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'Hangry' Florida gator captured after chasing people through Wendy's parking lot

This massive reptile went on quite the adventure.
The gator was safely captured and will be relocated.
The gator was safely captured and will be relocated.@LehighAcresFD / Twitter
/ Source: TODAY

Even alligators can't resist stopping for some fast food every once in a while.

On Monday, a gator caused quite a stir outside one of Wendy's Florida locations and began to chase pedestrians through the parking lot.

As reported by local affiliate NBC2, the reptile measured 7-feet-3-inches, and set local authorities on a wild goose — sorry, gator — chase as it wandered through the parking lots of several business in Lehigh Acres, Florida.

Officials from the Lee County Sheriff's Office had some fun while documenting the event on Twitter, writing, “He may have just been ‘hangry’ for a cheeseburger, but he gave many quite the scare.”

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Lehigh Acres Fire Department were on hand to help and the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue Division also joked about the incident on Twitter.

"In other #Florida news, we’ll be experiencing a slightly delayed response time leaving Lehigh Acres Health & Rehab," they wrote and posted a video of the gator walking slowly by the parking lot's fence.

After causing some chaos at Wendy's and a nearby bank, the gator made his way across the street to the parking lot of Lehigh Acres Health & Rehab on Lee Boulevard, where he was safely captured and relocated to an alligator farm. The best part? No injuries were reported and the alligator is A-OK.

So, how did this massive creature end up in a Wendy's parking lot? FWC officials said it was probably trying to move "between two waterbodies" and made a brief pit stop along the way.

“Alligators prefer lakes and slow-moving rivers and their wetlands, but can also be found in brackish water and, for short periods of time, in saltwater,” an FWC spokesperson said.

Still, the folks at Wendy's, of course, believe that the gator was stopping by for a quick bite.

"It’s no secret Wendy’s is the place to be, especially during National Hamburger Month!" a Wendy’s spokesperson told TODAY Food. "The gator must have gotten word of the new Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger and wanted to see what the buzz is all about."

The FWC's theory is likely more accurate but, honestly, this adventurous alligator could be a great mascot if Wendy's is ever looking to switch up its branding.