The deputy prime minister was likely the last person two seniors in an outer Brisbane McDonalds expected to join them for lunch.
Grabbing his meal, Barnaby Joyce perched himself at the same table as the older couple before discussing Labor's safeguard mechanism plans, and what it meant for the future of coal and jobs in the region.
"These are my people," he said smiling as he collected his meal.
A friendly lunch partner likely helped. Far from a swing voter, David Ranch was in complete agreement, ropeable at Labor's attitude to coal.
The surprise meeting was something the Zillmere resident appreciated on his Thursday afternoon, lauding Mr Joyce as a fair dinkum bloke, free of the pretentiousness often associated with politics.
It's the approach the Nationals leader adopts on his street walks as he visits Lowood and Caboolture.
Mr Joyce knows he's not popular everywhere, especially not in inner city seats. He accepts it and he works within his parameters.
The most common reaction from people on the street is that the Nationals leader is a straight-shooter, an average joe who spoke their language.
"He's just an ordinary guy. Down to earth country fella that doesn't talk s***," one Lowood bakery customer said after the deputy prime minister had moved on.
Humility is what Mr Joyce says it at the centre of his campaigning ethos, which involves presenting himself to as many people on the street as he can.
It's something he tells other coalition candidates to do. To be seen, unscripted.
On a day where inflation figures were dominating headlines and the prime minister was defending Australia's economic performance compared to international economies, Mr Joyce addressed a politics in the pub event at a Caboolture RSL.
"What's inflation? The world basically printed money during the pandemic and money goes looking for a home," he told the crowd, in which the mid-50s parliamentarian looked the youngest.
"You become poorer. Fuel prices go up."
It was language they understood and provided a springboard for him to launch into a tirade about why a strong economy and export dollars are important, and why the National backing in coal and the resource sector was so important to them.
You'd never believe his popularity in the room, if you relied on Twitter. It would be surprising if a single voter in the outer Brisbane suburb was on the social media platform.
But it was in the RSLs and streets of Queensland where his brash and theatric rhetoric cuts through.
"You dive too deep into the Twitter hole and all you'll find is pus and Tony Windsor," Mr Joyce laughed.
