Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Morgan Carmichael

Mystery Boston man pays for Glasgow diners' meals after Tartan Army won city's hearts

A BOSTON man paid for customers' meals in a Glasgow restaurant as a gesture of goodwill following the Tartan Army's takeover of the city this summer.

The man is reported to have walked into Cafe Gandolfi in the Merchant City last Sunday and announced: "I'm from Boston and I am paying for all your bills."

(Image: Gordon Terris)

A customer who witnessed the scene told the Glasgow Times: "Everyone was looking at each other and laughing and the staff seemed bemused.

"The guy sat in the corner and I spoke to him as I was leaving. He said the people of Boston were blown away with the Tartan Army and that the Scottish were such amazing people who had put their hearts together again and made them smile."

The customer added: "He was so happy to be in Glasgow. I think this was his way of saying thank you."

(Image: Andrew Milligan)
(Image: Andrew Milligan/PA)

Cafe Gandolfi confirmed the man paid for a number of tables during his visit to the restaurant, with a member of staff saying he spent a significant amount of money.

The employee added: "It was such a cheerful thing for him to do.

"He was very excited to be in Scotland and just wanted to give back to the people here."

The man is said to have been affiliated with the band Hollywood Vampires. Formed in 2012, the band was founded by Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen and Joe Perry.

Although he was not a member of the band, the man travelled to Glasgow with them on their tour bus.

It comes as the group performed at the OVO Hydro in the West End of the city yesterday (Monday, August 17).

The customer said: "He said he came to Glasgow with friends who were doing a gig on Monday and had got in that morning on the tour bus from Scarborough."

Hollywood Vampires performed at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on Saturday, August 15.

The kind gesture comes after the Tartan Army left a lasting impression on Boston during Scotland's FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign.

(Image: Ryan McDougall/PA Wire)

We previously reported that tourism body Meet Boston said Scotland fans had brought "palpable joy" to the city, while Matt Damon described the takeover as "epic" and said the Scottish fans in Boston were one of his favourite storylines of the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts state senator Paul Feeney praised the supporters for being "courteous, polite and great fun", highlighting their visits to children's hospitals, donations to local charities, music in neighbourhoods and trademark humour.

(Image: Andrew Milligan)
(Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire/PA Images)

The relationship has since continued through a series of gestures on both sides of the Atlantic. Boston-area donors sent money to the Scottish SPCA, a traffic cone covered in messages from Scotland was flown to the US as a symbol of friendship, and a new Twinned in Tartan design was unveiled in Glasgow to mark the growing bond between the two cities.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.