Man entered a grocery store on his birthday to pick up cake in a hurry—he could not believe what he saw next

Most people celebrate their birthdays at a restaurant, on a trip, or at home with friends and family. But for one Florida man, the perfect party happened somewhere unexpected—his local grocery store. Amanda Mickenberg–who goes by @mickloveshack on TikTok–wanted to do something different for her husband Alex Mickenberg's 32nd birthday. So she decided to surprise him at Publix, a place he visits almost daily. When Amanda saw a TikTok of someone throwing a surprise party in a grocery store, she immediately thought of Alex. "He never misses an opportunity to make a grocery run, and he talks to everyone at that particular store. So it just felt perfect!" Amanda told PEOPLE.

Before the big day, Amanda reached out to family, friends, coworkers, and church members, inviting them to be part of the surprise. A total of 26 people confirmed they could make it. "Keeping it a secret was so hard because I was beyond excited, and Alex is nearly impossible to surprise! He’s incredibly sharp and picks up on things quickly. He probably suspected I was planning something, but he knew better than to press me too much," she said. Amanda planned a brunch, a massage, and dinner to keep him from noticing anything unusual. Before dinner, she told him they needed to stop at Publix to grab his favorite Chantilly cake from the bakery.

As soon as they entered the store, Alex walked in without suspecting a thing. He headed straight for the cake, but along the way, he noticed some familiar faces—first a couple from their old neighborhood, then a friend from church. He did not realize what was happening right away, but when he kept seeing more and more people he knew, the pieces started coming together. By the time he reached the bakery, he understood. Amanda had gathered their closest friends and family, including his mother, father and grandmother, to celebrate. They later headed to a nearby restaurant for an after-party.

While many people loved the idea, others were just entertained by Alex’s reaction. @ktharlestonn said, "I’m obsessed with everyone's fake shopping." @roseycheeks98 joked, "He must be a great guy for his friends to randomly walk around the grocery store to hunt them down. A friend scavenger hunt." Some thought he was the store manager. @bakedmothbread said, "You’re telling me he’s not the store manager? He’s got the walk." @danyfra0802 wrote, "This is definitely his store. Walked in like he owned it!" @ashleystransformation commented, "The way he hugged every person before knowing! I love his energy! This was such a cute idea. Good job!! Happy birthday!"

Amanda didn’t expect the video to go viral, but she wasn’t surprised that people connected with it. She said, "The truth is, my husband is naturally inspiring. People are hurting—they don’t always feel loved or seen. Some of the comments broke my heart because they reflected that deep need. Others made me incredibly proud of the man I married." For Amanda and Alex, the best part of the celebration wasn’t where it happened but the people who were there. "At the end of the day, we don’t need fancy things. We just need to feel seen and to make others feel the same," she said.

You can follow Amanda Mickenberg (@mickloveshack) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.