Dash and dine - leaving a tip?

[bcla]

I've never done it myself, but I've heard stories of it where someone actually left a tip for the server before just taking off without paying the bill. And possibly where the manager insisted that the tip was the property of the business since the server didn't properly monitor the customer.

However, I remember going to a place with a group and they said they'd previously taken off because they were waiting forever and never got the check. So they were going to repay that amount as a tip on this trip. And we just took off with this massive amount of cash left on the table and no explanation.

 

[NotUrsula]

DH & I were out for an anniversary dinner once, and there was a table across from us with a party of about 16 people. They were drinking really heavily and ordered from the top of the menu all across the board; things with special presentations that drew attention in what was quite an expensive restaurant. Yep, dine & dash. The waiter came back with the check and they were gone.

I worked in restaurants for years, and I've never seen a response to a dine & dash like this one caused: the waiter grabbed the manager (who was also in the dining room making rounds), whispered to him, and they *sprinted* for the door, with the manager yelling out "call 911" as he dashed past the hostess stand; they were trying to get the license plates of the cars. Then they got gloves and picked up all of the cutlery off the table without touching it, presumably so it could be fingerprinted.

After all this, the manager went around again and comped desserts for everyone who had witnessed this, as compensation for the disturbance. My DH commiserated and commented that it looked like they had run up a big tab, and the manager, exasperated, said, "Yeah, about eight thousand dollars. They ordered the best bottles in the cellar."

 

[JaxDad]

I was at my friendly, local beach bar in Hollywood, Florida many years ago, when a guy dined and dashed right by me. The bartender and waiter were yelling, and I took off after him. He was pretty drunk and just ran straight down the street, so it was pretty easy to catch him and push on him enough to slow him down. The waiter was a big dude, so he just grabbed him after he caught up. I can’t remember if they made him pay or called the cops. I got to drink for free.

 

[Squirlz]

"Dine and Dash" is the term you're looking for.

 

[BrianL]

I've never done it myself, but I've heard stories of it where someone actually left a tip for the server before just taking off without paying the bill. And possibly where the manager insisted that the tip was the property of the business since the server didn't properly monitor the customer.

However, I remember going to a place with a group and they said they'd previously taken off because they were waiting forever and never got the check. So they were going to repay that amount as a tip on this trip. And we just took off with this massive amount of cash left on the table and no explanation.

I've done the second thing. I was travelling with a friend and we had breakfast. We asked for the check three times, and it was taking forever. I would never leave without paying, so we just did our best to figure out the cost and left cash on the table. As we walked out I noticed the person at the front immediately run back to our table, porbably to make sure we had paid. I'm sure we left enough to cover a tip, but the service barely warranted it.

 

[RedAngie]

I was at my friendly, local beach bar in Hollywood, Florida many years ago, when a guy dined and dashed right by me. The bartender and waiter were yelling, and I took off after him. He was pretty drunk and just ran straight down the street, so it was pretty easy to catch him and push on him enough to slow him down. The waiter was a big dude, so he just grabbed him after he caught up. I can’t remember if they made him pay or called the cops. I got to drink for free.

These days you and the waiter would probably be sued for assault by the dasher.

 

[jo-jo]

Some years ago we were eating at boma for breakfast. After we sat with our first plate, the server came over with our bill. Stood it up on the table so we couldn't miss it. We found it very off putting. I talk to the manager. She said they had issues with people eating and running.

If I my plan was to eat and run, putting a bill in our faces, wouldn't have changed our mind.

 

[LovesTimone]

A long time ago, way back when I was a single lady... I went on causal date, when we finished eating he said get up and go to the car... I was like why, he said just do it... I asked are you kidding?, stop fooling around?... he said just get up and go it will be fun... I was sick to my stomach, I had worked as a server and bar tender... I said you do realize that my brother is a cop? Right? he was stunned... When the server came with the bill, I ask for him to split it, I paid my half and got up from the table and said to the server, I don't want there to be any misunderstanding on my part, that I paid my bill... then he thought I was going to get in the car with him, what a jerk ... I called my Dad to pick me up...

We went to Sonny's one Sunday afternoon to eat, DH went to wash his hands, on the way back he went to the hostess stand and then I saw the manager come out.. He came back and sat down, and just kinda shook his head, we were ordering when all of a sudden there was a commotion at the door. It was kinda strange that the manager comp our whole meal... Hummm I wonder why? DH had given them a heads up..

This is theft... plain and simple... defrauding a merchant is what I think its called, here in Florida we have a special law for this type of nonsense and stupid behavior - depending on the amount of the bill, you could be looking a felony charge, a huge fine and Prison time, as well you would be a convicted felon..

 

[ronandannette]

This is theft... plain and simple... defrauding a merchant is what I think its called, here in Florida we have a special law for this type of nonsense and stupid behavior - depending on the amount of the bill, you could be looking a felony charge, a huge fine and Prison time, as well you would be a convicted felon..

I wonder how this works in California now that theft from stores under $1,000 is no longer charged. Does anyone know if the same laws apply to dine-and-dash?

 

[bcla]

I wonder how this works in California now that theft from stores under $1,000 is no longer charged. Does anyone know if the same laws apply to dime-and-dash?

That's incorrect. It can still be charged as a misdemeanor ($950 is the limit) with up to a year in a county jail, and not felony grand theft. This is lower than other states, such as Texas where it's $2500.

 

[mjkacmom]

Some years ago we were eating at boma for breakfast. After we sat with our first plate, the server came over with our bill. Stood it up on the table so we couldn't miss it. We found it very off putting. I talk to the manager. She said they had issues with people eating and running.

If I my plan was to eat and run, putting a bill in our faces, wouldn't have changed our mind.

I would’ve loved this, I hate waiting for the check. At a buffet I imagine it’s more difficult to know when folks are ready to go. When I waitressed if someone left without paying a check, I had to pay it.

 

[nolatravelgirl]

Some years ago we were eating at boma for breakfast. After we sat with our first plate, the server came over with our bill. Stood it up on the table so we couldn't miss it. We found it very off putting. I talk to the manager. She said they had issues with people eating and running.

If I my plan was to eat and run, putting a bill in our faces, wouldn't have changed our mind.

Since it is a buffet and you haven't ordered any alcoholic beverages there really isn't anything else to add to the bill. Secondly, lots of people at Disney are wanting to eat breakfast quickly so they can hit the parks. I wouldn't take it personally. Just pay when you are ready. So many posts I ready here about how people are in such a rush and expect to be in and out of a meal in 45 minutes.

 

[tvguy]

That's incorrect. It can still be charged as a misdemeanor ($950 is the limit) with up to a year in a county jail, and not felony grand theft. This is lower than other states, such as Texas where it's $2500.

On paper, maybe. In reality, if you find a case where someone is actually charged, post a link. It just doesn't happen.

 

[bcla]

On paper, maybe. In reality, if you find a case where someone is actually charged, post a link. It just doesn't happen.

The big difficulty is in that security generally isn't allowed to intervene. I have heard of police being called then chasing down the perp. As much as many make outlandish claims that San Francisco never prosecuted misdemeanor shoplifting, they do although it was often diversion rather than jail time. The hard part is that most don't get caught, but they estimate it's at about 4%.

https://www.sfdistrictattorney.org/policy/data-dashboards/

There was this one serial shoplifter who repeatedly went into a Target store. Her M.O. was to use self checkout and maybe put in a dollar or a penny, then take off with the perch.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loc...spect-arrested-for-thefts-over-40000/2734956/​

A woman was arrested at a Target store in San Francisco after allegedly stealing more than $40,000 worth of merchandise over the course of 120 visits to the store, officials said Wednesday.​

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San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott described the woman, identified as Aziza Graves, as “a particularly brazen and prolific retail theft offender,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported.​

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Graves would allegedly use the store’s self-checkout kiosks to scan merchandise and then pay nominal amounts like $1 in cash, or in some instances, one cent and then leave with the items she had shopped for without completing payment, the office of District Attorney Chesa Boudin said in a statement.​

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The thefts occurred between October 2020 and November 2021. Graves was arrested at the store Tuesday following an investigation by the district attorney’s office and the San Francisco police department.​

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Graves was charged with eight felony counts of grand theft and 120 misdemeanor counts of petty theft, the district attorney’s office said.​

 

[jo-jo]

Since it is a buffet and you haven't ordered any alcoholic beverages there really isn't anything else to add to the bill. Secondly, lots of people at Disney are wanting to eat breakfast quickly so they can hit the parks. I wouldn't take it personally. Just pay when you are ready. So many posts I ready here about how people are in such a rush and expect to be in and out of a meal in 45 minutes.

We weren't there 20 mins tops. We hadn't even started eating. And the bill wasn't laid down folded with "when you're ready". It was open, standing up right in the middle of the table , like we had ask for a bottle of hot sauce.

Most of the TS meals that we've eaten at disney have been buffets and this is the one and only time that happened.

 

[LovesTimone]

I wonder how this works in California now that theft from stores under $1,000 is no longer charged. Does anyone know if the same laws apply to dine-and-dash?

I was curious to the law..

Florida Statute 509.151(1) makes it illegal to obtain food at any food-service establishment with the intent to defraud the operator. The offense is commonly known as defrauding an innkeeper.

Under 300.00 is a misdemeanor................ over 300.00 a felony...

Shoplifting - under 100.00 is a 2nd degree misdemeanor fine and up to 60 days in jail - 101 to 300 1st degree misdemeanor up to a year in jail and nice size fine - 301 to 5,000 is a 3rd degree felony which will get you 5 years in the state pen. and a huge fine... All this goes up if you have been convicted before of shoplifting....

We see people get arrested all the time for shoplifting... plus if you fight or run from the police more charges... My BFF and I were just at Macy's at the Mall of Millennia and they had 3 women outside in the parking lot, in silver bracelets... When we were inside the employee at the register said that they knew they were stealing had them on camera and just let them do their thing and cops were outside waiting on them... they put up a fight and tried to run away...

 

[kdonnel]

After we sat with our first plate, the server came over with our bill. Stood it up on the table so we couldn't miss it. We found it very off putting.

I would say a good 60-70% of restaurants I eat at place the bill in an upright position when dropped off at the table.

I always assumed it was so that once I placed my card in the folder and laid it flat that the server would have a visual cue that I was ready to pay.

It never occured to me to find it off putting.

 

[jo-jo]

I would say a good 60-70% of restaurants I eat at place the bill in an upright position when dropped off at the table.

I always assumed it was so that once I placed my card in the folder and laid it flat that the server would have a visual cue that I was ready to pay.

It never occured to me to find it off putting.

To us, it felt very much, you got a plate of food, now get out. As I said , we weren't there more than 20 mins. And that 20 mins, included we got our coffee, etc, and went to buffet. Not sitting there for 20 mins with empty plates.

 

[kdonnel]

To us, it felt very much, you got a plate of food, now get out. As I said , we weren't there more than 20 mins. And that 20 mins, included we got our coffee, etc, and went to buffet. Not sitting there for 20 mins with empty plates.

I greatly prefer getting the check early. The last thing I want to do is have to track down the server to get my check. The more proactive they are in giving the check the happier I am.

 

[Minnie1222]

Some years ago we were eating at boma for breakfast. After we sat with our first plate, the server came over with our bill. Stood it up on the table so we couldn't miss it. We found it very off putting. I talk to the manager. She said they had issues with people eating and running.

If I my plan was to eat and run, putting a bill in our faces, wouldn't have changed our mind.

I think the manager meant "eating-on-the-run", not "dine & dash". Many Disney enthusiasts, ourselves included, do not like to waste time waiting for the check. I always ask for the bill when the servers bring the food, so everything can be paid and signed before the last bite is taken.