A McDonald's lover filmed the moment she spotted a rodent scurrying around the next table - causing her to scream and flee the restaurant when it 'ran towards her'. Chloe Thompson was eating her sausage and egg McMuffin at the fast food giant when she claims she realised the vermin had joined her.
The 18-year-old's footage shows it roaming around the seat and the chair's back as she looks on in shock and says 'I feel like I'm in a dream'. Chloe thought the creature was a 'baby rat' - though her mum Kelly Mullins admits it could be a mouse.
She claims that when she notified staff they were 'chasing the rat with a bin' so the 'petrified' teen screamed and fled the store without finishing her meal. The admin worker's 'disgusted' mum Kelly posted the video to Facebook where it's racked up more than 118,000 views.
One user explained watching it made her 'feel ill'. The 47-year-old mum says the rodent could have peed over the restaurant's tables and confirmed her daughter won't be visiting McDonald's again anytime soon despite it being her 'favourite' fast food chain.
McDonald's confirmed an Environmental Health Officer attended the restaurant following the 'sighting', as well as pest control experts, and both found 'no signs of pest activity'. Kelly said: "Chloe was petrified. The rodent was climbing about all over the chairs and tables and apparently when rodents run about they wee.
"She sent the video of the mouse to me saying 'oh my god, I've got to tell them' so she went up to the counter and told someone. A member of staff just rolled her eyes [at Chloe], and then went and got a bin and was running around chasing this baby rat.
"When the waiter rolled her eyes, it was as if they knew it's a problem, so why aren't they dealing with it? It's disgusting. As they were chasing it about with the bin, the mouse ran towards Chloe. She just screamed and ran out. She won't be eating McDonald's for a while, and it's her favourite.
"To see a rat in a restaurant when you're eating is disgusting."
Chloe had been dropped off at McDonald's by her boyfriend to grab breakfast before work and she sent the video to her mum shortly after filming it. Kelly's Facebook post, simply captioned 'Tilbury McDonald's this morning' has attracted more than 700 comments and 1,500 shares.
One commented: "The new McScurry. I can't stop watching it."
Another said: "Grim! I mean they piss as they run! They are incontinent!"
A third added: "Omg Made me ill."
A McDonald's spokesperson said: "Hygiene and cleanliness are of the utmost importance to us.
"Pest control experts visited the restaurant the same day that we were made aware of this sighting, they have also conducted a follow up visit this week, and confirmed that there are no signs of pest activity anywhere inside.
"The Environmental Health Officer has visited and they too are satisfied that there is absolutely no issue with the restaurant.
"As standard practice, pest control experts carry out regular routine checks of the Tilbury restaurant and the surrounding area, which helps ensure the restaurant continues to maintain a Food Hygiene Rating of 5."
