My In-Laws Left My Mom at a Restaurant to Avoid Paying the Bill –
Too Bad My Mom Had a Plan of Her Own
My wealthy in-laws had a habit of dodging restaurant bills, always “forgetting” their wallets. When they invited my mom to a lavish Italian restaurant for a birthday dinner, they assumed she’d cover the tab. She was prepared. They ordered extravagantly—gold-flecked wagyu, rare wines—racking up a $1500 bill.
Predictably, they vanished: one “forgot” her purse, another had a “call.” Mom, unfazed, ordered a chocolate soufflé and called the manager, Robbie, her former student. They devised a plan. Robbie called the in-laws, warning of a dine-and-dash report.
They rushed back, mortified, and paid the bill plus a 25% “inconvenience fee,” over $2000. Stung, they insisted they “always pay their way.” Since then, they demand separate checks at every family meal, lesson learned. Mom’s clever move turned their scam into a costly wake-up call.