A thug armed with a metal tent peg was disarmed by a clubgoer who offered to buy him a KFC if he dropped the weapon.
Simbarashe Zimbwa donned a balaclava outside the fast food branch in Edinburgh and told Nathan Taylor he had a blade.
While terrified witnesses called 999, Nathan tried to reason with Zimbwa but was rebuffed, reports the Daily Record.
Zimbwa, 26, finally agreed to put down the tent peg after Nathan said he’d buy him some Kentucky Fried Chicken.
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He appeared from custody at the city’s sheriff court on Tuesday and admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive behaviour.
The court heard Zimbwa had fled to the capital to escape gang violence in South Yorkshire and planned to live in a tent.
Fiscal depute Chelsea Martin said Nathan and two pals had been at the Why Not nightclub in the city centre’s George Street.
Ms Martin said the trio went to the KFC outlet in nearby South St Andrew Street at around 12.35am.
She said Nathan came back out the restaurant and asked Zimbwa “if he was OK as he heard his friends telling him to leave them alone”.
The court heard Zimbwa “pulled a balaclava over his face” and went for an “object” in his pocket which was “silver in colour”.
Ms Martin said: “The accused stated that he had a blade and to ‘come round the corner’.
“After being told by the accused he had a knife, (Nathan) removed the belt from his trousers in a bid to protect himself if needed.
“He asked the accused several times to drop the instrument which he did not do.
“(Nathan) continued to try to talk with him and the accused agreed to put down the object after (Nathan) offered to buy him a KFC.”
Police had been called by witnesses and officers arrested Zimbwa who was found to have a metal tent peg.
Defence agent Charles Morrison said Zimbwa had only arrived in Edinburgh on the night of the incident on September 29 last year.
Mr Morrison said Zimbwa, who is currently on remand in the city’s Saughton Prison, had a significant criminal record and had been “escaping” gang violence in South Yorkshire where he lived.
Sheriff Chris Dickson deferred sentence on Zimbwa until later this month for reports.
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