Community rallies after Christmas Eve dine-and-dash at Montreal eatery Mama Khan

On Christmas Eve 2025, a group of eight diners at Montreal's Mama Khan restaurant in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough skipped out on their bill, leaving owner Abdul Raziq Khan $160 short. Khan, who founded the Pakistani eatery in 2021 with his mother, was shocked as it was the first time this had happened. The unpaid portion of the $1,000 sales day represented a significant loss during slow winter months. Khan posted the incident on social media and was overwhelmed by community support. Shahryar Ahmed, whose brother was Khan's high school friend, paid the $160 tab. Additional donations included $1,000 from another person and tips for the 19-year-old waiter. Mama Khan runs soup kitchen services Tuesdays through Fridays and free meal distributions every Friday, relying entirely on restaurant revenue for community initiatives.