'Dine and dash - the new shoplifting?': A third of hospitality businesses say they've been targeted

Is "dine and dash" the new shoplifting? ITV News' North of England Reporter Amy Welch spoke to those affected

A third of hospitality businesses say they’ve recently experienced an incident of "dine and dash" where customers eat a meal but refuse to pay for it.

Data shared with ITV News by UK Hospitality shows that of those affected, nearly 30% say there have been more incidents this year than in 2023.

La Banca in Selsey, West Sussex, has been targeted three times in the past 18 months, according to owner Neil Kimber, who said that on one occasion, a group of 10 diners left without paying their £380 bill.

Mr Kimber said the incident in August was distressing for staff and had a huge impact on his business.

Neil Kimber, owner of La Banca, says his business has been targeted three times in the last 18 months

"We've had three dine and dashes in the last 18 months, two in the last month, which has cost us over £500," he told ITV News.

"It is becoming more and more common."

Some other restaurants that said they have been targeted include:

• Les Enfants Terribles, Weymouth: Restaurant left with an unpaid bill of nearly £500 after diners walked out on August 1.

• Cafe No 35, Sussex: Family left without paying £50 for their fry-up on June 10.

• La Bella Vista, St Leonards in Sussex: Three women left without paying their £300 bill. The restaurant says it has been targeted three times and lost more than £1,000 in total.

• Merzee, Manchester: Diners walked out without paying their bill of more than £200 on July 17.

Usman Malike, who owns Merzee in Manchester, said customers walked out "laughing".

"They started making excuses, the food is cold, it's not right," he told ITV News. "There should be some penalties on these criminal acts."

Usman Malike, who owns Merzee in Manchester, said they walked out 'laughing'

Earlier this year, a couple from Port Talbot in Wales received a prison sentence for "dining and dashing" at five restaurants, using their children to walk out on bills of more than £1,000.

Bernard McDonagh, 41, and Ann McDonagh, 39, used more than 40 aliases and 18 dates of birth between them, dishonestly obtaining food and drink at four restaurants and one takeaway in south Wales.

The couple, who pleaded guilty to five joint charges of fraud, were arrested after images of their scam were posted on social media.

Ann was jailed for 12 months and Bernard was jailed for eight months.

On one occasion, they ordered three-course meals for themselves and their family including T-bone steaks and desserts, with some being sent back uneaten.

The bill at Bella Ciao came to £329 and after pretending to try and pay, they left.

CCTV of Ann McDonagh and Bernard McDonagh, who targeted restaurants for expensive meals and then left without paying

Why is it happening?

Sacha Lord is Manchester’s nighttime economy advisor and believes the cost of living crisis could be a factor.

He says the term "dine and dash" trivializes what is a really serious offence which he believes is more sinister than shoplifting.

"Dine and dash is worse than shoplifting," he told ITV News.

"With dine and dash, you've sat in someone's restaurant, someone's cafe, you've taken a space that somebody else could've taken, you've had a meal that's been cooked for you, the produce has been brought in for you - it's stealing at the end of the day, it's simply stealing."

'Dine and dash is worse than shoplifting,' says Mr Lord

Many businesses are now fitting CCTV cameras and adding additional security, but several restaurants told ITV News that they believe people are committing these crimes because they think they can get away with it.

And for restaurants that have only just recovered after struggling through the pandemic, an unpaid bill can be the difference between making a profit that night and making a loss.

Tresor Kabeya has a small Thai restaurant in Leeds and said two men ran off without paying their £120 bill on January 7.

He told ITV News that as well as the financial cost, there’s an emotional one too.

Mr Kabeya says people who 'dine and dash' are 'taking advantage' of his work

"It’s just not fair, because I’m here running a business providing a good service to my guests and if someone takes advantage of what I'm doing, my work, it really affects me.

"We just need a quick response from the police, because that’s when they actually force people to make the payment."

In a statement, the National Police Chiefs' Council told ITV News: “We know that theft can have a significant impact on individuals, businesses and communities, which is why policing is committed to tackling all forms of this criminality.

“Dine and dash type offences are largely opportunistic in nature and we would encourage all business owners and staff to make sure that when they do happen, they are reported so their local force can take action.

“While policing will always follow all possible lines of enquiry to identify and pursue offenders, and tools like CCTV can greatly assist with this."

The website police.uk offers tips to businesses to help them deter thieves but if the dishonesty of those who "dine and dash" continues, many restaurants say asking people to pay upfront may be the only option left on the table.

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