[ronsroni]

Having been the recipient of this thievery many years ago, were I to see it, I would say, aloud, THIS TABLE NEEDS THEIR CHECK. The attention would immediately be on them so it would be hard to leave without paying. I don't usually watch others actions but if it is apparent to me that it is happening, I would bellow. It's OK to apologize if I am wrong about it.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I walked out of a restaurant once without paying, on purpose. Extenuating circumstances:
Went with someone, there were plenty of empty tables and no line, shortly before the dinner hour, so they had staff on hand. We waited 10 minutes for someone to come to the entry and acknowledge that we were there waiting to be greeted. Another few minutes before we were actually seated. They gave us menus - the table was empty. No napkins, utensils, nothing. Almost ten minutes came and went, and no one came to bring us water, or utensils, or tell us "I'll be right over to take your order" or napkins. Finally someone showed up, took our order, took the menus, and left.

Ten minutes later, we STILL didn't have water, or napkins, or utensils.

Fifteen minutes after that, we flagged down a busboy and asked for water, napkins, and utensils. He had someone else do it a few minutes later.

Fifteen or 20 minutes after THAT, they served us. One of the dishes was a hot meal, and was already almost cold. The other was a sandwich, on the wrong bread.

It took over 5 minutes to flag the waitress down to tell her that the hot meal wasn't hot. She looked confused, as though she had absolutely no idea what she was supposed to do about it (such as, ask if we'd like a fresh, hot meal, or order something to replace it, for example). She walked away, still perplexed, and we just sat there staring at the cold hot-meal that neither of us would be eating. We ended up sharing the sandwich.

Fifteen minutes after THAT, no one had come to bring the check, or enquire as to why the cold hot-meal was still sitting there, untouched.

We had been seated for almost two hours in total by the time we finally walked out without paying. We couldn't even figure out which - if any - was the manager. Otherwise we would've spoken to him/her before we left.

[retiredguy123]

How was the sandwich?

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

I walked out of a restaurant once without paying, on purpose. Extenuating circumstances:
Went with someone, there were plenty of empty tables and no line, shortly before the dinner hour, so they had staff on hand. We waited 10 minutes for someone to come to the entry and acknowledge that we were there waiting to be greeted. Another few minutes before we were actually seated. They gave us menus - the table was empty. No napkins, utensils, nothing. Almost ten minutes came and went, and no one came to bring us water, or utensils, or tell us "I'll be right over to take your order" or napkins. Finally someone showed up, took our order, took the menus, and left.

Ten minutes later, we STILL didn't have water, or napkins, or utensils.

Fifteen minutes after that, we flagged down a busboy and asked for water, napkins, and utensils. He had someone else do it a few minutes later.

Fifteen or 20 minutes after THAT, they served us. One of the dishes was a hot meal, and was already almost cold. The other was a sandwich, on the wrong bread.

It took over 5 minutes to flag the waitress down to tell her that the hot meal wasn't hot. She looked confused, as though she had absolutely no idea what she was supposed to do about it (such as, ask if we'd like a fresh, hot meal, or order something to replace it, for example). She walked away, still perplexed, and we just sat there staring at the cold hot-meal that neither of us would be eating. We ended up sharing the sandwich.

Fifteen minutes after THAT, no one had come to bring the check, or enquire as to why the cold hot-meal was still sitting there, untouched.

We had been seated for almost two hours in total by the time we finally walked out without paying. We couldn't even figure out which - if any - was the manager. Otherwise we would've spoken to him/her before we left.

Really, you (I mean, really!) sat there for two hours? Sounds a bit fantastic.


I'm sorry, but if you ate the sandwich you should have paid for it. Get the bill, talk to the manager, refuse to pay for the uneaten cold meal, but pay for the sandwich you ate. Otherwise, that's just thievery. IMO.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Yes it was two hours. The sandwich was on the wrong bread. The waitress couldn't even handle a "hot meal that isn't hot," let alone a sandwich on the wrong bread. We TRIED to find the manager but couldn't figure out which one the manager was (as I stated in the post you quoted, last paragraph). No one brought us a check. It's their job to a) pay attention to the customers and b) make sure the customer gets the check. They did neither. I did try but I wasn't about to get up and chase them around the restaurant begging to pay for the wrong meal. Most of the two hours was spent waiting for various things throughout the visit (waiting to be acknowledged. Waiting to be seated. Waiting for menus. Waiting for silverware and water. Waiting for food. Waiting for the check. Waiting for someone to resolve the hot meal that was cold problem. Waiting to realize that it wouldn't be resolved and no one apparently cared), and trying to find an employee to notice that we needed assistance.

[pauld315]

Originally Posted by Rapscallion St Croix

So, if the server has to pay for the meal the skipper had, 8% of that amount, subsequent to the dine and dash and paid by the server, is then reported as income, some of which is attributed to said server. Catch 22.

I go to TDS all the time, I doubt the server got stuck with the bill but I will ask.

[pauld315]

Originally Posted by CWGUY

Not how they do it there. You pay and then go help yourself. A lot of people skip the first step!

Every Panera I have been in in 4 states works that way. You order coffee at the counter, they give you a cup and you help yourself