A bizarre incident at a local restaurant in Tennessee has gone viral after police bodycam footage showed a woman refusing to pay her dinner tab — insisting that her Facebook friends would handle the bill for her.
The strange event unfolded on a quiet Tuesday evening at Brick Oven Bistro, where the woman, later identified as Jessica Palmer, ordered a full meal including a large pizza, a glass of wine, and dessert. Everything seemed normal until it was time to pay.
According to the restaurant staff, Palmer appeared calm at first but became defensive when presented with the $48 check. She told the cashier,
“I don’t need to pay. I’m an influencer — my Facebook followers will take care of it.”
Confused, the cashier asked her to clarify, at which point Palmer allegedly began scrolling through her phone, showing her Facebook page and claiming that “hundreds of people had liked her dinner post.” When staff explained that social media likes didn’t pay the bill, she grew agitated, saying,
“You don’t understand how this works. They’re sending me money right now — just wait.”
After nearly 20 minutes of argument, the restaurant manager decided to call the police. The responding officers’ bodycam footage, now circulating widely online, shows Palmer standing at the counter, insisting that the restaurant should “trust the process.”
One officer can be heard calmly saying,
“Ma’am, you can’t leave without paying. That’s considered theft.”
Palmer, however, doubled down on her claim, stating,
“I’m not stealing — I’m crowd-funded. My followers always come through.”
When asked if anyone had actually sent her money, she admitted that “it might take a few hours.” At that point, officers explained that she either needed to pay immediately or face charges. After several tense moments, a friend of Palmer’s arrived and reluctantly covered the bill to prevent her arrest.
The restaurant later released a statement confirming that no charges were filed but emphasized the importance of paying before leaving.
“We appreciate all our customers, but social media doesn’t replace payment. We encourage everyone to settle their tabs the traditional way,” the owner said with a hint of humor.
Since then, the incident has sparked intense debate online. Some viewers found the situation amusing, joking that Palmer had “invented Facebook Pay 2.0,” while others criticized her for entitlement and disrespect toward restaurant workers.
“This level of delusion is wild. Being online doesn’t mean the real world stops working,” one commenter wrote.
Experts note that cases like this reflect the growing disconnect between online validation and real-world responsibility.
“Social media fame can create a false sense of influence,” said sociologist Dr. Megan Holloway. “But in the end, the rules of society — like paying for what you order — still apply.”
As for the restaurant, they’ve since added a cheeky new sign at the counter:
“Likes don’t pay bills — cash or card only.”
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