Pub boss stunned as brazen couple walk out without paying mid-meal

Pub staff were left gobsmacked when a couple bolted in the middle of their meal without paying their tab. The brazen pair enjoyed pre-dinner drinks, wine, and starters before ordering their main course at Bunch of Grapes gastropub in Pontypridd, South Wales.

But before the meals arrived, they made a swift exit. Despite being challenged by staff, the couple left without paying.

General manager Gareth Hutt was stunned by their behaviour, especially as the couple had initially praised the food. He noted that the pair "seemed to have had a few more elsewhere" when they initially came into the bar for a few drinks.

They then moved to the restaurant area, ordered garlic bread, olives, and Welsh rarebit for starter. Although they were complimentary about the food, they shot off just as their main courses - a 12oz steak and a black pudding and ox shank - were served.

The dine-and-dashing in July 2022 left a £67.25 bill unpaid, with Bunch of Grapes turning to Facebook to urge the couple to return and settle up. Their post read: "To the couple who it seems had been drinking long before they arrived to us last night, and decided to leave without paying as their mains were being served, we would really appreciate you giving us a call to resolve this theft."

"The bill you owe is significant enough to cover the wages of my staff who I know looked after you in their usual friendly manner. Not to mention the upset caused. Failing that, we have CCTV images of you both, which we will willingly publicise."

In a conversation with Wales Online, Mr Hutt said that the couple appeared normal upon arrival, despite seeming to have preloaded on drinks and having a bit of a tiff at their table. He said: "They came into the bar first of all and had a few drinks there.

"I don't think they were planning to eat when they arrived but they asked for a table in the restaurant. Then I think my waitress realised on the third round of drinks that she served them that they had probably had a few more before that point, elsewhere.

"But we thought, their food is on the way so hopefully everything will be okay. They seemed to be arguing at the table a little bit but they had their starters and they said they were lovely and they'd enjoyed them."

Seemingly out of nowhere, the couple then suddenly left one after the other. Despite being confronted as they walked off site, they reportedly remained adamant that they were not going to pay their bill.

Mr Hutt continued: "As we were waiting to take out their mains, one of them disappeared and the other one followed them out. This was the first I'd heard about it at this point, because I'd just finished but I was still on site.

"My assistant manager went out to speak to them but they just walked away from her. What can you do beyond that? You can't do anything after that, and I would never expect my staff to physically stop anybody."

He added: "One of my staff was a bit upset because they thought it was their fault, that they shouldn't have served them the drinks, but they'd exercised their judgement and we weren't going to serve them any more. My assistant manager was a bit flummoxed by it all as it had never happened to her and, to be honest, I don't think it's happened to me in the last 10 years either.

"We've had walkouts before where people have snuck out. But never before have we had walkouts where we've confronted them and they've refused to pay and walked off."

Reflecting on the incident, Mr Hutt said: "I was in disbelief to be honest, and angry. A bill of £67 isn't a huge amount of money but then when trade isn't where we'd hoped it would be by now, it is more significant.

"Like I wrote in the post, that would have covered two of the waitresses' shifts that night. So they've lost us money and wasted food. I just can't understand the attitude of people who think that's an acceptable thing to do."

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