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Tom Cruise couldn't pay restaurant bill

Aug 23, 2012, 15:03 GMT

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise was unable to foot a £220 restaurant bill.

The 50-year-old millionaire actor made a 'shock' visit to the Veer Dhara restaurant in St Albans, Hertfordshire, East England with pals - thought to include his 19-year-old daughter Isabella - on Tuesday (21.08.12) but was left red-faced when the eatery didn't accept his American Express card or dollar bills.

Darshit Hora, the restaurant manager, told the Evening Standard newspaper: 'It was a big shock for us when he walked in. He said we had been recommended to him, but he would not say by whom.

'At the end of the meal he wanted to pay, but we could not accept American Express. He said his whole group only had dollars, then a lady came forward and paid in £50 notes.'

However, if the group - who left a generous tip - hadn't been able to stump up the cash, the restaurant owners were more than happy to give them their meal for free.

Darshit added: 'The bill was £220.85 so they left almost an £80 tip. It was very generous. If they did not have any money, it would have been on the house.'

The 'Mission: Impossible' star's bodyguards were the first to enter the Indian restaurant to warn staff that a 'special' Hollywood star was about to enter the building and wanted a low-key meal.

The restaurant owner added: 'They said someone special was coming but did not say who it was. When he came in it was a big shock but we just wanted to be professional.

'They said he wanted a nice, quiet meal with his family, so we sat them near the kitchen.'

The star warned staff he was 'really hungry' so asked for his starter to be served at the same time as his main course, an 'extra spicy' chicken tikka masala, which he washed down with sparkling water.

Tom - whose divorce from Katie Holmes was finalised yesterday (22.08.12) - was filming 'All You Need Is Kill' in the area with Emily Blunt.