No check, please! 8% of restaurant diners admit to bolting without paying

A survey that took in 1,500 diners across the UK has found that restaurants are frequently falling victim to unscrupulous diners who scarper without paying, and London is the worst for it. 

The data, collated by card payment solutions provider takepayments, revealed that 8% of restaurant goers admit they have headed off without paying the bill. 

The survey comes at a time when restaurants need good news, not unpaid bills. While relief may be around the corner for pubs, business rates changes and alcohol duty hikes, as well as expensive long-term goods and staffing costs, are keeping confidence low.

For many businesses, an unpaid meal could have a huge impact. 

The scale of the shame

There was a 1% difference between men and women, with men being more likely to not pay. The results also pointed the finger at one age group, the 35 to 44 bracket, as the most likely to dine and dash. 

The reasons for doing so varied, and actually offered some hope, with 39% of dine-and-dashers saying they had simply forgotten to pay. However, there is no data on whether they went back to rectify this, and an unpaid bill is an unpaid bill regardless of how innocent the accident. 

Meanwhile, 13% said they had left a restaurant without paying because they were in a hurry and the service was too slow, suggesting they acted out of perceived necessity.

However, the remaining non-paying customers knew exactly what they were doing, and admitted they had dined and dashed as an act of theft, with 11% saying they did it for the thrill. 

As well as revealing which gender and age group are most likely to skip paying for their meal, the survey also uncovered regional differences. 

London accounted for 21% of all reported incidents in the UK. However, before those living in the capital hang their heads in shame, it’s worth knowing that when the data was adjusted for population size, it was the East Midlands that actually topped the list as the region with the most incidents.

Are no-shows an even bigger problem?

The data also uncovered a potentially larger issue for businesses – the fact that 12% of diners have booked a table at a restaurant, then failed to show up.

In terms of the reasons customers do this, 60% of no-shows said they had simply forgotten to cancel their table, while being too embarrassed to contact the restaurant was listed by 15% of respondents, and a further 15% said cancelling was too much effort.

London was again pinpointed as a hotspot, with almost one in five admitting to missing a booking. 

Interestingly, there was also a gender disparity. Women are more likely than men to forget to cancel a reservation, with 68% of women saying they’d done this compared to 49% of men.

To counter this, some businesses have been putting deposit schemes in place, but punters are baulking at this, with the survey finding that 44% are put off making a reservation when a restaurant asks for card details to secure the booking.

What can businesses do?

For businesses, the key to countering no-shows and non-payers is to keep it simple for customers, said Darren Larkman, Field Sales Director at takepayments: “Restaurants can make the booking process much easier by keeping it quick and simple. That could be an easy-to-use online system, clear instructions for walk-ins, or flexible deposit options.” 

He adds that automated email reminders and easy cancellation links “also help diners cancel responsibly”. 

Clarity is also key to preventing dine-and-dash disasters. Diners should be able to clearly see how and when they need to pay; and there should also be a designated member of staff in each area to monitor tables and ensure customer service is timely. 

Larkman advises taking pre-payments or deposits for large tables; but paying upfront for all customers could also be an option, depending on the nature of the business. It might not work, for example, for a high-end restaurant with a small number of covers, but it could work for a large venue with a rapid turnaround of tables. 

However, even with measures in place, there might be situations where diners are determined not to pay. Larkman recommended that restaurants ensure their staff are trained to “approach the situation calmly and professionally”.

If things do get out of hand, CCTV is a strategic tool (though customers must be told that it is in place), and staff must know the processes if they need help from the authorities with a problematic payer. 

As Larkman said: “By combining good processes, staff training, and smart use of technology, restaurants can minimise accidental or deliberate dine-and-dash incidents while keeping customers happy and service running smoothly.” In these times of rising costs, this is all the more important.

Discover the ales and ails of hospitality

Planet of the Grapes founder Matt Harris has over 25 years of experience in hospitality. Read his bi-monthly column for Startups now.

Read Whining and Dining