A girl was served a whole guinea pig complete with a tiny festive hat and claws still attached while travelling through Peru with her family.
Piper Jean Thomas had been visiting the South American country with her parents when they stopped for dinner ahead of their trip to Machu Picchu.
The clip has since racked up over 431,200 likes and 17,100 comments on social media.
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The 13-year-old, who enjoys writing stories, singing, swimming and playing the ukulele, had been encouraged to try the traditional Peruvian delicacy “cuy” by her Spanish teacher back home.
So when the family spotted it on the menu, they decided to give it a go.
But neither Piper nor her family expected the dish to arrive fully intact.
A clip filmed by her mum, Tamara Marie Thomas, captured the moment staff placed the plate down at the table.
As the dish arrived, Piper’s dad could be heard saying: “Poor little guy.”
Seconds later, Piper replied in shock: “Dad, the claws are still on him.”
Despite the surprise presentation, the family still tucked in – with Piper bravely trying a bite herself.
Loan officer assistant Tamara said the family love immersing themselves in local culture while travelling.
“We love to travel all over and try everything we can,” Tamara, from Utah, USA, told Need To Know.
“We love new foods and learning about the customs, the people and everything about the places we visit.
“Piper takes Spanish in middle school and her teacher asked her to try cuy if we travelled to Peru.
“So we thought, ‘Why not?’
“They brought out the Lomo Saltado first, which quickly became our favourite dish.
“Then the cuy came out and it wasn’t prepared like we thought it would be, but we didn’t really know what to expect either.
“It even had a little Peruvian hat on.”
Cuy – roasted guinea pig – is considered a traditional delicacy in Peru and across the Andes, where it has been eaten for thousands of years and is often served during celebrations and special occasions.
Tamara added: “The cuy came with a sauce and sour salad that made it better.
“We all ate both dishes.
“Piper had one bite of the guinea pig and was great.
“What an amazing kid she is to be able to travel with us and learn about this beautiful country.”
The family travelled through Lima, Cusco, Aguas Calientes and Ollantaytambo during their trip through Peru.
Tamara said they “fell in love with the food everywhere” and returned home with “way too many souvenirs”.
She regularly shares clips from the family’s travels online, including swimming with sharks in French Polynesia, zip lining in Costa Rica and visiting Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo, Norway.
The video was shared online last month, where it quickly went viral.
Social media users were left stunned by the clip.
One person said: “’Poor little guy’ The lady, ‘Would you like me to cut in four pieces?’”
Another commentor added: “Dad, the claws are still on”.
Someone else said: “Really appreciate everyone in the comments being kind and respectful about different cultures.
“I know cuy might feel surprising if you didn’t grow up with it, but in Peru and across the Andes it’s a traditional dish with a lot of history and meaning, especially during special moments.
“It’s totally okay if it’s not for you, but it means a lot when people choose curiosity and respect over judgment.”
A fourth person said: “At least they didn’t name yours.
“In Cusco, they brought ours out in a hat too and told us his name is Jeffrey.”
Another viewer added: “I thought it was a sweet potato.”
Someone else said: “Is that a rat?”
Another commentor added: “Dad. You did that on purpose.”
Another person said: “Did she order that not knowing what it was lmao”
A ninth person said: “The hat took me out.
“Why’d you order that?”
Another person said: “It’s common in Peru.
“Think of it like rabbit.”
Someone else said: “Surprise.”
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