Fact Check: Did Trump Offer to Buy Food in Miami But Leave Without Paying?

Donald Trump's appearance in Florida this week, after being arraigned on 37 federal charges related to alleged mishandling classified documents, did not run entirely smoothly, with a protester managing to jump in front of the former president's motorcade.

Trump's visit to the Miami restaurant Versailles after his arraignment Tuesday was also a host to hostility after a U.K. news reporter was called a "stupid b****" by a Trump supporter after asking whether the Republican 2024 presidential front-runner was prepared to go to jail.

Claims also began spreading on social media after his trip alleging that he'd offered to buy supporters and turn-outs food but wound up "stiffing" the restaurant by not paying the bill.

The Claim

A tweet by user @thetomzone, posted on June 16, 2023, viewed 1.1 million times, included a screengrab from an article saying: "Trump tells restaurant patrons 'Food for everyone!' then leaves without paying."

Another tweet by user @JoJoFromJerz, posted on June 16, 2023, viewed 626,000 times, said: "Wait wait... so trump went to that Cuban restaurant in Miami after he was arraigned on federal charges and promised "Food for everyone!" but then left... without paying for anyone??!!"

Commentator Tristan Snell, on June 15, 2023, tweeted: "NEW: Donald Trump STIFFED Miami restaurant where he did a publicity stunt after arrest and arraignment. He announced he was paying for everyone's food — then he left without paying for ANYTHING. Standard Trump. Fake generosity. Fake wealth. Fake everything. It's all a con.

The Facts

After his arraignment on Tuesday, the former president visited Versailles Bakery in Miami, where he was greeted by a large crowd of press and supporters.

The adjoining Versailles restaurant has been a publicity haunt for former presidents, including Barack Obama and George W. Bush.

Almost the entire visit was recorded by WPLG, whose footage shows Trump saying in the direction of the kitchen: "Are you ready? Are you ready? Food for everyone! Food for everyone."

However, as can be seen from the video, the eatery was packed with security, press, and supporters and did not seem to have (or be serving) any customers.

Later in the footage, the cameraman moves through the restaurant's kitchen, which didn't show any food preparation or cooking.

It was only shortly after this that Trump left, stopping by for about 10 minutes.

Newsweek contacted Versailles Restaurant, which confirmed the president's visit but only provided an email address when asked other questions.

The claim that Trump left without paying might have been inspired by a report in the Miami New Times, published June 14, 2023, which said: "So, New Times wondered, did Trump — who famously fancies his chicken from KFC and his steaks well-done and slathered with ketchup but isn't exactly known for picking up the check — treat his fan club to a spread of croquetas, pastelitos, and cubanos chased with cafecitos?

"It turns out no one got anything. Not even a cafecito to-go.

"A knowledgeable source assures New Times that Donald Trump's stop at Versailles totaled about ten minutes, leaving no time for anyone to eat anything, much less place an order."

The article was nonetheless quoted by a number of media outlets and social media users that said Trump left without paying, "stiffing" the restaurant.

For example, Twitter user @MediasTouch, quoted the article in a tweet posted June 15, 2023, saying: "After Trump's arraignment, he stopped at Miami's popular Cuban restaurant Versailles and promised supporters he was buying "food for everyone." It turns out he left without paying for a single item.

Laine Doss, the food and spirits editor for the Miami New Times, wrote the piece and told Newsweek she did not say that Trump stiffed the restaurant or placed an order, just that he left without an order being made.

"I never wrote that he didn't pay. I wrote that there was no food. That's all I wrote," Doss said. "No food was ordered, he left within 10 minutes and never got a chance to order and nobody ate because there was no ordering. So there was no ordering, and so no paying, and no bill, and he was only there for 10 minutes."

It appears that no order was made and the restaurant may not have been in a position to honor requests at the time, given the number of people in the venue.

There is no evidence that the restaurant or anyone else at Versailles was short-changed by the former president, as some of the social media posts suggest.

Newsweek has reached out to a representative for Trump by email for comment.

The Ruling

Unverified.

Newsweek was unable to reach the managers of the restaurant that Trump visited to confirm whether there was a bill left unpaid.

However, it appears that the claim he "stiffed" the restaurant was based on a misinterpretation of a story written by a Miami-based journalist.

While video of Trump at the Versailles Bakery in Miami shows him saying toward the eatery's kitchen "Food for everyone!" the venue was packed with reporters, security and supporters, and did not seem to be taking orders at the time he was there.

In any case, there is no evidence that Trump left the restaurant without paying for orders, but it has not been verified by the restaurant.

FACT CHECK BY Newsweek's Fact Check team