UK couple flaunts Rs 12,000 meal on Facebook, leaves without paying bill

A British couple is accused of dining and dashing at a local restaurant, racking up a £120 tab (approximately Rs 12,000) before fleeing and posting photos of their meal on Facebook, the Mirror reported.

The pair allegedly enjoyed gourmet burgers, halloumi fries, and cocktails at the Lazy Fox restaurant in Westbourne on August 5, before stepping outside on the pretext of a cigarette break and disappearing.

Restaurant co-owner Mauricio Spinola said, "It was probably about 10 minutes after they went outside we realised they had gone.”

Spinola said the incident was a financial blow to the small business and that police have been notified.

“It’s a big hit for a small business like ours, we just can’t afford to lose over £100 in the current climate. We can’t ask people to give us their phone or wallet when they go out for a cigarette. The vast majority of our customers are great and would think that is weird,” said Spinola.

A waitress who served the couple described them as energetic and noted that the woman was intoxicated. She said, "He was with a blonde woman who had heavy red lipstick and wore a white top under a white dress... We were keeping a close eye on them especially when it came to serving them drinks.”

Co-owner Enoely Fernandez criticised the couple for brazenly boasting about their free meal on Facebook, calling their actions "silly."

Since the incident, other local eateries have come forward claiming similar experiences with the pair. The couple is also suspected of a dine-and-dash incident at the Urban Garden restaurant in Bournemouth, where they allegedly ordered £170 worth of food and drink.