Is it right to dine & dash if your waitress went off shift and no one replaces her?

Question

The other morning my family & i went out for breakfast. The waitress we had was really great and helpful, but she went off duty. Before she left she brought her replacement to the other tables around us and notified them of the waitress change,but didn't bring her to our table. So we finished our breakfast, stacked our dirty plates at the end of the table. No one came to clear them, to see if we needed anything else, or bring us a bill... 45 minutes we sat there no one would walk up, we could see all the waitress's and bus boys standing around but no one would come to our table. I walked up front to the hostess (there was 3 of them) they also ignored me none would ask if i needed help... So i went and got my family and we walked out.. DIDN'T PAY A THING. Not even a tip...would you have done the same thing?

I DID TRY TO GET A HOLD OF A MANAGER..THAT'S WHY I WENT UP TO THE HOSTESS AT THE FRONT DESK TO GET ME A MANAGER..BUT I WAS ALSO IGNORED THERE..THE WAITRESS THAT REPLACED OUR WAITRESS WAS THE ONE SERVING THE TABLE ON BOTH SIDE OF US.. SHE NEVER WALKED UP TO OUR TABLE JUST THE OTHER TABLES..IT WAS JUST BAD SERVICE....AND POOR MANAGMENT..

Answer 1

I think you did what you had to and really wish my family was daringlike that. About two weeks ago the family wanted to celebrate my brothers graduation so we went to a small resturant but expensive we would not get service for 30 min. finally we order and the waitress told us it would take another 30 min. for the food to be done it took 45 min. just for drinks so it was about 2hrs. we didn't have food my father asked for the check and it was about $50 dollars for only 4 drinks I wish that night we would of dine n' dash :)

Answer 2

Yeah, after hearing your story I think I would have done the same thing. I know how that is and its REALLY annoying when that happens. You had to wait an excessive amount of time and so I don't blame you for leaving...there's just no excuse for all that rudeness and ignoring, when it gets to that point I think it is the restaurants responsibility to find out how to pay for the bill! Some people might argue that you should have left SOMETHING on the table though. Certainly not the full amount, but since you did eat and enjoy the meal, and the waitress had been good up until then... well, you catch my drift, but I totally understand why you guys didn't pay anything.

Answer 3

I have done this once myself. The restaurant was extremely busy so I walked into the kitchen area to inform the manager that I had waited long enough and wanted to leave. He said to not worry about the food bill and asked that I just pay for my drinks.

If you do not say anything (like "excuse me") then maybe they think you want to be left alone to enjoy your meal or conversation. They are trained to wait only on certain tables. If something is wrong then you need to speak up and be heard.

If you did speak up and tried everything possible to pay (including saying, "I am leaving") yet they still failed to bring you the bill then you have every right to slowly walk out the front door. If confronted in the parking lot state, "I asked 4 people for the check yet they refused to serve us. We're leaving."

Certainly you would not leave a tip in this situation but you should attempt to pay the owner for the food and drinks.

Answer 4

I'm not even bothering to read your statement. The answer to your title question is "NO". It's stealing. If you feel you received bad service, you get a manager and you tell them you don't feel you should pay. I've received horrible service at a restaurant, to the point of not seeing a server near us for 45 minutes, and we simply added up the cost of the food and left it on the table and walked out.

Answer 5

Not paying was wrong. You should have spoken to the manager without waiting 45 minutes. If the service was that poor asking for a corporate complaint # would've been the way to go. After inconveniencing you that badly they probably would've comp your meal anyway. However the waitress is probably going to be forced to pay your check now.

Answer 6

First I would try to find the manager to tell them what you just said and then if they ignored you then I would have done the same thing. But next time if that happens leave a not on the table and tell them how their service could have been better.But never leave a tip if that happens. Leave a tip if they deserve it. But I would have done the same thing.

Answer 7

Hell no that is'nt the right thing to do, that is stealing. Apparently the new server did'nt know that she had your table, things like that happen, you should have brought it to someones attention, now whenever you see price increases at restaurants just remember you are helping pay for the people that dine and dash, alot of places increase there prices for that reason.

Answer 8

That is just like walking into a store opening up a bag of M&Ms and eating them all and then walking out of the store without paying for them.

Yes the service was terrible, but you are still stealing and you can be arrested for that. Be careful.

Answer 9

Ugh i just hope the waitress didnt have to pay your bill.. Because some places make girls do that.. and it sucks to have to buy a meal for some strangers..........
also if you were in.. say the gap and it was reallly busy would you just take the clothes and leave because they were too busy to help you ? most people wouldnt so why is it different at restaurants.

Answer 10

i would of probably spoke to the manager and tried to get a discount or something, not dine and dash, the new waitress would have to pay for it at the end and was it really her fault if she didn't know that your table was part of her duty.