to feed a pet snake.
"As soon as we were made aware, we closed the restaurant and asked the customer to leave. We reopened later in the evening having carried out a thorough clean of the restaurant. Pest control experts have been called to the restaurant today to carry out precautionary checks."