The 'dine and dash' is “pretty common” in Irish hospitality and floor staff are usually left footing the bill.

That's according to waitress Sarah who told The Hard Shoulder today that you “can never tell" when it's going to happen.

A dine and dash refers to someone eating at a restaurant and making a quick exit before they’re presented with the bill.

Sarah said it’s “unfortunate,” but it does happen.

“Where I work, it's usually investigated at first to see if it was maybe an accident,” she said.

“We try to determine if someone innocently walked out and completely forgot or if they did it intentionally.

“Unfortunately, when it happens and we know they’re not coming back, we end up having to pay the rest of the bill.”

Dine and dash burden

Sarah explained that this burden is often placed on staff.

“The people on the floor pay, usually the people that take the orders,” she said.

“Most customers don't realise that because they probably think the company has to pay for it or just takes it off.

“But no, it's usually the wait staff that take your order who have to pay for it.”

A waiter at a restaurant, 15-5-13. Image: Images of Birmingham Premium / Alamy

The waitress said it’s a common scenario in the industry and it’s unfair.

“It’s a problem, and I don’t mind paying for a meal if I had it, but not for something I’m not even going to eat,” she said.

“We have approached management multiple times about it, but they basically tell us: ‘Listen, we have a policy, and this is how it’s done.’

“They say the business has to be paid, and they don’t care how it’s done.”

'It's wrong'

Restaurants Association of Ireland chief Adrian Cummins said it’s wrong for staff to foot the bill in a dine-and-dash situation.

“If a staff member has paid it, I think the business should pay it back to them,” he said.

“I'm sure they can bring it to the Employment Rights Authority, which is the WRC, to investigate the case and bring it to a conclusion.

“That’s the advice I would give to any staff member or business.

“But it is wrong for any customer to leave the premises without paying.”

Business difficulties

Mr Cummins said the restaurant business is losing its viability.

“It’s on the floor, and people are finding it very tough in the business community to make ends meet,” he said.

“At the moment, it’s not a viable business, and I wouldn’t advise anybody to go into it and set up a restaurant, given the cost of food, labour, and taxation.”

A recent survey found 212 restaurants or cafes have shut their doors so far this year.

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Main image: Dine and dash: an abandoned restaurant table in Spain. Image: Jan Mika / Alamy Stock Photo