Anyone who has ever tried to enjoy a beachside ice cream cone or slice of pizza has probably experienced running afoul of pesky seagulls. The notorious seabirds are found around the world as they breed on every continent, including parts of Antarctica.
But the owners of a food truck across the pond have found a creative way of "insuring" against the birds pilfering from customers.
Hawkins BBQ, a food truck that operates on the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown Dependency situated between Great Britain and Ireland, recently began offering "seagull insurance" to customers. The small business, which serves up barbecue fare such as sliders, gourmet melts, and loaded fries, recently posted about its new policy on Facebook.
And given the positive response, it seems as though people are decidedly on board with it.
"I think it’s fair to say that many on the island have had one or two (traumatic) experiences with the island's enthusiastic Seagulls—whether it’s being swooped on walking down Strand Street or attacked eating ice cream [or] gelato, we might have something for you!" the policy, posted last week, reads.
"Introducing the Islands first Manx Seagull Insurance! We recently saw the idea flourish so we decided it’s a must for foodies here!" the post continued, noting that going forward, customers can purchase the add-on for just one British pound, guaranteeing a replacement meal on the house.
The owners also noted that they would be donating all proceeds from the insurance to Manx Wildlife Trust, a conservation charity organization that "works tirelessly to protect the island's wildlife, including those pesky gulls."
"Make sure you ask us for the protection the next time you visit and enjoy a delicious BBQ meal, stress-free," the post concluded.
Matt Hawkins, chef and co-owner of Hawkins BBQ, explained in an interview with Fox News Digital that seagulls are protected animals in the United Kingdom. However, because there are so many of the birds they have become aggressive when it comes to scavenging—or stealing, as the case may be—from humans.
"We saw the idea across in Scotland and introducing the ‘insurance’ to our customers on the Isle of Man was a no-brainer," Hawkins said. "We wanted to give patrons peace of mind when enjoying our meals."
"The public’s reaction has been fantastic thus far," he added.
