March 3 (UPI) — A large group of diners celebrating a baptism at a restaurant in northwestern Spain snuck out together without paying their bill.
Antonio Rodriguez, owner of El Carmen restaurant in Bembibre, said the group of 120 people paid a 900 euro ($950 USD) deposit before the meal, but crept out of the restaurant before dessert and before settling their 2,000 euro ($2,110) bill.
“It happened in the space of a minute,” Rodriguez said. “It was something they’d planned.”
He said the group ordered and consumed starters, a main course and 30 bottles of various alcoholic drinks before disappearing without paying.
Rodriguez detailed the incident to police, but said he had no expectation of ever receiving payment from the group.
The owners of another nearby restaurant suspected they were victims of the same group when a similar situation occurred in February.
“They had made a reservation for 100 but there was close to 200 people present,” the owners of El Rincon de Pepin said. “Just after eating their desserts when I was on my way to make coffee, they all upped and left.”
