Safeguarding Your Restaurant: Preventing Dine and Dash Incidents

“Dine and dash” a.k.a “Dine and ditch” is a common slang phrase for leaving a bar or restaurant without paying the bill. Needless to say, these incidents can be a frustrating and costly challenge for restaurant owners and staff. The poor waiter is left without a tip and having to explain the situation to his boss. 

Malta too has had its fair share of dine and ditch incidents, the most recent widely publicized incident, was at Marilu’s in Siggiewi. Whereby a group of 7 French tourists left without paying their €135 bill. 

The same group later reached out to the owners and settled the bill, allegedly claiming that they had simply “forgotten” to pay. Since then, Marilu’s graciously removed images of the perpetrators from their social media pages and refrained from pressing charges. 

Let’s assume this was not a genuine case of forgetfulness… should the restaurant have pressed charges and involved the police? Was it wise to publicly accuse the customers on social media? And ultimately, should the server have been held responsible for the restaurant’s losses, or should the French embassy have footed the bill? 🙂 …

In August 2023, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ordered Italy’s embassy in Albania to cover the bill for a group of Italian tourists who walked out of a restaurant in Albania without paying what they owed! Sure enough this garnered lot’s of interest and jibes in the media.

• Remain calm – Reacting emotionally can escalate the situation and create a negative experience for other customers.
• Document the details – Take note of any identifying information, such as physical descriptions, clothing, or unique features. If you have security cameras installed, review the footage to get a clear understanding of the incident. 
• And yes – If a customer leaves without paying, contact the local police to report the incident. Provide them with the details you’ve gathered, including any security camera footage.

• Avoid confronting the customer aggressively or attempting to physically restrain them. This could lead to legal issues and put your staff and other customers at risk.
• Refrain from publicly accusing customers without concrete evidence. Accusations without proof can harm your restaurant’s reputation and may lead to legal consequences.
• Never expect the servers to pay for your losses – even if you feel they should have been more vigilant. A waiter is not at fault for a customer that misbehaves.

Prevention is better than cure. Here are some top tips from Jonathan Azzopardi Frantz, co-founder at Tableo – developers of a restaurant reservation and management platform.

Consider implementing prepayment or credit-card authorisation policies – especially for larger groups or during busy hours. This can help ensure that customers are committed to paying for their meals before leaving the premises… and if they don’t – you can charge their card.

Unlike walk-ins, to make an online booking, a person must provide you with contact details. If someone believes they will be caught, they are far less inclined to steal, and if you have their name, phone number, and other contact details, you have all the information the police need to look into it.

Your servers will have a harder time keeping track of their tables and customers if your restaurant has a vast floor plan with lots of private nooks. Make every effort to modify the layout of your restaurant so that staff can more easily observe their patrons. Using a single entry for clients is one method. This way, someone considering walking away without paying only needs to pass through one door. Servers are more likely to witness the dashers and will make it easier for cameras to capture clear images of the perpetrators. 

Tableo includes a feature which helps you design a digital layout of your floor plan. You can play about with different layouts before physically moving those tables. 

Train your staff to be vigilant and attentive to customers, especially during busy periods. Encourage them to greet and interact with tables promptly, making it clear that they are observant and attentive to the dining area.

A quicker rate of service reduces the possibility that a customer would simply walk out after growing weary of waiting to pay. While prompt service is crucial during the meal, waiting for the bill after requesting it can be particularly irritating.

Display clear and visible signage that communicates your restaurant’s policies regarding dine and dash incidents. This can act as a deterrent and remind customers of the consequences.

Install security cameras in key areas of the restaurant. This not only serves as a deterrent but also provides valuable evidence in case an incident occurs.

As a restaurant owner, you can’t guarantee you will never suffer any dine and dash incidents. However by implementing the above strategies you can significantly reduce the risk. In the unfortunate event that it does occur, staying calm, documenting details and collaborating with local authorities are key steps to handling the situation responsibly. 

As for the patrons, even if you make it to the parking lot without paying for your food, remember the restaurant may have security cameras. These images can go to the police, or perhaps worse, be used to tarnish your reputation on social media.