Student with only $35 in his pocket tried to sneak out of a restaurant after racking up $4k bill

A student with only $35 in his pocket tried to sneak out of The Savoy in London after racking up an almost $4,000 bill while dining alone on his birthday.

A strapped-for-cash student tried to do a runner from one of London’s best restaurants when he realised he couldn’t fork out for the $3,835 bill. 

Yahya Egeh, 20 had just $35 in his pocket when he sat down at a table at The Savoy in London, where he planned to eat a burger to celebrate his 20th birthday, The Sunreports.

But the money — a gift from his mum — couldn’t quite cover the cost of a $3,128 bottle of 2004 Chateau Mouton Rothschild he ordered at the five-star establishment.

The award-winning wine — acclaimed by experts for its “fruity notes of black cherry, candid quince and licorice” — even bears a label designed by the Prince of Wales.

Architecture student Egeh, from Willesden Green, North-West London, chose to have his birthday meal at The Savoy after being persuaded by his friend Tallulah, Westminster magistrates heard.

But he “panicked” when she never turned up and found himself eating and drinking alone.

Egeh’s lawyer, Shaher Bukhari, said: 

Tallulah never arrived and he started to panic.

He ran up a restaurant bill of almost $4,000 for food and the wine, which has premier grand cru status — given to the most prestigious wines from Bordeaux.

It’s unclear if the man knew how much the wine cost when he ordered it.

He was apprehended by Savoy security staff after attempting to slip out of the lavish hotel on The Strand without paying.

She said when he tried to leave, he was detained by security staff, who then called police.

He apologised for what he did, the lawyer added.

The court heard Egeh, who admitted leaving without settling the bill, had no previous convictions.

He will be sentenced next week after the completion of a probation report.

This article originally appeared on The Sun