 | The examples and perspective in this articlemay not represent aworldwide view of the subject. You mayimprove this article, discuss the issue on thetalk page, orcreate a new article, as appropriate.(April 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
"Dine and dash" is a phrase used to describe a person who has not paid for their meal at a restaurant. It involves placing an order, consuming it and then leaving, without paying, before or after being presented with the bill. It is often considered a form oftheft orfraud.
In the United Kingdom, dine and dashes are prosecuted asmaking off without payment.[1]
In the United States, legal implications vary bystate. When the customer intended in advance to leave their bill unpaid and therefore obtained the valuable services under false pretenses, failing to pay the bill is considered theft and is a form of criminal fraud.[2] The diner's intent differentiates the civil case of failing to pay a bill from the criminal act ofdefrauding an innkeeper.[2] InMichigan, defrauding an innkeeper is a specialized statutorymisdemeanor offense, with a maximum penalty of 93 days in jail and a fine of up to US$500 and possibleprobation for up to 2 years. It can be charged either under state law or local ordinance. Thegravamen of this offense involves failure to pay an incurred bill at a bar, cafe, hotel, motel or restaurant with intent todefraud the business establishment.[3] In one case, a man was arrested and charged with 10felonies after 13 women who dated him footed the bill after he fled.[4][5]
Sometimes, employers may make their employees recoup the cost of customer theft. They may do so explicitly by deducting unpaid meals fromwages ortips, or implicitly through an end-of-shift reconciliation system whereby the server is expected to provide enough cash and credit card receipts to cover the cost of their customers' meals, and keep any surplus as tips. Many jurisdictions consider this to bewage theft, with the employer being liable for paying back the server's stolen wages.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
