WWYD - Pay or not for meal we did an (unintentional) runner on

[SomedayBaby]

We got back yesterday from ten days away in the UK. We spent Sunday night in a Premier Inn before driving back yesterday and went for breakfast in the adjoining pub (you know the one that's affiliated with the PI) before leaving.

Anyway, we've just been talking about the trip in general, the P Inn breakfast was mentioned and we've just realised we didn't actually pay for it. We think it was £19 (for two adults, kids eat free)...we strolled in and got shown to a table then upped and left when we were done .

In our defence, this was the third hotel we'd stayed in on that trip and with the others breakfast was included, so it just didn't seem to occur to either of us to pay. The waitress happily waved us out as we left so it obviously didn't occur to her either!

Dh think's it would be silly to call them now...this P Inn is about 350 miles from where we live so popping in to pay isn't an option and dh thinks calling them over less than £20 is stupid and we should leave it. I feel really bad though and guilty and ridiculous ...WWYD?

Just pay up, you'll feel better for it. It's £19

I wouldn't pay! It was a genuine mistake, no point dragging it up now. No way would they make the waitress pay for it so the only people who would lose out is PI, sure they can afford to lose 20 quid

I would pay but that's me. GoiNG through the drive thru at McDonald's, the assistant gave me change of £20 when I'd give her £10. I took the £10 back.

Bit sad nobody paid attention to me saying that the staff ARE affected, they'd rather spout shite about how they IMAGINE it works rather than listen to someone whose partner actually works there and suffers when it happens

I'm not even one of these LYING IS ABOMINABLE SIN people, if you forget to scan something in Tesco then ok shit happens, but it's different when every waiter has a certain area of tables and is personally responsible for what happens on those tables

I would call them and admit the genuine mistake, I'd also offer to pay for the error. I wouldn't be able to let it go, what if that poor waitress has the money taken out of her wages??

Ragwort why don't you report your employer?

Because she wants to keep her job?

It is illegal to make a waitress pay for items that have been stolen/done a runner. The waitress will not have been forced to pay under any circumstances, especially not a national company.

It is up to the OPs personal conscience. I wouldn't bother personally.

I would ring up and apologise for the confusion, offer to pay and see what happens. Otherwise it will be on your conscience. We did this recently when each of us thought the other had paid whilst we were in the toilet. The restaurant were extremely grateful for our honesty.

JudyCoolibar I guess you didn't bother to read the rest of my post?

If she can't report her employer without them definitely knowing it was her then I understand. But anyone who works for a large organisation may be able to report anonymously with no way of their employer finding out who has done it. I'm talking about a general 'my employer is not paying minimum wage because they dock our pay after someone doesn't pay for their meal' rather than reporting a specific instance.

As a matter of principle, I'd pay.

Fair enough, if you didn't realise you should pay at the time but now know you should pay for the meal, pick up the phone and pay by credit/debit card. It's the honourable thing to do.

OP you sound like you dont want to pay. You just need validation in order not to pay. Just 20 odd quid. Pay up and dont get that money taken off a poor waitress.

It had never occurred to me that unpaid for food would could out of serving staff wages! That's terrible!!!

I think I wouldn've been in the - oh well what's done is done, it's a big chain it doesn't matter! Now I feel really bad.
A few years ago in Pizza Express we didn't pay - we tried to and asked to several times and in the end got up put coats on and said look we really need to go and get our train... but they just walked passed saying hang on. A minute or two later still no sign of coming back to us - so put the little cash we had (about 1/3 of bill) on the table and left. It was terrible service but a packed restaurant so figured they wouldn't care! I feel awful that someone probably had our meal for 6 taken out of wages....

If the server had the money illegally taken from their wages, do you think paying late would mean the business added the extra onto their next paycheck?

(Ignoring the point of right and wrong)

I doubt they would.

DD worked in a big family style pub that did food last year, and they deducted money from their wages for runners. It's part of their role to make sure you don't, erm, run.

So, on that basis, yes I would pay

Me and my friend had a sharer meal and few drinks, we accidentally left without paying. We were last to leave and all the staff waved us out. I thought she had settled it and vice versa. We realised the next day. I went back in person, to pay. It was about a week later. I was really apologising and had my wallet in my hand. They kindly waved it. Next time we ate there, they got a generous tip!

There is no way I would pay!! Your never going to go to the pub again on bump into to the person that served u! Take yourself out to lunch to help with the stress of it all with your extra money lol

I would pay. Waitresses are made to pay for runners. I am one! Also they may well have your car reg on cctv and have contacted police that's what we do.

Out of curiosity, those who have been made to pay for runners in the past, have you EVER been reimbursed a few days/weeks later as the person realized their mistake and paid? As I imagine this isn't really THAT rare, and not every 'runner' will do it intentionally and some would actually call back in to pay...

Brewsters usually take the money when you order at the bar till. If it's a buffet you get a ticket. Sit down meal you get a receipt and you tell them your table number. So you probably already paid.

you could email or message them on facebook and ask for advice wether or not to sent payment on to hotel or where to if booked online ... they probably have it happen all the time esp when they are busy At least you will have a clear concience

I have worked as a waitress in 7 different establishments - large and small - and in NONE of those have staff ever been expected to cover runners out of their wages It is completely illegal - unlawful deduction of wages.

Eating without intending to pay is a criminal offence. Eating and then not paying through some other means (i.e. card not working) where there IS an intention to pay and you do something like leave your contact details is a civil offence.

Neither are the responsibility of the wait staff.

I would pay, not because the company needs the money but sometimes the staff member gets in trouble.

When I worked in a fancy restaurant the barman mixed up tab 23 (6 people, three course meal, wine etc) with tab 233 (couplenof drinks in the bar). The sods who'd had the dinner (now having drinks in the bar so wasnt that obvious they'd had a meal) quietly paid the tiny tab and sodded off. I thiught that was really mean. My colleague didnt normally make mistakes and he got so told off.

In my teens I was made to pay for a table of runners. It was nearly £200. It was taken out of my pay at £30 a week. The week I left I was handing out free drinks and food left right and centre.

I'm surprised you weren't asked for a room number before you were allowed to chow down. Definitely pay.

This was over 20 years ago. It certainly wouldn't happen now.