Spanish conman denounced after scoffing 700 euro Venice dinner

VENICE -- A 47-year-old Spanish tourist is under investigation after allegedly attempting to avoid paying for a lavish 700 euro meal at the Chat Qui Rit near St Mark’s Square, prompting staff to alert the Carabinieri, police said.

 A Michelin-Guide-featured location, internationally renowned for its carefully curated tasting menu inspired by traditional Venetian dishes and served with an innovative fusion twist, the Chat Qui Rit is a magnet for refined palates and attracts thousands of diners each year. So, when the visitor racked up a bill of over €700, there appeared to be little cause for concern.

 That was until came the time to settle the bill: when the waiter presented the total, the man provided a credit card which immediately returned an error, claiming that he would return the following morning to settle the amount and that the issue was simply a temporary banking problem. This explanation struck the restaurant management as suspicious and they immediately contacted the authorities.

 The tourist was then escorted to the local station, where he attempted to convince officers of his financial credibility. Investigators allege that he produced several credit cards along with receipts and documents from luxury boutiques, in an attempt to demonstrate recent high-value purchases. Under closer inspection, however, this so-called ‘evidence’ failed to hold up, as the ‘receipts’ were found to be cost estimates for items he had actually never purchased. Further investigation revealed numerous credit cards, phone SIMs and documents suggesting he may have used similar tactics elsewhere. As a result, the man has been reported for fraudulent insolvency, a charge applied when someone knowingly obtains goods or services without the intention or ability to pay.

For Venetian restaurant owners, this is far from an isolated incident, with businesses throughout the surrounding area circulating the man’s photo as a precaution, in the hopes to prevent further attempts of dine-and-dash fraud.

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As Venetians continue to bear the brunt of over-tourism, there is a growing resentment towards ‘influencer culture’ and antisocial behaviour. In 2025, the Veneto Region published a series of new regulations on its official government website in the hopes of encouraging more ‘responsible tourism’. This includes fines of up to €500 for anyone caught disturbing public order or disrespecting cultural sites.

At the Chat Qui Rit, staff continue to express disappointment at the incident: ‘He ordered, was served and satisfied, now we’re waiting for him to come back and pay’.