As a person existing on the internet, you’ve presumably heard of cat cafés, the widespread dine-in phenomenon that allows diners to supplement their tea and cake with the attention of a bunch of cuddle-friendly felines. The popularity of the cat café concept has quickly branched out, allowing diners—often in Japan—to hang out with pretty much every member of the animal kingdom, including owls, snakes, and goats, while they eat.
Now, though, a San Francisco business is pushing the concept to what might very well be its limit, setting up a café around one of humanity’s least favorite creatures, at least when it comes to proximity to food. Per Eater, tourist attraction The San Francisco Dungeon has launched a pop-up destination called The Black Rat Café, which will allow patrons to hang out with a crew of domesticated rodents after their meal.
For $50, you’ll be led into a basement, fed drinks and snacks, and then, once the food has been cleared away—because even a literal rat café has to hold to proper food handling guidelines—the rats will be unleashed to come out and play. Which, honestly, sounds pretty fun; as that one friend we all have will no doubt be quick to remind us, domesticated rats are smart, friendly, and clean animals, and getting to pet and play with them sounds like a nifty time. (All the animals will apparently come from a local rescue service for domestic pet rats.) Just make sure your dining companions know what they’re getting into when you invite them along, lest an outburst of muriphobia turn your rodent playdate into a scene from Willard or Ben.
[Note: Jezebel, like The A.V. Club, is owned by Univision Communications.]