'Ratatouille wants bread': Giant rat spotted at Subway outlet in 313@somerset

Pixar's Ratatouille made a rat in the kitchen seem charming. A viral video from a Subway outlet in Singapore, however, is unlikely to have the same appeal.

A viral TikTok video shows a giant rat being caught at a Subway outlet in 313@somerset.

In the video, posted by user theverybigtheverybang on Tuesday (Oct 6), a man seen in the Subway outlet can be seen holding a white plastic bag containing the live rat. 

The sizeable rodent can be seen scrabbling against the sides of the bag as it tries to free itself.

According to the TikTok user, two customers spotted the "huge" rat before a man came over to help catch it.

The user, Hazi, told AsiaOne that she stumbled upon the sight on Monday at around 2.30pm.

"I was initially queuing for Big Bang merch upstairs and was starving," said the 36-year-old.

She stopped in her tracks when she noticed two women standing outside the eatery in fear. It was then she observed the man carrying the plastic bag with a large rat.

The man and a woman wearing the same uniform then called out to someone off-camera, while pointing to the captive rat in his hand.

The pair appeared to be reassuring the unseen individual that the rat had been caught, the TikTok user wrote in the caption.

The man then smiled and walked out of the Subway outlet coolly, while holding the plastic bag containing the rat.

The TikTok user joked that "Ratatouille wants bread for lunch too," referring to the animated Pixar film about a rat that aspired to be a chef.

Hazi decided to have her lunch at Sukiya but said that she hopes Subway would look into cleaning this outlet to prevent another rodent encounter.

@asiaone The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said it was looking into the matter and would not "hesitate to take enforcement action if sufficient evidence has been obtained". AsiaOne has also reached out to Subway Singapore for more information. #sgnews #singapore #pest #rat ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

The video has garnered over 67,000 views on TikTok and more than 2,000 likes. 

The post attracted mixed comments from netizens. Some praised the man for helping to capture the creature.

"He's a hero," commented one user, adding that many F&B outlets have rats scurrying around at night.

Another user wrote: "Props to him for stepping up."

Some were curious about the captive animal's unusually large size, while other netizens expressed their disgust.

In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said it is looking into the matter and may engage the feedback provider for more details as part of its investigations.

SFA added that it will not hesitate to take enforcement action if sufficient evidence is obtained.

"Food safety is a joint responsibility. While SFA puts in place and enforces the regulatory measures, food operators must play their part by adhering to good food hygiene and preparation practices," said the agency.

SFA also reminded food operators to keep their premises clean, well-maintained and free of pests. 

Members of the public who have concerns about food safety practices by food operators can submit feedback to SFA via its online feedback form (www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback).

AsiaOne has reached out to Subway Singapore for more information.

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