Michela Malatini runs an acclaimed pizzeria in Verbania, Piedmont. Most recently, she has been hailed as a hero for her quick action against two tourists attempting to “dine and dash.” Last week, for example, two women showed up unannounced on her restaurant’s doorstep. They bought two pizzas and four spritzes before ditching the restaurant without paying their €44 bill.
Malatini was hell-bent on ensuring the tourists paid their debt. He flooded Facebook and other social media platforms with info and CCTV photos of the thieves to help the community identify them. Her quick response made waves. She wanted to call attention to the growing problem of restaurants being stuck with unpaid tabs, particularly from out-of-town visitors.
Having posted the footage online, Malatini was able to follow their merry trail home to their accommodations at a nearby vacation apartment. Without losing a moment, she proceeded to the flat and rapped on the door. Once she woke the women, she showed them their bill.
“The two women were very helpful and immediately handed over the money without the slightest protest.” – Michela Malatini
This experience is indicative of a larger issue plaguing the hospitality industry. As European media report, dine and dash trials are on the rise in many European nations. In a parallel case in Verbania, a different couple experienced the same thing at a local restaurant. One member had to return, sheepishly, after he left his cell phone on the table.
Maceratesi, who worked with Malatini, said she was infuriated that such things still happen. He remarked, “It’s not about the money. We don’t like being taken for a ride. Unfortunately, such episodes are happening more and more often. We can trace them through the surveillance cameras, so it’s not easy to get away with. After many years of experience, you can intuit who intends to leave without paying.”
So Michela Malatini made a bold move to reclaim her business’s deep financial loss. Her work illustrated the white hat side of the restaurant industry, fighting hard against the black hat forces of shady customers. Her passion for attentive service and moral expectations serves as a foundation for accountability in our dining rooms.