what happens when you dine at a restaurant and cannot pay your bill?

Question

This has never happened to me, but always wondered. Do they call the police or make you do the dishes? lol

Answer 1

they'd probably ask for some ID and make you come back later to pay. if you didnt have any then they'd call the police as it's stealing.

Answer 2

I would think it is not legal to take the total of the bill out of wages. This is theft. I would think that a store would not charge a checker if someone walked out with a gallon of milk or a pound of ground beef. I don't think a department store charges a clerk if someone walks out with a sweater or a pair of slacks. My guess is the wait staff is not trained or equipped to detain a patron. And I don't even think you can charge a person with the theft until they actually leave the premises. The Hostess or Host or the manager should also be watching for those that "Dine and Dash" anyone running for the door should be stopped. I would like to think diners sitting around this group would have said something. There must have been some discussion at the table as to what they were going to do.

Answer 3

It depends. If you try to dine and dash I will call the cops on you. Depending on the size of the tab and what restaurant I've worked in we'll lean on you a little bit too. And of course we take your picture and put it in the reservation book under the "Stupid Cheap ****ers Who Tried To Rip Us Off" category.

If for some reason your credit card bounces and you explain the situation to myself or the server I will let you go get cash if you leave me the credit card, your ID and your date. After that, if you don't come back I keep all of it. Including your date. The really bright side is that then I know where you live.

The main thing to remember is if you do everything right in the restaurant business you are still VERY lucky to make 10% profit. So we protect that slim profit margin fiercely.

Answer 4

The standard procedure if you can't pay is to try to work something out and leave some collateral and take your ID.

By law in California though they cannot physically stop if you try to leave and they will call the police if you're still there to have you arrested for theft. If you run there's generally nothing they can do except report you to the police and put you on file if they have security cameras

Answer 5

Depends on the establishment, really. Most places would ask to see your I.D., take down your name and address, ask you for your phone number and when you would be by with the payment. Some might forgo asking when you would be by with the payment and simply report you to the police after you've walked out the door.

Making you wash the dishes may have been commonplace years and years ago, but I believe it's now been relegated to the movie hall of fame.

Answer 6

They take your I.D.# & info- (if you don't have any I.D., or drivers licence card, it's up to the manager-(they're not gonna make you do the dishes, you must be an employee, have a "health card" or "food handlers permit" to go in the back/ kitchen area unless the manager doesn't care)-I've worked in restaurants since the early '90s.

Answer 7

I think they make you do dishes.


I was just thinking the same thing when I was at Red Lobster for lunch. Great minds seem to think alike.

Answer 8

You'd leave something of value (drivers license, cell phone) and come back later with payment. If not, they'll call the police.

Answer 9

itzzzz obvious!!!!! either....u'll pay up by washin d utensils...or by gettin thrown out of d restaurant....both of dem is embrassing!!!

Answer 10

you offer to do dishes or some kind of work