Have you ever done a runner?

Stoogie

eoghan104 wrote: »

One of the lads ate the bil

lol

AgileMyth

I lived in Belgium for a while, it was the first time I was somewhere you would pay for your beers at the end. Obviously I would get drunk and forget to pay, mostly they'd stop me or I'd remember the next day but I'm sure there are a few bars that I owe a few quid.

Silly system anyway!

Turtyturd

Never done it myself. Wouldn't point out if I was undercharged though.

Along similar lines though I grew up in a flat complex and it was fairly common to see/hear stories of people getting a taxi into the middle of the block then bolting from the taxi in different directions. Know of at least one taxi driver who got out a gave chase only to have his taxi robbed before he got back. :pac:

Slunk

Done it once before. Out for dinner on a Sunday with the girlfriend and a few others. I had order the beef, which took several reminders to come and when it did it was lamb. The waitress swore blind it was beef and i didnt want to wait another age for another dinner so I ate it. One of the others ordered a coke and was flat, like the end of a 2ltr bottle. The waitress was having none of it.overall, very very poor experience and attitude. We told the girls to meet us outside after the bathroom and we would settle up. We just left.
Other times I've mentioned a round of drinks not been charged etc other times I've said nothing. It all depends how they treat you. I actually walked out without paying for a burger and pint quite recently and went back the next day. The guy couldn't believe when he seen me walk back in

Chaos Black

Running after a heavy meal and drinks. Screw that, walking is difficult enough after a good meal.

Discodog

I don't know why they bothered. You can leave without paying provided you leave your name & address. Years ago a bunch of us went to a Chinese Restaurant. The meal was genuinely bad & we said that we would pay for the little we had eaten but no more.

We ended up having to call the Police as the staff had fetched an assortment of meat cleavers & knives.

cml387

Discodog wrote: »

I don't know why they bothered. You can leave without paying provided you leave your name & address. Years ago a bunch of us went to a Chinese Restaurant. The meal was genuinely bad & we said that we would pay for the little we had eaten but no more.

We ended up having to call the Police as the staff had fetched an assortment of meat cleavers & knives.

Yes it's always wiser to do a runner from McDonald's as they can do only limited damage with the little scoops they dole out the chips with.

Actually you can't do a runner from McDonald's as you pay up front.

OK just talk among yourselves for a while.:o

Sam Kade

eoghan104 wrote: »

Did it once in Eddie Rockets after a rake of pints. One of the lads ate the bill and we all walked out.

Obviously it's not a great thing to do. I certainly wouldn't do it now, but someone saying they went back and paid 18 years later is a liar, or a liar.

I know a fella that stole a goose from a farmers wife and after 30 years he felt so guilty he called to her son to tell him and wanted to pay for the goose, true story.

Pepe LeFrits

I had a flatmate that used to do runners on taxis sometimes. I was watching TV one evening and heard a voice in the hallway. Went out and there was a cabbie standing in the doorway. My flatmate had jumped out of the taxi at the end of the street, run to the house, left the front door open and passed out on the bed in the front room with the lights on.

Dude wasn't good with a few drinks on him.

gigantic09

Sam Kade wrote: »

I know a fella that stole a goose from a farmers wife and after 30 years he felt so guilty he called to her son to tell him and wanted to pay for the goose, true story.

The goose probably wouldn't have recognized them after the 30 years so he was right to offer payment instead of returning the bird :-).

jimmy blevins

No, not after having the bottle of wine and spirits.

I once I walked out of my local supermarket with a men's health magazine when the automated checkout was being temperamental and the staff were literally nowhere to be seen.

I think a friend and I may have walked out of Cinnamon in Ranelagh a few years ago, after the staff were incredibly lethargic about bringing the card machine & bill. That place serves delicious food but you'd better set aside a long wait for them to accept your money.

A customer once complained about the wait on Twitter, and Cinnamon replied, calling him an arsehole.

osarusan

I'd love to do it, but I'd be afraid that I'd be caught and that my face would be all over the front page of the newspapers.

andekwarhola

Discodog wrote: »

I don't know why they bothered. You can leave without paying provided you leave your name & address. Years ago a bunch of us went to a Chinese Restaurant. The meal was genuinely bad & we said that we would pay for the little we had eaten but no more.

We ended up having to call the Police as the staff had fetched an assortment of meat cleavers & knives.

As a kid, stories or comics always had people that couldn't pay for a meal ruefully washing up a pile of dishes as the chef watched with a stern but faintly jocular eye.

In most parts of Dublin though, you'd probably end up with a spatula stuck in the side of your head.

munster87

Yes I have, her speciality was the 5000 metres

gigantic09

osarusan wrote: »

I'd love to do it, but I'd be afraid that I'd be caught and that my face would be all over the front page of the newspapers.

Developing an expensive heroin or crack habit might help you overcome these issues.In no time youd be shoplifting to beat the band.

NickNickleby

Never did and cannot condone it under any circumstances. Peoples livelihoods and jobs could be at stake.

Was in Clontarf Castle Bar a couple of weeks ago, with family. After the meal, they were setting up music so I decided we should move to the other end of the bar. After settling down in our new location, I saw the poor waitress looking panic stricken, staring at our vacated table. I hurried over to reassure her we hadn't done a runner and she was SO relieved, I felt terrible. I suspect she may have been held responsible for the unpaid bill, which was heading for over E150 at that stage.

to any runners out there:

next time you're in a restaurant, take a look at the staff , and decide which one should have the cost of your meal deducted from their already minimal wages. Or worse, which one you'd like to be sacked for allowing it to happen.

FanadMan

Did walk out of a cafe with my then gf without paying. We were so busy chatting that we forgot all about it. I copped on a couple of hours later so I went back to pay - they never knew anything about it! When I paid, they gave me a discount for being honest so put the discount in the tip jar.

helimachoptor

Stheno wrote: »

A couple of places I go out to regularly get the bill wrong as in its missing drinks or desserts etc.

Anytime I point it out they are gobsmacked

myself and my wife eat out quite a bit.. generally they add stuff on!

I dont drink with dinner, so everytime its start/mains/dessert and a couple of glasses of wine... some of the stuff that appears makes it read we are are table of 4!

anewme

It takes a certain type of gutless wonder to steal from someone or a small business trying to earn an honest days crust like a Restaurant, Waiting Staff, or a Taxi Guy (poor guy stabbed the other night trying to make a living) The excuses are great too, (the Hotel charged enough for the Room so I decided to have a free brekkie - sod off, stay somewhere cheaper then)

My Granny used to say that people like that had "bad breeding in them"

As a child I did not know what that meant, but now it sums them up perfectly!

wakka12

NickNickleby wrote: »

Never did and cannot condone it under any circumstances. Peoples livelihoods and jobs could be at stake.

Was in Clontarf Castle Bar a couple of weeks ago, with family. After the meal, they were setting up music so I decided we should move to the other end of the bar. After settling down in our new location, I saw the poor waitress looking panic stricken, staring at our vacated table. I hurried over to reassure her we hadn't done a runner and she was SO relieved, I felt terrible. I suspect she may have been held responsible for the unpaid bill, which was heading for over E150 at that stage.

to any runners out there:

next time you're in a restaurant, take a look at the staff , and decide which one should have the cost of your meal deducted from their already minimal wages. Or worse, which one you'd like to be sacked for allowing it to happen.

Ive worked in some ****ty places where I was treated like dirt and even they wouldnt deduct a runners meal costs from my pay. More likely Id say it was a family business and her sibling/parents would be mad at her for not watching more closely, or maybe it was her first day/week and she didnt want to look bad in front of her new boss. But anyway, still, good advice! ****ty thing to do to people regardless

foggy_lad

Winterlong wrote: »

On my 21st birthday I legged it with a kebab from some place. I was out of my bin at the time and have no idea why I did it. Genuinely out of character.
I did anonymously pay for that kebab the next time I visited that city....18 years later.

so was the kebab:D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiIGGDeN7D0

NickNickleby

wakka12 wrote: »

Ive worked in some ****ty places where I was treated like dirt and even they wouldnt deduct a runners meal costs from my pay. More likely Id say it was a family business and her sibling/parents would be mad at her for not watching more closely, or maybe it was her first day/week and she didnt want to look bad in front of her new boss. But anyway, still, good advice! ****ty thing to do to people regardless

Well, that's nice to know. Hopefully that is now a thing of the past.
In the 1970's I worked for minimum wage (although it wasn't called that) for 9 hour days 6 days a week and every 4th Sunday. Any shortages were deducted from my net £9.00 per week. One week I was deducted £4 for a 'runner'. I've never forgotten that.

anewme

Worked as a "Lounge Girl" in the mid 80's and at the time any shortages in your float or runners were deducted from your wages. (2.50 per night)

Elliott S

anewme wrote: »

It takes a certain type of gutless wonder to steal from someone or a small business trying to earn an honest days crust like a Restaurant, Waiting Staff, or a Taxi Guy (poor guy stabbed the other night trying to make a living) The excuses are great too, (the Hotel charged enough for the Room so I decided to have a free brekkie - sod off, stay somewhere cheaper then)

My Granny used to say that people like that had "bad breeding in them"

As a child I did not know what that meant, but now it sums them up perfectly!

Yes, it's not terribly classy, is it?

fleet_admiral

I haven't but I know a few restaurant and franchise owners who have legged it without paying staff/rent/suppliers
Edit: any walkouts in my current place are paid for out of the tip jar. So it's a terrible thing to do

Padster90s

A friend of a friend tried to jump form a taxi to avoid paying, she jumped while the car was still moving and cracked her head open. The taxi driver had to take her to hospital and wait with her till the parents came from 2 hours away! Her excuse was I needed a way home but had no money...idiot!

Your Face

It's all very common.

mullyboyee

Me and my friends have done an accidental dine and dash twice.

Once in Galway for New Years Eve. Some of us arrived on the early train, decided to ditch the bags in the hotel and get onto the pints.

Found a pub, ordered some sambos/wraps etc and a few drinks. Ended up waiting a whike for our friends and ordered 3/4 more drinks each.

Now we were buying the pints at the bar but had ordered the grub off a waiter. Anyway our friends eventually arrive, we have another drink before moving on and not until the next day did anyone cop that we hadn't paid for the food.

I'v also done many a deliberate runner from taxis during my college career ☺

Caliden

Padster90s wrote: »

A friend of a friend tried to jump form a taxi to avoid paying, she jumped while the car was still moving and cracked her head open. The taxi driver had to take her to hospital and wait with her till the parents came from 2 hours away! Her excuse was I needed a way home but had no money...idiot!

A hackney company in Galway will actually give you a lift home for free if you leave you student id with them. You can go in the following day or so and pay them then.

You obviously need to prove it's your id but I think it's a good idea especially since a replacement id is now like 40 quid or something

J Mysterio

Winterlong wrote: »

On my 21st birthday I legged it with a kebab from some place. I was out of my bin at the time and have no idea why I did it. Genuinely out of character.
I did anonymously pay for that kebab the next time I visited that city....18 years later.

Out of my bin :pac:

captbarnacles

Embarrassingly yes when younger not now though. I would always point out if I was undercharged now or given too much change.

It's interesting how some people who claim they are very 'honest' will gladly keep extra change or knowingly pay a bill that is clearly wrong in their favour. I know quite a few.

Badly Drunk Boy

NickNickleby wrote: »

Well, that's nice to know. Hopefully that is now a thing of the past.
In the 1970's I worked for minimum wage (although it wasn't called that) for 9 hour days 6 days a week and every 4th Sunday. Any shortages were deducted from my net £9.00 per week. One week I was deducted £4 for a 'runner'. I've never forgotten that.

Sounds almost Dickensian...

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

Elliott S

Elliott S wrote: »

Why not just pay without being asked? It's fine to add breakfast on to a room you've booked. There's no issue with that. Would you steal crisps from a bar just because you'd spent a lot of money on booze there? Same thing!

Yeah if getting away with it Id never say anything , I'd never say anything if a mistake was made with a round and I was undercharged etc.

Better the money in my pocket that theirs.

Candie wrote: »

I know, it still grates when I think of it. I think the misleading was deliberate, they wanted a nice party but didn't want to pay for it and relied on peoples manners to get away with it. All they did was make themselves unpopular.

One friend of my went to town on the menu, wine for each course and a couple of brandies with coffee afterwards as well, the works. His bill came to £127. He was starving for weeks afterwards.

I kind of felt he deserved it for taking advantage though.

Bigger the fools ye that paid. I'd have walked away and let the couple get followed up for thier non paying friends.

Harvey Normal

Naya Teeny Pilot wrote: »

Yeah if getting away with it Id never say anything , I'd never say anything if a mistake was made with a round and I was undercharged etc.

Better the money in my pocket that theirs.



Bigger the fools ye that paid. I'd have walked away and let the couple get followed up for thier non paying friends.

At a larger level this gombeenism is killing the country.

LexieOnRale

LexieOnRale wrote: »

My mothers cousins husband tapped me on the shoulder and said "Lexie, who's settling this?" And I said well Aidan, it's pay for yourself. I was 22, I don't know where he thought I was getting the cash to pay for it. And id actually rather take my money and set it alight before I'd pay for so much as a glass of water for any of them.

Sorry but ye are in the wrong here. If you invite peope for dinner the expectation is that it's being paid for. Only on a very rare occasion are you expected to pay yourself and I can remember the times myself as it stood out, can even remember my parents coming home from one or two nights out over the years complaining about how they were invited to a dinner and then all of a sudden expected to pay themselves.

The meanness of the host really stands out.

anewme

Naya Teeny Pilot wrote: »

A few times in hotels where breakfast wasn't included in the room price but I had it anyway and said nothing. They charge enough for the room anyway.

Naya Teeny Pilot wrote: »

The meanness of the host really stands out.

You said it.

Elliott S

Naya Teeny Pilot wrote: »

Yeah if getting away with it Id never say anything , I'd never say anything if a mistake was made with a round and I was undercharged etc.

Better the money in my pocket that theirs.

If the accommodation is what you consider too expensive to pay for breakfast on top, book somewhere cheaper. Their rates are their rates. How would you like to not be fully paid for your work?

Or per my earlier example. Would you steal crisps from the bar because you have spent plenty on booze over the night? This is the same, it's still thieving food.

MadYaker

Naya Teeny Pilot wrote: »

Sorry but ye are in the wrong here. If you invite peope for dinner the expectation is that it's being paid for. Only on a very rare occasion are you expected to pay yourself and I can remember the times myself as it stood out, can even remember my parents coming home from one or two nights out over the years complaining about how they were invited to a dinner and then all of a sudden expected to pay themselves.

The meanness of the host really stands out.

Now I can see where your attitude comes from :rolleyes: I think you meant to say "pay for themselves".


I've never done a runner from a restaurant or anything like that. When I was a teenager me and a few of my friends used to crash the college graduations because there used to be a marquee full of sandwiches and drinks. Unfortunately by the time I graduated they'd scaled it back a fair bit.

Does crashing a wedding count? We got some free dinner but paid for our own drinks.

FanadMan

foggy_lad wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiIGGDeN7D0

Years since I heard that song! Used to be able to sing it word for word when I was a kid.

endacl

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

How about yourselves, ever done a runner?

Shagged a hurdler once.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Naya Teeny Pilot wrote: »

Sorry but ye are in the wrong here. If you invite peope for dinner the expectation is that it's being paid for. Only on a very rare occasion are you expected to pay yourself and I can remember the times myself as it stood out, can even remember my parents coming home from one or two nights out over the years complaining about how they were invited to a dinner and then all of a sudden expected to pay themselves.

The meanness of the host really stands out.

Nah son, meanness for me is rounding up every single one of the family (even cousins who didn't speak to my mother before she died) children, grandchildren, bombarding the restaurant with about 15 people who weren't booked in, and ordering the most expensive drinks on the menu without a cent in your pocket.

I didn't invite them anywhere, I put out word that we were going for dinner that particular evening, we would be going to X restaurant and if anyone wanted to come and catch up with the family that were home, to let me know the numbers so I could book them in. I hadn't spoken to them AT ALL in 4 or 5 years. I was 22 years old. I'm not sure why they assumed I would be paying for anything. But I was happy they thought I was. Serves them right.

wakka12

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Nah son, meanness for me is rounding up every single one of the family (even cousins who didn't speak to my mother before she died) children, grandchildren, bombarding the restaurant with about 15 people who weren't booked in, and ordering the most expensive drinks on the menu without a cent in your pocket.

I didn't invite them anywhere, I put out word that we were going for dinner that particular evening, we would be going to X restaurant and if anyone wanted to come and catch up with the family that were home, to let me know the numbers so I could book them in. I hadn't spoken to them AT ALL in 4 or 5 years. I was 22 years old. I'm not sure why they assumed I would be paying for anything. But I was happy they thought I was. Serves them right.

Maybe he had a point but the fact that you were 22 would immediately dismiss any thoughts in my head that you'd be paying for dinner for us! What 22 year old can afford a big fancy dinner on the house for 15 people

SuperS54

Andres Mealy Tremor wrote:

A few times in hotels where breakfast wasn't included in the room price but I had it anyway and said nothing. They charge enough for the room anyway.
Anywhere I've been, they ask for your room number. How would you get away with that?

Elliott S wrote: »

Anywhere I've been, they ask for your room number. How would you get away with that?

Had the opposite happen, wife and I were on a trip home to Ireland and staying in a fair few different hotels and B&Bs. Second hotel was for 4 nights and asked at check in if breakfast was included (had booked online and genuinely couldn't remember the deals with each hotel), was assured it was. 3 mornings and the restaurant manager greeted us at the door, checked off our room number and names and told us to enjoy our breakfast, breakfast wasn't great but we said f'it we got a good deal on the hotel and the brekkie was free. Last morning there's a lady on the door and apparently there is an issue with our names, we go ahead and have breakfast and are later informed that there was no breakfast included and the manager wanted EU12 a head for the 4 days. Told him were to go and eventually paid EU24 for the day we were actually informed.

andekwarhola

mullyboyee wrote: »

I've also done many a deliberate runner from taxis during my college career ☺

I know one (very big and fit) taxi driver in particular that has caught a runner or two in his time. I'd rather face a whole kitchen of chefs wielding cleavers to be honest. :pac:

razorblunt

mullyboyee wrote: »

Me and my friends have done an accidental dine and dash twice.

Once in Galway for New Years Eve. Some of us arrived on the early train, decided to ditch the bags in the hotel and get onto the pints.

Found a pub, ordered some sambos/wraps etc and a few drinks. Ended up waiting a whike for our friends and ordered 3/4 more drinks each.

Now we were buying the pints at the bar but had ordered the grub off a waiter. Anyway our friends eventually arrive, we have another drink before moving on and not until the next day did anyone cop that we hadn't paid for the food.

I'v also done many a deliberate runner from taxis during my college career ☺

Ha, the exact same happened to me and my friends on a lads weekend in Kilkenny.
A few of us had got to the house first and went for a pint and some quick grub, the other lads followed afterwards and ordered their own grub. We decided to move on and try the next pub and let them follow us.
We threw money down to cover us, but it was at the same time as a kitty was organised.

We walked away, one lad took the kitty who was staying behind, the others presumed our money was going into the kitty and one lad who was owed petrol money presumed he was covered and they left 20 minutes afterwards.

One of the lads went back when we realised we had way too much in the kitty.
The manager of the last place said it must have happened at staff change overs as the till wasn't showing anything unpaid. He told us to just pay for the drinks.
We did call back in for a few rounds the following night and paid in full.

fleet_admiral

fleet_admiral wrote: »

Edit: any walkouts in my current place are paid for out of the tip jar. So it's a terrible thing to do

What a dickish thing for a restaurant to do.

A restaurant can get a tax deduction for theft, why should the workers pay via the tips they have earned?

razorblunt

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Nah son, meanness for me is rounding up every single one of the family (even cousins who didn't speak to my mother before she died) children, grandchildren, bombarding the restaurant with about 15 people who weren't booked in, and ordering the most expensive drinks on the menu without a cent in your pocket.

I didn't invite them anywhere, I put out word that we were going for dinner that particular evening, we would be going to X restaurant and if anyone wanted to come and catch up with the family that were home, to let me know the numbers so I could book them in. I hadn't spoken to them AT ALL in 4 or 5 years. I was 22 years old. I'm not sure why they assumed I would be paying for anything. But I was happy they thought I was. Serves them right.

There's absolutely no way you could be expected to cover the costs of a night like that. I've seen it before, if there's a wealthy person in the family who wants to cover it you'll be told "John is organising a night" so you know you're covered, if it's just a catchup, you're on your own.

You're dead right.

LexieOnRale

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Nah son, meanness for me is rounding up every single one of the family (even cousins who didn't speak to my mother before she died) children, grandchildren, bombarding the restaurant with about 15 people who weren't booked in, and ordering the most expensive drinks on the menu without a cent in your pocket.

I didn't invite them anywhere, I put out word that we were going for dinner that particular evening, we would be going to X restaurant and if anyone wanted to come and catch up with the family that were home, to let me know the numbers so I could book them in. I hadn't spoken to them AT ALL in 4 or 5 years. I was 22 years old. I'm not sure why they assumed I would be paying for anything. But I was happy they thought I was. Serves them right.

Well in fairness if it was worded like it was a get together rather than a big invite for a family dinner then it's more normal to expect people to pay themselves. I'm more referring to situations where it's "we would like to invite you to dinner" senarios where it's very much implied that the host will pay.

Also I wouldn't have expected you to pay yourself, even a group of the organisers of an event sharing the cost would be another possibility. I have to say it's very rare that people would pay themselves at family events in my family it would almost always be the hosts (which would often be my part of the family). Examples would be graduations, communions, confirmations, christenings etc which I have been to a lot of over the years (organised by us and lots of family and invited by other family for their events) and the meals and a drink with dinner were always paid for.