A man trying to evade payment at Michael’s Bar and Grill in Manchester, Missouri, was apprehended while trying to settle his bill using a fake note claiming to be worth £700. The individual, driving a Lexus, handed over a counterfeit $1,000 (£743.93) bill to cover the cost of a meal comprising a burger and several side dishes, originally valued at around $40 (£29.76), after initially requesting change from a $100 (£74.40) bill.
Restaurant staff member Kristina Moriarty disclosed that the diner vanished after she returned with change, leaving behind the bogus “ancestor” bill. These “ancestor money” notes are ceremonial paper notes in Chinese tradition, not valid currency, typically burnt as offerings to ancestors.
The fraudulent act was captured on the restaurant’s surveillance system, which had been bolstered recently due to a series of dine-and-dash occurrences. Moriarty mentioned that incidents like this have occurred frequently, prompting the establishment to enhance security measures.
The eatery has resorted to publicly sharing footage of dine-and-dash culprits on social media to deter such behavior. The Lexus driver was publicly identified on the restaurant’s Facebook page as a consequence.
Following the exposure, the individual who tried to use the counterfeit bill saw his image online and later returned to settle his debt. Despite his apology and eventual payment, the recurring issue continues to impact the staff financially.
Long-time bartender Dawn Lamb emphasized the significance of tips to workers, expressing concern over the detrimental effect of such incidents on their income. The restaurant aims to expose and prevent such occurrences to safeguard its business and employees.
