Mariana Lambert, a waitress at the eatery, was ecstatic at the huge sum of money.
She said at the time: “It really meant a lot to me because everyone’s going through stuff. It really touched my heart. I still can’t believe it. I’m still in shock.”
However, everything would soon go wrong…
Alfredo’s Vice President Leslie Minicozzi Galacci told Newsweek that the customer would end up disputing the charge to his credit card company.
Galacci told the news outlet: “We received notice 45 days after he dined in our establishment.
“We had already paid Mari the $3,000 by a company check so currently we, as the owners, are hit with the loss.”
The management would contact Smith – hoping it was just a mistake – but the customer reportedly ended up ghosting them.
Manager Zachary Jacobson told WNEP-TV: “We thought somebody was actually trying to do a good thing.
“And then now we are, what, three months later? Not even, and there’s nothing. There’s nothing to show for it at this point.”
He added: “It’s just a little aggravating right now. It’s been causing a lot of nonsense and drama.”
Alfredo’s – mentioned in the hit TV show The Office – decided to take Smith to court, hoping to recuperate the $3,000.
“Unfortunately, we had to file charges through the magistrate’s office because now we’re just out of this money at this point,” Jacobson explained. “And he told us to sue him, so that’s what we’re going to end up doing, I guess.”
