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Oregon Couple Arrested for Allegedly Tipping in Meth

Photos: Tripadvisor, Clatsop Country Jail
Hillary Dixler Canavan is Eater's restaurant editor and the author of the publication's debut book, Eater: 100 Essential Restaurant Recipes From the Authority on Where to Eat and Why It Matters (Abrams, September 2023). Her work focuses on dining trends and the people changing the industry — and scouting the next hot restaurant you need to try on Eater's annual Best New Restaurant list.

An Oregon couple was arrested after apparently leaving a waitress a tip in the form of crystal meth. The Daily Astorian reports that last Friday at the Seaside, OR restaurant Twisted Fish Steakhouse Ryan Bensen and Erica Manley ordered drinks and then allegedly left "an envelope full of methamphetamine" as an extra thanks to their server. The server immediately called the police, who arrived while Bensen and Manley were still on site. Twisted Fish manager Steve Keszler tells the Oregonian the incident was completely unexpected: "We're not a little dive bar or hole in the wall. We're a classy place."

Upon arrival, the police searched the couple at the restaurant and found "more than 17 ounces of meth in Manley's purse." The police also searched the couple's hotel room and found "a meth lab comprising a small torch, batteries and other items." Bensen and Manley have been arrested on charges of possession and manufacture of methamphetamine, and Manley has also been charged with delivering methamphetamine. Seaside police chief Robert Gross sums up the situation succinctly: "While I should be shocked and surprised, it's just another example of how dumb these users and dealers are."

· Here's a tip: Don't reward your Seaside waitress with meth [Daily Astorian]
· Oregon couple's meth tip at Seaside steakhouse [Oregonian]
· All Drugs Coverage on Eater [-E-]

Twisted Fish Steakhouse

311 Broadway, Seaside, Oregon 97138