A party of diners accused of leaving a restaurant without settling a £347 bill may have inadvertently made it easier to track them down after one of them left a scathing negative review. The group, comprising 17 individuals, allegedly departed from Mar d’Amura restaurant in Valencia, Spain, without paying the €402.80 (£347.50) bill.
One diner harshly criticized the service, food quality, and atmosphere of the restaurant, describing it as a “dreadful place with awful food and service, one of the worst spots I’ve ever visited.”
Mar d’Amura claimed that the group clandestinely left the establishment one by one to avoid attracting attention from the staff. The story was brought to public attention by the hospitality-focused X account @soycamarero, leading to a wave of criticism, with users labeling the dine-and-dashers as “shameless” and “scoundrels.”
In response to the negative review, Mar d’Amura’s management acknowledged the feedback as an opportunity to publicly address the situation. The owner highlighted that the group not only left without settling the bill but also engaged in deceptive behavior such as ordering desserts and rejecting them upon service. One diner reportedly consumed a full ribeye steak meal and then claimed it was unsatisfactory, attempting to negotiate the price.
Emphasizing that the bill exceeded €350, the owner condemned the incident as theft rather than petty theft. He also cautioned that security camera footage would be used to file a police report and share the incident on social media.
Social media users expressed astonishment over how 17 people could leave without being noticed, questioning the vigilance of the staff. Despite the initial backlash, it was later revealed that Mar d’Amura received the payment through the Spanish service Bizum.
This incident follows a similar case in the UK, where a couple engaged in an “ultimate dine and dash” at The Halfway House in Brentwood, Essex, leaving behind a £231.30 bill for a meal that included starters, steaks, shots, and ice cream. The couple was captured on CCTV fleeing across the car park, prompting police involvement and subsequent payment by one of the individuals involved.
General manager Deanne Perkins stated that one of the culprits returned to settle half of the bill after seeing the incident publicized on social media, but the whereabouts of the other individual remained unknown. Perkins expressed uncertainty about the woman’s claim of not being aware of the situation, considering her actions in running to the car park.
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