If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant in Columbus, you might have encountered him. Yes, we’re talking about the infamous serial dine and dasher who’s left a trail of unpaid tabs and baffled waitstaff in his wake.
The legend of this elusive foodie has even reached the hallowed halls of Reddit, where locals share their encounters. Here are some of the most outrageous stories about Columbus’s own culinary Houdini.
The Reddit thread about the serial dine and dasher in Columbus was kicked off by a restaurant worker in Grandview.
Frustrated and baffled, they shared their experience of dealing with a white man in his 50s or 60s who had dined and dashed on their restaurant an astounding ten times. He always wore a hat, left behind sunglasses, and went by the name Patrick O’Rourke—though that’s not his real name.
“The Houdini of Happy Hour”
Another Redditor witnessed the dine and dasher at Old Bag Worthington. “The sunglasses leave behind is like his calling card,” they said. It seems our mystery man loves to make a grand exit, leaving more than just astonished patrons behind.
Another user shared their frustration after seeing the dine and dasher’s escapades at Old Bag in Hilliard. “He left a ‘card holder’ with nothing in it and sunnies,” they reported. Looks like he’s not just a magician with his escapes but also with his props!
“Caught in the Act… Almost”
Yet another Reddit user recalled the dine and dasher from over five years ago. “He wore different hats, glasses, large jackets, etc. Changed his appearance very easily,” they explained. One of his most elaborate acts involved ordering a dozen oysters and a cabernet, pretending to talk to his wife, and leaving a large winter jacket behind in a blizzard. Talk about dedication to his craft!
Despite the numerous sightings and near-captures, the dine and dasher remains at large. Some have even started to see him as a sort of local folklore figure.
One commenter event joked, “What if… hear me out here… the OP is really the sunglasses dude trying to find out how much dirt people have on him!?” The conspiracy theories are as wild as the stories!
As Columbus’s restaurant staff remain on high alert, one thing is certain: the legend of the dine and dasher isn’t going away anytime soon. If you’d like to check out the thread for yourself, or contribute your own encounter, head over to Reddit right here.
Featured image by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
