An image of the sign for Dunkin’ Donuts as photographed on March 16, 2020, in Levittown, New York.
The Ben Affleck of the animal world has made itself known.
On May 7, TikTok user Samantha Jane Guptill (@samguptuppy) shared a short video taken in line at a Florida-area Dunkin’ to her account that went mega-viral. In the clip, which has amassed over 21 million views and 4 million likes, Guptill can be heard narrating the drive-thru adventures of what may be America’s most polite raccoon.
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“What in the world? My dude. He wants some Dunkin’ doughnuts,” Guptill says, waiting in line with an unidentified second person who can be heard giggling off camera. After watching the raccoon approach the takeout window, the driver pulls forward a bit to get a closer look. “Don’t hit him, don’t hit him!”
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The raccoon waits patiently at the window. He’s probably not late for work.
“What is he doing? Are they gonna give him a doughnut?” Guptill continues while watching a Dunkin’ worker move around behind the drive-thru window. “Oh they’re gonna give him a doughnut? Oh, my God! Do it. Throw him the doughnut.”
What Guptill — and probably anyone viewing the video she took — was not expecting was the way the doughnut exchange went down between the raccoon and the Dunkin’ worker.
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Using its uber-dexterous fingers, the raccoon politely receives what appears to be a delicious-looking vanilla-frosted doughnut in its paws before placing it in its mouth, getting on all fours, and scurrying away into a nearby bush, likely to enjoy the treat in peace.
“Oh, my God,” Guptill repeats as everyone chortles at the adorably strange sight.
Dunkin’ did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment on its procyonid patron. Neither did Guptill.
But, according to a post on Guptill’s Facebook, she’s “glad everyone appreciated it as much as (she) did.”
“So cute! He seemed like a regular,” Guptill wrote in another comment on the post.
It appears the Guptill's sentiment is almost universally shared by people who left 30 or so comments on her Facebook page and more than 33,000 comments on the TikTok.
“Dunkin has to use this for a commercial!” suggested one commenter.
“She could have thrown it but she handed it to him like the little gentleman he is,” wrote another user on TikTok.
“If they had a buy the raccoons daily donut option I would a 100% do that,” wrote another user.
“The amount of serotonin this has brought me is IMMACULATE,” wrote another user, this time on Facebook.
“Most Dunkin’s have a raccoon mascot. Mine had a whole family. They’d meet us at the dumpster for the throw aways at the end of the night,” commented another TikTok user.
Most commenters seem to think that this isn’t this particular raccoon’s first time in the drive-thru, either. Fun fact: Raccoons can remember how to do tasks for up to three years, so this Dunkin’ will likely be getting visits from this little guy for quite a while.
“There’s no way this isn’t a daily thing for the raccoon and the workers lol that was far too casual,” wrote another TikTok commenter. “I love it!”
This critter who literally runs on Dunkin’ isn’t the only one of its kind to make headlines for appearing in an unexpected place. In 2019, a raccoon broke into a vending machine at a Florida high school, only to be freed later by an officer. Then, in 2020, a pair of raccoons slid their way into a bank in Redwood City, California, only to be spotted before they completed whatever heist they had planned.
Those masked bandits should take a page from their kind-hearted cousin, and maybe just ask next time.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY
