I think I saw a "dine and dash" at Denny's today!

[greensinestro]

I took my son to Denny's for a late lunch. About fifteen minutes after we sat down, this rough looking guy with a pony tail tied behind him came in, and sat in a booth for two without anyone showing him to this table. A waiter came along and asked if he wanted a menu, to which he just waved the guy off. Then, after our waiter asked how we were doing, he went over and took this guy's order, which was coffee and a slice of cheesecake.

The suspected dine and dash part came when I went to pay the bill at the front counter. Afterward, as my son and I went to the men's room, this man had gotten up from his table, and entered the restroom room a split second after we did. He then used one of the stalls, then exited at the same time we did (without washing his hands, I might add), then walked out of the restaurant down a nearby sidewalk.

To me, it just seems very unlikely that this guy could have paid his bill in between the time I finished paying and then noticed him getting up to also head to the restroom. The front counter was right before the restrooms, and even if he was paying cash for his coffee and dessert, it should have taken at least one or two long minutes to pay his bill.

I have heard of this actually happening at places. When a patron pulls this stunt, usually with an accomplice, one makes a dash for the restrooms, then casually walks out in the hope that none of the employees notices this person. Then the second person does the same thing, but normally walks out to the waiting getaway car that Accomplice Number One is driving.

I guess they also do this alone. This guy was on foot, which means he blended in with other people who were walking around.

And we wonder why it's not too affordable to eat out anymore.

[Red_Dazes]

I've had this situation happen to me personally. That is, being accused of dine-and-dash, ((not that this guy did or didn't, from your story he sounds highly suspicious))

But several times when I have cash on me, when I get the bill I will look at the amount. And if I have enough to cover the bill and a nice tip with out needing change, I will just stick it in the bill fold, sometimes go to the restroom, and leave.

Not saying you are wrong, just giving another way to look at it.

[fma_fanatic]

It's also entirely possible that he left cash on the table and left it at that. There'd be no way of knowing unless you went back to the table and peeked over to where he'd been sitting.

Not defending, just saying.

[Andara Bledin]

I've actually left my payment at the table at a Denny's, once. But it's not the usual setup for them.

I think they prefer that you take your bill up to the front and pay there. Practically every other sit-down place I've visited, however, has you either leave it at the table, or your server will take it from you.

^-.-^

[Geek King]

I saw a dine`n Dash at a Perkins with a twist. I was working nights back when the only 24-hour places were Perkins/Denny's/Waffle House and some gas stations. Some coworkers and I had stopped at Perkins for some dinner before going home around 2-3AM. The only other people at that time of night were a couple of guys that were there before we came in and six state patrolmen that wandered in a few minutes after us.

As we ate, it became increasingly obvious that the two guys were powerfully drunk. Yelling unitentionally, slurring words, the whole deal. The patrolmen, of course were quite interested in their state of mind and it was obvious they were all but drooling at a nice drunk driving grab, all served up neat and tidy. Our waitress even tipped us a wink and said, "I think you guys are going to get dinner and a show tonight." It was obvious to all involved what was going to happen, unless you happened to be drunk off your rocker.

So the drunks get up and head towards the register to pay. The State Patrolmen are just waiting fror them to get in a car, and we're waiting for the patrol men to take off and bust them. The drunks are waiting by the register for someone to come to ring them out, and suddenly start whispering and looking around. I said to my table, "Oh hell, no. They're not about to..." Sure enough, with six State Patrol looking on, they just walked out on their ticket!

As soon as the lights on the car came on, four of the patrolmen ran out the front door (the other two settled up the bills) to block the drunks from leaving. So not only did they get a nice DUI and public drunkeness, but theft charges as well. My party stopped and clapped for the officers as we left.

[PepperElf]

I will just stick it in the bill fold, sometimes go to the restroom, and leave.

I've done that a few times, usually when I just don't feel like chatting with the server... but I've always left a good tip when I do that.

[Evil Queen]

Leaving cash on the table is normal for me and most of the diners I've either worked in or have eaten in.

Back when I worked in huddle house, the EMT's, patrol officers and other emergency people that were dining on the job would just up and leave if called in. I was told that this is normal and we were to just hang onto their ticket so they could come in later and pay for it. Sometimes we'd have a nice little stack waiting for them but they were rarely older than a day or two and usually tipped well once they came back to settle the bill.

[RestaurantDude]

I've been on the receiving end of a dine 'n dash, back in my restaurant days. Sneaky bastards.