Following in the footsteps of Pakistani chai wala Arshad Khan, a handsome Saudi cookie seller has found overnight fame after his image stole the hearts of many fans on social media.
Abdullah Al Dhibikhi was spotted while selling a traditional sweet called kleicha in a booth at Al Janadriyah cultural and heritage festival in Riyadh, and images and video of him quickly spread on Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.
"During these festivals, I usually work behind the scenes to ensure that everything is going smoothly, this time I decided to help the salesman and so my participation in Al Janadriyah sparked controversy," the 27-year old said in an interview with a social media blogger.
Al Dhibikhi said he was “surprised” to see the reaction of people who surrounded his booth to take photos and videos of him.
"What a shame, all of this fuss and he is selling kleicha, he should be one of Hollywood's movie stars or at least a model," wrote this user on Twitter:
The newfound fame reportedly prompted the Saudi bachelor to post a sign at his stall asking customers to “buy the kleicha first and then take photographs”.
“If you don’t marry a man with his looks, then stay at home with your parents," commented this user on Twitter:
Al Dhibikhi said that he is not only a kleicha seller but is also a businessman who has been manufacturing popular Saudi goods for 12 years while a team of young Saudis work with Al Dhibiki organising festivals and exhibitions around the kingdom.
Kleicha is considered to be the national cookie of Iraq, and is usually made with a walnut or date filling, and is traditionally served in homes during the holiday season.
"Please don't go," writes this Twitter user as the caption of a video that show Al Dhibikhi leaving his market stall:
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