Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
[UPDATE] Italian Tourist Dining At Smith & Wollensky Forgot Wallet, Spent Night In Jail
By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 25, 2013
Modified Jan 25, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Photo of Graziussi, left, courtesy Honest Cooking
By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 25, 2013
Modified Jan 25, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
[UPDATE BELOW] Every waiter knows that Europeans are among the worst tippers on earth, but they can usually be counted on to at least pay the bill. But the Maitre d' at Midtown East steakhouse Smith & Wollensky wasn't about to take any chances on Italian tourist Graziano Graziussi when, at the end of his meal Monday night, he realized he forgot his wallet in his hotel. The bill came to $208, and apparently washing dishes is no longer an option these days.
Graziussi, who was dining at the restaurant with a friend, tells Honest Cooking, "I kindly asked the staff how we could manage the situation. I proposed to leave my iPhone with them, run back to the hotel and then come back with my wallet in 15 minutes.” Instead, the Maitre d' called the cops. "I wasn’t worried," Graziuissi says. "I thought that the police would laugh at the situation and let me go get my wallet. But, they were pretty rough. They handcuffed me outside the restaurant and took me straight to jail like a criminal."
Graziussi, who has no criminal record, begged the officers to take him to his hotel so he could retrieve his wallet, but they refused, explaining that they weren't "a taxi service." As for his offer to leave his iPhone as collateral while he ran back to his hotel, a police source asks the Daily News, “How do they know that iPhone was his? It could have come from anywhere." It also seems a tad curious that Graziussi's friend had absolutely no means of paying the bill either.
Graziussi spent the night in the tombs, where, he says, "you are treated like an animal, for forgetting your wallet." He was released after appearing before a judge in the morning, having promised to return to court next week and pay the check. While apologetic, he tells Honest Cooking, "I would have expected an upscale place like Smith & Wollensky to behave a bit more courteous to their customers." An employee at Smith & Wollensky would not comment on the incident, referring us to the restaurant's publicist, which is also declining to comment.
Update 5:43 p.m.: Smith & Wollensky has issued this statement:
We have been in business in New York City for over 35 years and normally, it is our policy to maintain our guests’ privacy on all matters. We do not contact the police in any matter involving our customers without significant cause. NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly commented on the situation in his press conference this afternoon:
“Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the 43-year-old lawyer from Naples did have a wallet with $118, but refused to hand it over. Graziussi claimed not to speak English, but a patrol supervisor who responded to the scene was fluent in Italian and was able to translate. He conducted the interview and determined that the individual simply did not want to pay.”
Tagged
dine and dash
smith & wollensky
tourists
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .