Man's plan to grab an 'all-you-can-eat' free meal backfires when the chef outwits him

Who can resist the lure of an all-you-can-eat deal? Pay the price of one dish and eat as much as you like—what’s not to love? Well, that’s what Reddit user u/Tough-Painting6400 thought until he met his match in a crafty chef. In a humorous Reddit post, he shared a story from 20 years ago, back when he was a regular at a local restaurant and decided to challenge himself at their all-you-can-eat event. Little did he know, the chef had a few tricks up his sleeve.

In the post, he described how he and his wife kept a boat at a lake near their home, where a nearby restaurant offered an "all-you-can-eat fried catfish" special. "These catfish were whole and about the size of a grown man’s hand. We had eaten there three or four times a month for the past three years. I held the record of 17 catfish consumed, and Pete, the owner and cook, always said I’d maxed out and could never beat my score," he recalled. But that’s when he decided to take on an even bigger challenge.

During the man's birthday, he invited over 10 family members and friends and took them to the same restaurant. "I boldly and loudly announced that I was going to beat my record of 17 catfish. Pete overheard my braggadocio and took our orders. A lot of beer was being consumed. Pete brought out nine platters, turned to me and said 'beat your record and everything is on the house,'" the man wrote. The guests started cheering and then Pete announced that if the man failed to break his record, he had to give two of the restaurant employees, Gail and Debbie, a 25% tip. The man and his guests agreed on the deal, thrilled by the prospect of a free meal.

But Pete decided to turn the tables and brought out the first catfish. "That sucker weighed 5 pounds, I could not even eat the one! Everyone laughed and we did have a great time. And yes the girls got their tip and I never messed with Pete again. Pete and I remained friends until he passed away last year. He never tired of telling this story," the post concluded. The Reddit comment section also left hilarious remarks about the man getting outwitted by the chef.

u/dc_IV wrote, "I bet Pete had an inkling you had family in town and noodled a few 5-pounders just in case and it took only the one! Regardless, I so appreciate the retelling of what was a memory for so many fine folks." u/Day_Bow_Bow wondered, "How fricking small were the normal catfish? If that 5 lb was more than the 17 normal fish, that makes the normal fish less than 5 oz. Meat yield on catfish is 25%, which makes them under 20 oz. That's some tiny catfish." u/Old-Bat4194 joked, "He had that catfish fed specially for you just in case you wanted to go after the record that you set. Looks like Pete stacked the odds in his favor."