A Brentwood restaurant has publicly called out a couple who allegedly fled without paying a £231.30 bill after eating steaks, starters and downing 14 Baby Guinness shots
A restaurant has shamed the ‘ultimate dine and dash’ couple accused of knocking back 14 baby Guinness shots with their dinner – then allegedly legging it across their car park without settling their tab.
General manager Deanne Perkins claims the pair turned up at The Halfway House restaurant in Brentwood, Essex, on May 16, where they clocked up an eye-watering £231.30 bill.
CCTV footage captures a man and woman being seated by a member of staff before requesting to be moved to a table nearer the venue’s rear exit – prompting Deanne to suspect the alleged incident was ‘premeditated’.
They ordered several starters, two steaks, ice cream, sides, and 14 shots of baby Guinness, which the manager says left her amazed they managed to polish off given their generous portion sizes.
The 45-year-old alleges the duo devoured all their food before the woman stepped out the front entrance while chatting on her phone.
Footage captures the man glancing around for any members of staff before slipping out through the rear door.
The pair are then spotted sprinting away together across the car park.
After checking the CCTV footage that same evening, Deanne was gobsmacked to witness the couple allegedly bolting without settling their £231.30 bill and contacted the police.
Deanne posted the video online to highlight the incident and alert other local establishments.
Deanne claims the woman was embarrassed into returning to the restaurant and coughing up £90 for her portion of the bill, but says she hasn’t heard from the man and the remaining £141.30 remains unpaid. Deanne, from Great Baddow, Essex, said: “They just seemed like a normal couple. They asked to sit, they moved from a small table to a big table.
“It’s away from everyone but sometimes couples do that to have a private meal. They specifically asked for that table, it did seem premeditated.
“He had two tempura prawns and she had a prawn cocktail, steaks and cocktails and 14 baby Guinness shots.
“They ordered onion rings, garlic bread and ice cream. That’s a lot of food. Our portions are really big, anyone that comes struggles to finish their meal, so that is crazy.
“They were absolutely fine, chatty. There was no indication any of this would happen.
“The lady got up and walked to the front on her phone, which is not uncommon as some people go outside to take a call.
“You can see him looking around waiting for staff to not be in his eye line. Then he got up and went out the back and ran all the way around.
“They ran but they didn’t get into a car, we don’t know where they went. Through social media we got the name of both individuals and I sent it to the police.
“The lady came in after seeing it on social media and paid her half of the bill – £90. But we still have to hear from the gentleman.”