A couple dining at a family-run Italian restaurant in Widnes, Cheshire, are under police investigation after allegedly planting broken glass in their meal to avoid paying a £64.85 bill — all while accompanied by their daughter.
The incident occurred on Saturday at San Marino restaurant, where the pair had walked in without a reservation. According to staff, the couple claimed the woman nearly broke her veneers on a sharp object she found in her pasta — a claim they used to refuse payment and allegedly seek compensation before leaving the premises.
According to San Marino’s managing director Miraz Yolcu, CCTV footage reviewed after the incident revealed what appears to be a staged setup. The video — which has since been viewed more than 115,000 times on Facebook — allegedly shows the man pulling a piece of glass from his pocket and passing it discreetly to the woman, who then placed it on her napkin.
Moments later, she was seen scooping pasta onto the napkin before summoning a server and pointing out the glass shard. “It was shocking to see the CCTV footage. They were with their daughter but they're not ashamed,” Yolcu told The Sun.
“They weren't booked and they just came and said they needed something to eat so we happily showed them a table. They ordered their food and started eating and everything was fine.”
The bill included a Penne San Marino pasta, chargrilled lamb shish kebab, garlic bread, Caesar salad, still and sparkling water, and a Coca-Cola.
“They had almost finished their food when the lady called one of the staff and said she found a piece of glass on her food that was in her mouth and almost broke her veneer teeth she has paid thousands of pounds for. They wanted to go to a GP,” Yolcu explained.
“Everybody was in shock. The staff were worried and they called the manager who came and asked what had happened. They said they won't pay for this meal.”
The manager questioned the claim, saying the type of glass didn’t match anything used in the kitchen. “The manager was saying 'sorry it just doesn't happen, it's impossible to find glass in the food. This is not glass that we use in the kitchen',” Yolcu said.
“They sent me a picture of it and I looked at it straight away and said it wasn’t that type of glass. Before I said that they already didn't pay.”
Yolcu described how reviewing the footage revealed the alleged deception: “We looked at the CCTV and I found he took it from his pocket and gave it to her. She just put it on the table on a piece of napkin and pretended it was in her mouth.”
“They are experienced. She was looking at the cameras around.”
Despite the scam, the couple did not receive any compensation, and the restaurant has no intention of giving in to the false claim. “They didn't pay for the food but there was no compensation. We got that on the CCTV so we won't be paying them a penny.”
Yolcu shared the footage online as a warning to other small businesses, saying such scams not only create stress for staff but pose serious threats to reputations. “It doesn't happen so often but it causes a lot of stress to staff. It's a serious accusation that could involve police, environmental health and cause all sorts of problems to the business. It could be damaging to the restaurant's reputation.”
He also urged fellow restaurateurs to stay calm and rely on cameras and authorities. Meanwhile police have confirmed that investigations into the matter are underway.
The incident occurred on Saturday at San Marino restaurant, where the pair had walked in without a reservation. According to staff, the couple claimed the woman nearly broke her veneers on a sharp object she found in her pasta — a claim they used to refuse payment and allegedly seek compensation before leaving the premises.
According to San Marino’s managing director Miraz Yolcu, CCTV footage reviewed after the incident revealed what appears to be a staged setup. The video — which has since been viewed more than 115,000 times on Facebook — allegedly shows the man pulling a piece of glass from his pocket and passing it discreetly to the woman, who then placed it on her napkin.
CHEAP BRITISHER
— Mark Brewer (@theapril29th) April 8, 2025
Caught Red-Handed: Couple Fakes Glass-in-Food Drama to Skip $83 Restaurant Bill | VIDEO
The restaurant has reported the case to the police. The police said they received a report of theft and cheating.https://t.co/Ac38Lqwi9w pic.twitter.com/sebzQjtQIs
Moments later, she was seen scooping pasta onto the napkin before summoning a server and pointing out the glass shard. “It was shocking to see the CCTV footage. They were with their daughter but they're not ashamed,” Yolcu told The Sun.
“They weren't booked and they just came and said they needed something to eat so we happily showed them a table. They ordered their food and started eating and everything was fine.”
The bill included a Penne San Marino pasta, chargrilled lamb shish kebab, garlic bread, Caesar salad, still and sparkling water, and a Coca-Cola.
“They had almost finished their food when the lady called one of the staff and said she found a piece of glass on her food that was in her mouth and almost broke her veneer teeth she has paid thousands of pounds for. They wanted to go to a GP,” Yolcu explained.
“Everybody was in shock. The staff were worried and they called the manager who came and asked what had happened. They said they won't pay for this meal.”
The manager questioned the claim, saying the type of glass didn’t match anything used in the kitchen. “The manager was saying 'sorry it just doesn't happen, it's impossible to find glass in the food. This is not glass that we use in the kitchen',” Yolcu said.
“They sent me a picture of it and I looked at it straight away and said it wasn’t that type of glass. Before I said that they already didn't pay.”
Yolcu described how reviewing the footage revealed the alleged deception: “We looked at the CCTV and I found he took it from his pocket and gave it to her. She just put it on the table on a piece of napkin and pretended it was in her mouth.”
“They are experienced. She was looking at the cameras around.”
Despite the scam, the couple did not receive any compensation, and the restaurant has no intention of giving in to the false claim. “They didn't pay for the food but there was no compensation. We got that on the CCTV so we won't be paying them a penny.”
Yolcu shared the footage online as a warning to other small businesses, saying such scams not only create stress for staff but pose serious threats to reputations. “It doesn't happen so often but it causes a lot of stress to staff. It's a serious accusation that could involve police, environmental health and cause all sorts of problems to the business. It could be damaging to the restaurant's reputation.”
He also urged fellow restaurateurs to stay calm and rely on cameras and authorities. Meanwhile police have confirmed that investigations into the matter are underway.
You may also like
Rory McIlroy wins the Masters and completes golf's grand slam on chaotic day at Augusta
Mehul Choksi arrested by Belgian police; India to seek extradition
India asks telcos to reveal Chinese gear in networks amid US-China trade war
Daily Horoscope For Monday, April 14, 2025, For All Zodiac Signs By Astrologer Vinayak Vishwas Karandikar
Maharashtra Politics: Eknath Shinde Meets Amit Shah Privately In Mumbai, Downplays Factionalism Concerns
