Seagull swipes hot dog from tourist mid-photo at Sullivan's Castle Island in Boston: "It came out of nowhere"
A tourist was posing for the perfect photo in front of a famous Boston hot dog spot, when a seagull swooped in and swiped her lunch.
Florida resident Meredith Barber tells WBZ-TV she was in town to visit friends for the Fourth of July holiday and they made sure to stop at Sullivan's Castle Island in South Boston. The hot dog and seafood restaurant, which was recently recognized as a James Beard Awards "America's Classics" winner, has been serving up New England summer favorites since 1951.
"I wanted that hot dog moment in front of the Sullivan's sign," Barber said.
Barber stood in front of the Sullivan's entrance with her $3.50 hot dog and a friend started snapping photos. That's when Barber says the bird "came out of nowhere."
"I was in the moment, with a hot dog in hand, and out of nowhere this huge seagull came in and swooped in right across my face," she said.
Barber said the gull ate her hot dog "in one huge gulp, right out of my hand." Sullivan's shared the perfectly timed pictures on social media.
"4th of July mishaps! Sully's seagulls are like no other," wrote Sullivan's, which had to suspend outdoor dining in 2023 due to "vicious" seagulls divebombing customers while they ate.
Barber said the Sullivan's employees were "so kind" and generously replaced her stolen lunch order.
"We got the pictures and I got a new hot dog," she said. "So we're all happy."
Enjoying lunch by the water in New England is not without its risks. In a similar incident in 2019, a woman taking a road trip in Maine was trying to capture a photo of her first-ever lobster roll when a seagull snagged her $21.50 sandwich.
