A family run UK seaside business has introduced a ‘toastie insurance’ after its owners became so fed up with seagulls wrecking havoc.
Regulars at the Cheesy Toast Shack in St Andrews, Fife will get their stolen sarnies replaced if they pay an optional £1 charge.
The owners used to give away free replacements of the £6.75 sandwiches to dozens of customers every day but this was costing the business a fortune. Instead those visiting the snack shack can pay optional £1 ‘gull insurance’ to pay for replacement sandwiches.
Kate Carter-Larg and husband Sam are no strangers to the boisterous birds swooping down on unsuspecting customers and pinch their freshly grilled toasties.
There’s been so many seagull attacks and it’s been ramping up over the last couple of years,” says owner Kate.
“Our record is 30 attacks in one day so we wanted to come up with something that could protect both the customer and the business.
“People will come to take photos of our sandwiches – and the minute they hold a toastie up for a pic – all the seagulls dive bomb them.”
Kate admits the seagull attacks have been “increasingly” worse over the last three years.
They have received emails from upset customers and children have been in tears.
Unlike your average insurance product, the optional £1 extra charge has proved a huge hit with customers down at the shore with the couple not quite believing the overwhelming positive reaction.
The owners said they are now ‘seriously considering’ adding the gull insurance on every purchase to try and cover the losses caused by the winged pests.
Kate added: “Our business is super family-run, Sam and I run it, our kids are here almost every day, Sam’s cousin works in the kitchen and everyone knows everyone.
“It’s not just a faceless business and we want people to remember nice gestures people do.”