I left a restaurant without paying - the look from the waiter said it all

The interior of The Plough at Lupton
-Credit: (Image: LancsLive)


As I settled into the driver's seat of my car, the flush of embarrassment fading from my face, a sharp "RAT-A-TAT-TAT" on the window jolted me.

"Have you paid your bill? " enquired the barman, his voice laced with suspicion. My cheeks blazed red once more as I stuttered, "It's ok, I've sorted it."

In truth, I hadn't settled the £59 bill and was eager to speed away. The drive up the M6 had been long and drenched in relentless rain, with the prospect of an immediate return trip looming. On impulse, I decided to spare us the chore of cooking and treat my daughter and myself to a Sunday roast instead of slaving away at home.

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The Plough at Lupton, conveniently situated just off Junction 36 of the M6, beckoned us. Having enjoyed previous visits and their delectable roasts, we ventured along the A65.

Despite not having a reservation, the accommodating staff found us a spot in the bar area where we devoured our hearty roast dinners (chicken for her, pork for mine) within the cosy confines of the stylishly decorated pub as the downpour persisted outside.

The thought of dessert was too much, even though the treacle tart was alluring. I requested the bill while my daughter packed away her crayons, reports Lancs Live.

"Oh, it's not gone through," remarked the waiter after my card failed to register on the machine. Despite multiple attempts, the result was the same.

With a sense of impending doom, I logged into my online banking to find an unexpected early payment had been made. Unable to access my other account without my laptop, I was left unable to make the necessary transfer.

In a state of rising panic, I reached out to several friends via text, asking if they could temporarily lend me the money, promising to repay them the following morning. Unfortunately, one friend was unable to help and the others didn't respond. I had no choice but to face the situation head-on.

After jokingly telling my daughter that we might have to wash dishes - a jest I quickly confessed to when she began crying - I called over the waiter and explained my predicament, asking if I could call in the next morning to settle the bill.

"Of course," he responded, much to my relief. He took a photo of my ID and I left him one of my business cards, mentioning that I had previously written a positive review about The Plough, hoping this would reassure him that I had no intention of leaving without paying.

However, it seemed the message hadn't been passed on to all staff members. As we were getting into the car, the barman confronted me, likely suspecting I was attempting to leave without settling the bill.

Naturally, I called first thing the next morning to pay, and the friendly woman who answered the phone thanked me for "Thanks for ringing up and settling the bill! " as if they hadn't expected me to do so.

Needless to say, I won't be repeating that mistake!

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