An embarrassed woman was made to call up and pay back a restaurant after CCTV footage was released of her group of friends ‘dining and dashing’ from the establishment.
The party of four were seen ordering the most expensive items and then distracting staff with another drinks order to make their getaway from the Med-Mex Restaurant and Bar in Hornsea, East Yorkshire, on Saturday, November 11.
Restaurant owner Racha Eid said one of the diners had called the restaurant and paid the £96.70 bill in full over the phone, after she shared the CCTV footage on social media and the reported on the incident.
Ms Eid said the customer spoke to her husband Claude on Tuesday at around 11:30am and was very upset, blaming the other couple for the incident, who she believed had paid for the bill.
Racha said: ‘The woman called up the restaurant about and spoke to my husband Claude.
The Med-Mex Restaurant and Bar in Hornsea, East Yorkshire, was subject to a a ‘dine and dash’ on Saturday, November 11
The OAP gang managed to escape without paying their £96.70 tab, including some of the most expensive items on the menu
‘On the call she just blamed the other couple [she was dining with] and said that she thought they paid.
‘She transferred the money and paid on the phone. I think they saw the video everywhere and realised they had made a mistake.’
The owners had previously suspected the group had planned to not pay all along.
Speaking before the payment was made, Ms Eid said: ‘It’s been over 24 hours since it happened now and I don’t think they will come back and pay.
‘They were not local customers and were just walk-ins and I had never seen them before.
‘The people [the party of four] came across as really posh and they were quite old. They seemed to be around 65 or 70.’
Ms Eid said the group opted to sit in the seat nearest the door and indulge in some of the more expensive products on the menu including the beef stroganoff and ‘mile high tortilla pie’.
When the waitress went back to check if the group were happy with their meal, Ms Eid claims one of the customers said the beef was undercooked.
To compensate for this, staff offered the customer a free drink, but were shocked to then find the dinner finished their plate.
After their meal, Ms Eid said the group sat and enjoyed the live band for around an hour before ordering another round of drinks – this is when they fled the premises.
The owner of the Mexican-Italian restaurant believed the walk-ins ordered the beverages to distract the server so they could dine and dash.
Racha Eid, owner of the Mexican-Italian restaurant, believes the group planned to leave without paying the whole time
CCTV footage shows the diners get up from the table and put on their coats as the waitress is at the bar making their drinks order
All four diners check the till area behind them for staff members before swiftly exiting the restaurant without paying for their food
The mum of two said she posted the CCTV on Facebook shortly in the hopes that the group would return and pay-up but said no one has come forward
The restaurant boss says the group opted to sit in the seat nearest the door and indulge in some of the more expensive products on the menu
Ms Eid said she has not reported the incident to the police but shared the CCTV footage to expose the diners
CCTV footage shows the diners get up from the table and put on their coats as the waitress is at the bar making their drinks order.
All four are then seen to check the till area behind them for staff members before swiftly exiting the restaurant without paying for their food.
The mother-of-two said she has not reported the incident to the police but shared the CCTV footage on social media to expose the diners in the hopes someone would recognise them.
Ms Eid, who owns the venue with her husband Claude, 47, said she was left ‘very upset’ by the incident.
She added: ‘It has left me very upset because one of the customers had also complained about our meat.
‘We have won an award for selling the best steak in Hornsea.
‘Secondly, we are really nice people and everyone is struggling at the moment with all the prices going up. It really isn’t fair.
‘This has only ever happened once before and the lady came in the next day and apologised and paid up.
‘This group could have easily messaged to say they had forgotten to pay but they haven’t done so.’
Ms Eid had left the restaurant at 7pm that evening so was informed by a member of staff.
The runners indulged in some of the more valuable products on the menu including the beef stroganoff and ‘mile high tortilla pie’
Ms Eid had left the restaurant at 7pm that evening so was informed by a member of staff
After watching the CCTV footage, the 37-year-old believed the diners had pre-planned the stunt.
Ms Eid continued: ‘They came into the restaurant around 6:30pm and sat at table one which is closest to the door.
‘They sat in the restaurant part of the building and because we had a party going on in the bar area, we were absolutely rammed.
‘If you look at the CCTV footage before they leave, you can see them all looking at the till to see if any staff are there.
‘One of the guys in particular could be seen to keep looking back at the till to check if anyone was around. They were planning this all along.’
Since posting the clip to Facebook, the footage has been shared more than 150 times.
One person said: ‘It’s disgusting. I really hope with the power of Facebook you find out who they are.’
Another added: ‘Let’s get this shared and find out who they are!’
A third commented: ‘Shame that at that age they think it’s okay to do this.’