My Greedy Father-in-Law Put a Hair in an Expensive Dish to Get It for Free—but Karma Got Him Immediately…
Frank had always prided himself on his ability to snag freebies through sneaky tactics, but his luck finally ran out at a high-end restaurant. What began as a simple meal quickly spiraled into a public spectacle when karma came knocking, teaching him a lesson he never expected.
Let me introduce you to Frank, my father-in-law. He’s one of those people who never misses a chance to scam someone for personal gain. I’ve witnessed it countless times, but I never imagined I’d see the day when his tricks would backfire so spectacularly, leaving him scrambling for the door, red-faced and defeated.
I’ve known Frank for about nine years now, ever since I started dating his son, Ethan. The first time I met him was over dinner at a restaurant, and that’s when I saw Frank in action. He didn’t waste a moment before pulling one of his infamous stunts.
We were enjoying our meal—Ethan had a sandwich, I ordered pasta, and Frank, a bowl of sesame chicken. As we ate, Frank made a point of praising the food. “This chicken is amazing!” he declared. But what happened next took me by surprise.
“Watch this,” he said with a grin, signaling the waiter over.
The waiter approached, polite as could be, “How can I help you, sir?”
Frank’s demeanor changed instantly. “This chicken is awful!” he barked. “Tasteless and undercooked. How can you serve such garbage?”
I was stunned. He had just been raving about the meal moments earlier.
The waiter, visibly flustered, apologized profusely and offered to replace the dish immediately. Frank waved him off, “Just hurry up. I don’t have all day.”
The waiter scurried away, and Frank turned back to us with a sly smile, looking pleased with himself for pulling off his scam.
Later that night, I asked Ethan why his father did that. Ethan sighed, clearly used to his dad’s antics. “He’s always been like that. He thinks it’s funny, and no matter how many times we tell him it’s wrong, he doesn’t care.”
It bothered me, but I let it go. After all, I didn’t want to rock the boat so early in our relationship. But over the years, I watched in disbelief as Frank pulled these cheap tricks everywhere we went—restaurants, hotels, you name it. He always found a way to score something for free, even when he didn’t need to.
Then last weekend, karma finally caught up with Frank in the most satisfying way possible.
Frank called Ethan and suggested we all try out a new, upscale restaurant near his workplace. “I’ve heard the food’s expensive,” he said, “Let’s see if it’s worth the money.”
Ethan and I reluctantly agreed, knowing Frank was probably up to something. When we arrived, it was clear this place wasn’t your average diner. The menu was pricey, and the portions small—a classic fine dining setup.
We ordered our meals: Ethan and I opted for simple pasta dishes, while Frank, true to form, chose the most expensive item on the menu—lobster. “Trying something new, Frank?” Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Why not?” Frank grinned, already plotting his next move.
When our meals arrived, we dug in, but it wasn’t long before I noticed Frank eyeing his lobster suspiciously. Then, in a move so brazen I could hardly believe it, he plucked a hair from my head and placed it on his plate.
Without missing a beat, Frank called the waiter over, pretending to be horrified. “There’s a hair in my food!” he shouted. “I demand you take this back. I won’t be paying for this.”
Ethan and I sat in stunned silence, but I could tell from Ethan’s clenched jaw that he was just as fed up as I was.
The waiter apologized and went to fetch the manager. I thought the situation couldn’t get worse, but I was wrong. When the manager returned, he was accompanied by another waiter, who whispered something in his ear. The manager’s expression shifted from apologetic to stern.
“Sir,” the manager said, his tone firm, “We believe you placed that hair on your plate yourself. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Frank’s face turned beet red. “How dare you accuse me of that? I’m the customer here!”
But the manager wasn’t budging. “One of our staff recognized you from another restaurant where you pulled the same stunt. We take food safety seriously here, and we won’t tolerate this behavior. Please leave, or we’ll call the authorities.”
By now, other diners were watching the scene unfold, some whispering, others chuckling. Frank’s usual swagger disappeared as he realized he was caught. He stood up, grabbed his coat, and stormed out without another word.
But before he could escape, the manager called after him. “And just so you know, we’ll be sharing your information with other restaurants in the area. You won’t be welcome at any of them.”
Frank’s face went pale as he realized the extent of the damage. Not only had he been publicly humiliated, but his freebie-scamming days were officially over. As he hurried out of the restaurant, Ethan and I sat there, trying to process what had just happened.
And then, it hit me—I couldn’t stop laughing. Frank, the man who prided himself on cheating the system, had finally been taken down by karma. Ethan chuckled beside me, shaking his head. “Well, I guess he finally learned that cheating doesn’t pay.”
That night, as we drove home, I thought about how satisfying it was to watch Frank get what he deserved. Sometimes, you don’t need to intervene—karma has a way of stepping in when the time is right.
And in Frank’s case, it couldn’t have come at a better time.