Injustice against restaurant workers, in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, are on the rise. Customers are more frequently partaking in “dine and dash,” skipping out on payment for their food. A recent survey by UKHospitality found that a third of its members have encountered such a problem. Our analysis, published today, shows that this has been exacerbated by the current cost of living crisis.
Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality, warned that this increasing burden from escalating costs was hitting businesses with a double whammy effect. These venues are already fighting to recover from the pandemic’s impact. As you can see, these dine and dash crimes come in many ironic shapes, but such irony is common in this most opportunistic of crimes. And restaurant operators are reporting an increase in diners skipping out on checks. This trend is exacting a dramatic emotional and physical price on the staff.
Amadeo Grosso, owner of Posillipo in Faversham, Kent, said he was alarmed at how widespread the issue had become. While these issues are ongoing, he pointed out a current problem with dining and dashing increasing. Unfortunately, this trend is leaving employees feeling exposed and alarmed on the job. “It’s a growing problem and it needs to be tackled,” Nicholls stated, emphasizing the urgent need for action.
Neil Kimber, manager of an independent restaurant, was in agreement. He viewed the issue as particularly intractable post-pandemic. Soaring food and fuel prices only exacerbated this challenge. Kimber cautioned that unless something is done, dine and dash would become a “widespread issue.”
Recent numbers bear out this claim, as food price inflation has now allegedly increased for the past six months in a row. This ever-growing economic strain has only exacerbated the plight of restaurant workers. Not only are they fighting fiscal devastation, but they are suffering acute psychological harm from hostile interactions with diners.
Marian Pandos, manager of Posillipo in Canterbury, Kent told a shocking story about the perils of dine and dash. He remembered one case, when a client lunched al fresco and worked through a bunch of drinking chocolates. After their meal, the customer absconded without paying their bill. “I was running after him and he was very aggressive and he started to fight,” Pandos recounted. The fight was so serious that he ended up calling the cops on the scuffle to get back on track.
Such confrontational scenarios are not isolated. Amanda Brighton, director of Joe’s Bar and Grill in Oxford, noted that her establishment was recently targeted by a group that left without paying. Brighton’s administration acted following past experiences. They even took to social media to post photos of these dine and dash criminals so they could publicly name and shame everyone involved. “It’s theft plain and simple. It’s no different than taking from and robbing the house where you’re staying,” she claimed.
Perhaps the less obvious, though equally devastating, impact lies in the toll on the mental health of restaurant workers. Kimber revealed that most on-duty staff suffer serious trauma in the wake of these incidents. “We had a lot of issues with staff being totally physically sick and upset following these incidents,” he said. The emotional impact goes beyond lost dollars. It certainly takes a toll on the morale of those employees who are working hard to provide great service while navigating extreme adversity.
Richard Atkinson, President of the Law Society, noted that nearly all dine-and-dash cases result in charges. These charges often include making off without payment. In cases where people poison food or beverages, it can be raised to higher-level crimes. Atkinson pointed out that getting these crimes reported to police is essential to hold offenders accountable.
With more criminals dine and dashing, our restaurant workers are already feeling the burden of rising costs. In reply, Kate Nicholls from UKHospitality calls on employers to be more aware and prepared to protect their employees. “Dine and dash type offences are largely opportunistic in nature,” a spokesperson from the National Police Chiefs’ Council stated. “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.”