A 77-year-old British man was arrested in Ibiza after allegedly refusing to settle a substantial restaurant bill exceeding £10,000. The man was dining with five women, all of whom were also
detained by local authorities.
The pensioner, along with his companions—two Polish women, a Greek woman, and two Argentinian women—all under 40 years old, claimed that a seventh person had invited them to the meal but had not shown up to pay. The group asserted that this individual had reserved the table and invited them to dinner but had left before the bill arrived.
The incident took place at an unnamed restaurant in Ibiza. Following the group's refusal to pay, restaurant staff contacted the police, who then questioned the employees. The staff reported that the diners consumed high-value meals and drinks, culminating in a bill of nearly £10,500.
A spokesperson for Spain's National Police, which released photos of the group including the elderly Brit in matching Hawaiian-style attire, stated: “Officers in Ibiza have arrested six people, a British man aged 77 and five women aged 24 to 39—two Argentinians, one Greek national, and two Polish ladies—on suspicion of fraud for refusing to pay for dinner at a restaurant on the island.”
The police confirmed that the group cited the supposed invitation by the absent seventh person as their reason for not paying. However, they failed to provide any alternative explanation, leading to their arrests in the early hours of Thursday. The six individuals have reportedly already appeared before a judge, though the outcome of the court hearing remains unclear.
Related Incident: Diners Forced to Pay Unsettled Pub Bill
In an unrelated event in March, six diners who left without paying a £300 bill at the Black Bull pub in Moffat, Dumfriesshire, were escorted back by police to settle their debt. The group, who claimed dissatisfaction with their meal and table, had initially snuck out without paying. Pub owner Janie Seaton described the party's behavior as disturbing and misogynistic, noting that such incidents, unfortunately, were not uncommon. Photo by Forbfruit, Wikimedia commons.