Pei Chung, Wannabe Food Blogger, Arrested Nine Times in 2025 for Dine-and-Dash Antics at Williamsburg Brooklyn Restaurants

Pei Chung, 34, the self-styled food blogger from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, whose audacious attempts to dine for free at high-end restaurants have landed her behind bars nine times so far in 2025. Known for her designer wardrobe, Prada heels, and Hermes belts, Chung has become a familiar — and infamous — figure in the Brooklyn restaurant scene.

Chung, who lives in a waterfront luxury apartment in Williamsburg, has been trying to carve out a name for herself as a “free meal influencer,” targeting upscale eateries like Peter Luger Steak House and Patricia’s, where she allegedly gorges on meals, takes photos for her Instagram feed, and then claims she cannot pay.

At Peter Luger, a manager recounted one instance where Chung spent six hours at a table for two, ordering dish after dish and snapping photos. When the nearly $200 bill arrived, she refused to pay, prompting staff to call police. On another occasion, she reportedly hid in the restaurant bathroom for 45 minutes before being found by staff.

Pei Chung, Wannabe Food Blogger, Arrested Nine Times in 2025 for Dine-and-Dash Antics at Williamsburg Brooklyn Restaurants

At Patricia’s, a server told News12 Brooklyn that Chung ordered rib-eye steak and linguine with clams. When presented with the bill, she allegedly insisted she had no money and claimed to be an “influencer,” hoping her Instagram fame would excuse the unpaid meal. In reality, her account (@lu.pychung) with 14.5k followers features more images of herself than food.

Chung’s attempts at “bartering” her meals have included offering anything a server wanted in exchange for payment, promising family would settle her bills, and claiming she would write glowing reviews afterward — tactics that have repeatedly backfired. In late October, she was arrested for attempting to barter a $188 bill at Francie, and just last week, she was handcuffed at the bar on theft-of-services charges.

While some food bloggers negotiate free meals in exchange for pre-arranged coverage, Chung’s approach is different — she reportedly consumes full courses and then surprises staff with her “free write-up,” leaving waiters out of pocket and frustrated.

Pei Chung, Wannabe Food Blogger, Arrested Nine Times in 2025 for Dine-and-Dash Antics at Williamsburg Brooklyn Restaurants

Despite her run-ins with the law, Chung seems undeterred. Her designer look and bold attitude — hallmarks of NYC hustlers — have allowed her to slip in repeatedly, creating a cycle of arrests, social media posts, and audacious attempts at NYC restaurant fame. As one anonymous restaurant owner told News12, “She looked like she had money. She even had a fur coat on when she came in, that’s why I didn’t expect anything.”

In a city like New York, where social climbing, hustling, and audacious antics are part of the culture, Pei Chung’s dine-and-dash escapades are just another example of the lengths some will go to chase fame — or at least a free meal — in the name of influencer culture.