Wild Raccoon Accepts Food From A Coffee Chain & Becomes Internet Sensation

Jun 15, 2023

Raccoons are typically wild, and many people like to stay away from them for fear of being bitten or scratched by an aggressive or diseased critter. Although attacks from raccoons are rare, as they hardly do so unless they perceive that there is a threat without any means of escape, it is usually considered wise to stay far away from them. 

Many people also prefer to stay away because raccoons are popular for carrying transmittable diseases like "rabies, canine distemper, feline distemper/panleukopenia, canine parvovirus, Salmonella, tularemia, Edwardsiella septicemia, and leptospirosis" according to the University of Florida. Thus, with a raccoon potentially carrying such unfriendly diseases, it is not surprising to keep their distance if they sight them from afar.

Meanwhile, raccoons rarely approach humans and, in fact, do not like to do so. However, they sometimes approach people when they want food or something else. They are also notorious for breaking into garbage cans or human habitations. There are also a few instances when raccoons have had friendly interactions with humans, and a raccoon started trending online for this reason. 

On May 5, 2023, a Florida woman, Samantha Guptil, posted a video on TikTok showing an interaction between a raccoon and a Dunkin' Donuts staff. The raccoon walked up to the drive-thru window and waited until an employee handed it a doughnut. The rare moment warmed the hearts of viewers, who left several comments about the critter's behavior and showed interest in seeing more of such rare moments. Continue reading to get information on the video that has amassed many views on social media.

Samantha Guptil from Florida posted a clip on TikTok on May 5, 2023, to show the moment a raccoon casually walked across the road to a Dunkin' Donuts window. The animal then waited patiently in front of the window while the employees moved around.

The woman and her unnamed passenger made several comments in the video as they watched the interaction. "What in the world? My dude. He wants some Dunkin’ doughnuts," Guptill said. "Don’t hit him, don’t hit him!" Guptill's friend said as they inched closer to watch.

A few seconds later, Guptill exclaimed, "Oh they’re gonna give him a doughnut? Oh, my God! Do it. Throw him the doughnut," when an employee picked a frosted doughnut and moved closer to the window. 

As with anyone watching the interaction, Guptill expected the staff member to just throw the snack, but she handed it out. Surprisingly, the raccoon reached out to collect it with its nimble fingers, which was perhaps the most amazing part of the whole experience. 

Guptill's video has amassed over 21 million views on TikTok. The Tiktoker also posted the clip on Facebook, which she captioned, "EVERYONE runs on Dunkin 🦝🍩🤣."

Comments quickly flooded Guptill's posts. A Tiktoker wrote, "*goes to Dunkin bc of raccoon video*" while another person wrote, "the fact that she handed it to him! ugh employee of the year!!!" A third user commented, "@Bradlee Underwood: Little dude was nice and patient and then gently took it out of her hands. He’s give that 5 star in Yelp."

Meanwhile, another TikTok user hilariously warned that the event would bring other raccoons to the "magic window.” "He’s for sure telling all his friends about this magic window lmao," they wrote. Well, that wouldn’t be surprising, would it?

What do you think of the employee handing out food to the raccoon? Do you think they did the right thing? What are your thoughts about the sweet moment? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends and family members!