Vigo court fines man 150 euros for unpaid restaurant bill

A man in Vigo, Spain, has been ordered to pay a 150-euro fine after refusing to pay a 19-euro restaurant bill. The incident occurred on August 22, 2025, at a restaurant in the Casco Vello area, where the individual and three others consumed beverages.

The man left the establishment without paying, claiming the price was too high. The Court of Instruction number 5 of Vigo convicted him of a minor crime of fraud. Although the defendant appealed to the Provincial Court of Pontevedra, arguing there was no intent to defraud, the court upheld the sentence.

The magistrate ruled that the man acted with “evident intent to profit” by consuming the drinks and leaving without payment. The court noted that the defendant failed to prove the prices were disproportionate and did not attempt to pay a reasonable amount before leaving.