All the evidence indicates just this. Everyone would have been better off if he had.
Everyone might have been better off if this guy had brought his wallet with him.
As it stands now, the wallet-forgetter has now learned to bring his wallet with him, he's gotten his picture in the newspaper and his 15 minutes plus kept his phone, the restaurant presumably has the money it was owed without having to pay an employee to follow a customer to a hotel, the NY Post reporter got some extra papers sold, and I doubt the restaurant has lost any business.
As far as this case is concerned, all is now right with the world.