Capital Region Eatery Calls Out Fake Cash, Adds Humorous “Penalty”

Restaurant Warns About Fake Cash

A Capital Region restaurant is warning others after being paid with fake cash—but they’re doing it in a way that has people chuckling as well.

The Broken Inn, a neighborhood restaurant and bar in Niskayuna,  shared on social media that a customer recently paid their tab using a counterfeit $20 bill.

Instead of making a big deal out of it, the cash-only business took a level-headed approach, reminding customers and fellow business owners to double-check bills—especially during busy times when transactions can happen quickly.

Take a Closer Look

They noted the fake bill looked convincing at first glance, but had clear giveaways upon closer inspection, including markings like “copy,” “motion picture,” and even a fake name on the bill. Adding to the frustration, the restaurant pointed out that someone had already identified it as fake previously—yet it still made its way back into circulation.

Their message to others was simple: if you get stuck with counterfeit money, don’t pass the problem along to another business.

But it was their “solution” moving forward that really grabbed attention.

The Next One Suffers Public Humiliation

If staff believe someone is trying to pay with fake cash, they joked they’ll stand on a table and loudly sing a Milli Vanilli song to publicly call them out before collecting the real payment.

"So if you're a guest at our spot and hear a server belting out 'Girl You Know It's True' or 'Blame It On The Rain,' look down—you’ll spot a fraud. Oh, and then we’ll get the real money too," they added.

That’s one way to handle it!