- Read the story of the man who cried ‘heart attack’ one too many times.
Eating at fine restaurants is great — until you have to pay the bill. Still, it’s what you have to do to enjoy an excellent meal.
El Gastrojeta doesn’t think so. This notorious dine-and-dasher has inconvenienced and infuriated Spanish restaurateurs throughout the year.
Identified as a 50-year-old Lithuanian Aidas J., El Gastrojeta devised a rather ingenious strategy to get his free meals. He would pretend to have a heart attack to get out of paying the bill.
The trick proved surprisingly effective. What restaurant wouldn’t rather let the payment slide than become known as the place that let a man die for a few dozen bucks?
But one man can only have a heart attack so many times before people start getting suspicious. Word began spreading among Spanish restaurants, warning them of a 50-something man who kept collapsing before paying.
Finally, someone called El Gastrojeta’s bluff. When he tried his old trick at a restaurant in the city of Alicante, the manager didn’t call an ambulance — he called the police.
A Man of Taste, if Not Wealth
El Gastrojeta always used the same trick. He would enter a fancy restaurant and order something pricey to eat.
He often picked what you’d usually expect — lobster, entrecote, or some other kind of bougie entrée. That would usually be accompanied by a glass or two of fine, premium whiskey.
After finishing his meal, he’d try and sneak out without paying. That didn’t always work and the local police were familiar with El Gastrojeta’s face.
What’s a dine-and-dasher to do? The answer was surprisingly simple — he began pretending he was having a heart attack.
It’s a genius move, really. How is the waiter or manager supposed to know whether the person falling to the floor before them is messing about or whether his heart is actually going on a vacation?
The trick did work, and it worked very well. According to the Insider, El Gastrojeta has pulled the stunt at least 20 times in 2023 alone.
For a Fistful of Dollars
But just like with the Boy Who Cried Wolf, people eventually stopped believing the Man Who Cried Heart Attack. Lucky for El Gastrojeta, though, he wasn’t actually having a heart attack when restaurateurs’ goodwill ran out.
Last month, El Gastrojeta entered El Buen Comer restaurant in the city of Alicante, southeastern Spain. He ordered a seafood paella for one and two whiskeys.
The man enjoyed his meal, downed his drinks, and then the waiter brought the bill. As was his habit, though, El Gastrojeta had no intention of paying.
By the way, try to guess how big of a bill he was trying to dodge. It must’ve been decently big to bother with a scam, right? Maybe something like $200?
Not even close. The bill stood at 34.85 euros, which is about $37.
Come on, man. Just pay it.
Oh, Look, He’s on the Floor
No bill is too small for El Gastrojeta to not pay it, though. So, he got up and began walking to the door.
But an employee took notice and stopped the man. El Gastrojeta had an excuse prepared — he claimed he had forgotten his wallet and was on his way to fetch it from his hotel room.
The employee, and by now also the manager, responded with an unamused stare. That’s the oldest trick in the book, sir, just pay up.
Seeing he wouldn’t be able to talk his way out of this one, El Gastrojeta determined it was time to put on a show. According to local media, he dramatically grabbed his chest and threw himself onto the floor.
As writhed on the ground, the manager must’ve realized who he was dealing with. He grabbed a phone and dialed a number.
El Gastojeta may have assumed he was calling an ambulance. But no — it was the cops on the other end of the line.
The officers recognized El Gastrojeta as soon as they arrived. Since he refused to give the police his address, he was taken into custody.
After his arrest, El Gastrojeta has been sent to jail. Considering his nothing but a petty food thief, he probably won’t be staying there for long.
At least it’s clear that his jig is up now. We’ll just have to see if he comes with another hackneyed plan to try and get free food.