Coyote strolls into Chicago Loop Quiznos

[trekz 7]

Animal attraction

Coyote strolls into downtown Quiznos: 'He probably smelled our prime rib,' manager surmises

 

April 4, 2007

BY SHAMUS TOOMEY stoomey@suntimes.com

So a coyote walks into a Quiznos . . .

 

Sounds like the start of a joke.

 

It's not -- although dozens of downtown folks got a good laugh out of it Tuesday.

A male coyote really did wander into the Quiznos sandwich shop at Wabash and Adams -- in the Loop! -- just before 2 p.m. Tuesday. Workers had propped open the front door for the warm afternoon, and in sauntered the roughly 30-pound, 18-month-old wild animal.

 

"He probably smelled our prime rib," observed Bina Patel, 23, the shop's manager.

 

The coyote tried to nose his way past a small, swinging door that leads behind the counter, but worker Raymundo Zavala, 21, held his leg against the door.

 

Fellow worker Ronneshia Mukes, 19, screamed at the unwelcome guest and climbed onto the counter. The coyote then tried to jump over the counter, but he didn't make it.

 

The coyote found a seat on top of a stack of Diet Pepsi in an open cooler and settled in until an Animal Control worker arrived about 45 minutes later and safely removed him.

 

No one was hurt, although the coyote appeared to be bleeding slightly when he first walked in, workers said.

 

 

'I didn't believe it'

There were four customers in the shop when the coyote wandered in. Two left, but two stuck around to finish their chicken sandwiches. They took photos until a police officer shooed them away, Patel said. The officer didn't have far to go; he was at the Dunkin' Donuts next door.

After the workers left, the coyote had the run of the place, but he never left the cooler. Outside, dozens of passersby craned for a look, took cell phone pictures and cracked wise.

 

"He's chilling out for real," said Eric Campbell, a delivery man from Elmhurst. "He's looking at us like we're crazy."

When Animal Control Officer Taurus Drake arrived, he calmly walked in, put a catchpole around the coyote's neck and walked the thrashing animal to his van. "They just gave me a call that he was in the Quiznos," Drake said. "Of course I didn't believe it."

 

Downtown coyote sightings are rare but not unprecedented. Drake caught one in Union Station a few years ago, he said.

 

The coyote was taken to the city's Animal Control facility for an exam. He probably will be released at the Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation refuge in Barrington.

END ARTICLE

 

The coyote has been temporarily released out in Barrington. I better warn my cousin who lives near there to curtail any barbequing for a while!

[Lady Britannia 0]

Poor creature.

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

What did it order? Roadrunner on rye?

 

You know, this really wouldn't have been a news story if it had had enough money to pay for its lunch. Business as usual, y'know.

Edited April 6, 2007 by youbroughtheryouRiker

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

There were four customers in the shop when the coyote wandered in. Two left, but two stuck around to finish their chicken sandwiches.

 

Are the chicken sandwiches at Quiznos really that good?

[Gummy 0]

No, but the Prime Rib or a Garlic Roll is to die for.

[Kor37 9]

Quiznos has great food. I was going to invest in one once but they cost about twice as much as a Subway.

[Gummy 0]

Quiznos has great food. I was going to invest in one once but they cost about twice as much as a Subway.

There are a couple of other franchises that cost even more than that.

Wendy's and Golden Corral are also major expensive to invest in.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

Quiznos has great food. I was going to invest in one once but they cost about twice as much as a Subway.

Yeah, but according to the adds you get twice as much meat.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Quiznos has great food. I was going to invest in one once but they cost about twice as much as a Subway.

Yeah, but according to the adds you get twice as much meat.

 

On the promotional sandwich of the "month" yes, (right now that's the garlic primerib) you get double portion but not on everything else (though non promotional items may hold slightly more than Subway.)

 

"What did it order? Roadrunner on rye?"

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

Oh, man garlic prime rib just sounds delicious!

[MrPsychic 1]

I bet the poor thing just wandered in after smelling the meat when it was hurt. In the article, it says the coyote was bleeding slightly. That may have caused him not to be able to hunt as effectively.

[Gummy 0]

Oh, man garlic prime rib just sounds delicious!

Granted, It's $9.00 per sandwich, but worth every penny!!!

[trekz 7]

I bet the poor thing just wandered in after smelling the meat when it was hurt. In the article, it says the coyote was bleeding slightly. That may have caused him not to be able to hunt as effectively.

I think you are probably right MrPsychic. There was also speculation that he might have gotten lost from his family group. His age was estimated at 18 months. Hopefully he will fare better out in the far Western suburb location where he was released.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

I bet the poor thing just wandered in after smelling the meat when it was hurt. In the article, it says the coyote was bleeding slightly. That may have caused him not to be able to hunt as effectively.

Not to mention the coyote was trying to hunt in DOWNTOWN CHICAGO!!

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

Thanks AE, I was worried that bit was gonna go unnoticed or unappreciated.