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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you leave a bar without paying for food?

69 replies

carlywurly · 26/01/2013 17:37

If a bill hasn't been given to you?

A couple of friends did last night in a small, local tapas type of place, and seemed to think this was fine. It's been bothering me all day, to the extent that I might go back and settle it myself. (It was probably under £10)

Dp and i had a separate tab which I made sure was cleared before we left, but they were of the opinion that if the bar weren't going to ask them for money for the food they'd had, they weren't going to offer it.

What would you do?.. They are generally lovely people but this just smacks of wrong to me.

OP posts:
LindyHemming · 26/01/2013 17:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EchoBitch · 26/01/2013 17:39

It is wrong,small businesses are struggling and it's stealing to leave a place without paying for what you've had.

puds11isNAUGHTYnotNAICE · 26/01/2013 17:40

Your friends are dicks.

MrsBW · 26/01/2013 17:40

It's against the law and just isn't particularly classy to boot.

lurkedtoolong · 26/01/2013 17:40

No that's just theft. The only time I can ever see myself not paying in that circumstance was if I had been waiting for hours and had asked several times for the bill.

I wouldn't go back and pay for someone else though.

andtheycalleditbunnylove · 26/01/2013 17:42

only if i hadn't had any food. otherwise it would be stealing. or forgetfulness.

manicbmc · 26/01/2013 17:42

Just don't go out with them. If they ask why say it's because they are dishonest twats.

difficultpickle · 26/01/2013 17:43

Did they ask for the bill? If not then how is the bar supposed to know they have finished and plan to go? It would be the last time I went out for a meal with friends who behaved like that. And I would have said something at the time too.

Bobyan · 26/01/2013 17:44

I hope the staff aren't penalised for your friends' theft.

SamanthaStormer · 26/01/2013 17:46

That's theft. YADNBU and your "friends" are out of order. To put it nicely.

BlueSuedeStiletto · 26/01/2013 17:46

NOOO! That is cheap beyond measure and stealing to boot!

When I read the title, I was expecting the leaving without paying to follow a long list of complaints about food and service. Then and ONLY then might it be acceptable. But I'd still rather go down a complaint route TBH.

But just leaving without paying because the staff may have forgotten your bill is just an opportunistic crime. I'd have been cringing in your shoes OP.

Mind you, I'm honest to a fault- I can't even accept an extra quid in my change!

wannabedomesticgoddess · 26/01/2013 17:46

What the fuck? Shock

Why would anyone think thats ok?

My uncle once laughed while telling us the restaurant had missed £50 worth of drinks off the bill. So they just didnt pay it. Disgusting.

TheArbiter · 26/01/2013 17:50

Not legal, not OK.

AllYoursBabooshka · 26/01/2013 17:52

My first thought is "Scumbags", Do they regularly steal things?

You are completely right it is wrong. I hope the staff don't pull innocent you up on this if you ever go back there.

toboldlygo · 26/01/2013 17:52

It's theft.

Did the restaurant actually have full table/waiter service? For most pub/bar/informal type places I'd expect to have to go up and pay someone at the bar at the end of the meal, not necessarily have the bill brought to the table.

expatinscotland · 26/01/2013 17:54

The ol' dine and dash. I thought that was something you did maybe once when you were 14 and skint and then wised up and realised it's theft and being a dick.

Callmedoe · 26/01/2013 17:56

I've done it three times once in a bar, once in Pizza Hut and once in Morrisons. In the bar someone chased and down the road because we'd forgotten to pay, we coughed up naturally and were very embarrassed. In Pizza Hut we accidently paid the wrong amount and got chased into the car park, again coughed up. I'm ashamed to say though in Morrisons I didn't really until I looked at the reciept when I got home. So not a great track record but all innocent mistakes I can assure you.

StaceymReadyForNumber3 · 26/01/2013 17:58

I have considered leaving when I've asked for the bill, been presented it then been ignored for 20minutes so haven't been able to actually pay! Angry it's happened 3 times in different places I'm starting to think its just me Hmm

I've never done it though, it's theft. YANBU at all.

KatyTheCleaningLady · 26/01/2013 17:58

I don't know how it works over here, and even in America it's illegal, but it's not uncommon for servers to be made to pay for walk-outs. I think it's common in America because servers make so many tips that they have pockets full of cash.

I have honestly forgotten to pay. Next time I was in they told me and I was mortified.

I was once tempted to leave because I'd asked for my cheque numerous times. What I did was get up and walk towards the door and said to the first employee I passed "If my waitress hasn't got the bill by the time I'm at the door, I'm leaving." She raced up with the bill and acted huffy, but I just gave her attitude... and no tip.

nefertarii · 26/01/2013 17:58

I own a restaurant and its people like your friends that are making me consider selling it.

If people just acted like decent people, it would be fine.

We have had (since new year) a sink pulled of the wall, 2 groups leave without paying, had the police to another group that tried to leave, salt and pepper grinders stolen etc.

All this sort of stuff costs money and make my business less profitable. It also make me very depressed about society.

JourneyThroughLife · 26/01/2013 18:02

It's theft, and it's wrong. I can see how it might play on your mind but you may be making things worse by going back and trying to pay for them (what if the bar thinks it was really you?) But I'd make a mental note not to go out with them again and, if the opportunity arose, explain to them that I thought what they did was wrong.

LesbianMummy1 · 26/01/2013 18:04

Did they open tab on their card? If so I believe that the restaurant can use their card details to claim the money this is what a bar I used to work in would do

HoHoHoNoYouDont · 26/01/2013 18:04

I did it once. Three times we asked for the bill, explained we were in a hurry and that we had a flight to catch. We ended up just walking out because we were so pissed off with them.

TheCatIsEatingIt · 26/01/2013 18:06

No! The only time I've ever walked out of anywhere, we were kept waiting over an hour and eventually given undercooked starters that weren't what we'd ordered. Even then we left money for the drinks we'd had.

lizzypuffs · 26/01/2013 18:11

Thats awful. Its not big and its not funny as my sister might say. No ydnbu.