Penalty for dining and ditching...?

Question

My friend recently bragged about how he ate a $20 meal at a sit-down restaurant and just walked out without paying. He got away with it but what would have happened if he got caught?

Answer 1

Really, you are not a friend.

How could you let him do such a mean act?

Was that some kind of bet?

You should ask him to correct his misdeed, pay up and apologize, before he is spotted and reported.

The situation works like this -

If the waiter spots him, follows to his house, notes down the address, sends a written report to POLICE. The investigator comes to the house, asks questions, makes the report and send to DA's office. When more police walks to the house, he may be arrested and tried. All this is too much of hassle, spoiling ones life for mere $20.

And you call yourself his friend. You have shamed the FRIENDSHIP institution.

Answer 2

you would be visiting yo buddy in the local county jail fasho

Answer 3

Dining and dashing for a $20 meal would be a class 1 misdemeanor and depending on the state you live in has a maximum fine that your friend would have to pay.

Answer 4

It's stealing and he'd be prosecuted to the extent the law allows.

Answer 5

Even if the law doesn't catch up with him, karma will.  Somewhere down the line, he's gonna hit a streak of bad luck, and you know it will be the universe, paying him back for this.

Answer 6

That would be theft my friend he would have to pay whatever fine given to him by the court and most likely receive community service.

Answer 7

Probably nothing.  Wait staff just want the money because it comes out of their pay.

It takes nerve to just walk out!  Mabye your friend wouldn't brag if people around him would tell him he's a crook.

Answer 8

He would of had to go to jail or they would make him work until he earns the money or if he had the money they would make him pay

Answer 9

he should have been punched in the face

Answer 10

Its easy to do, but you have to get out of there really fast. Leave whatever bills you have on the table and walk out as calmly as possible. You'll have to walk around and wait a while before heading to your car as well or you may be spotted. And you'll need to understand that afterwards, you'll never be able to go back to that restaurant again, lol. It's also just good manners to call and tell the manager that you'll send someone to settle up (don't do it yourself, such a rookie mistake) the debt the next day or you'll be a complete douchebag. I'm pretty sure you can be arrested for doing it and I imagine it comes with a hefty fine.

Answer 11

misdemeanor.

also tell your friend that that really sucks for the server. nothing sucks more than busting your butt for a table that stiffs you in the end. (or worse walks out)

it's happened to me before and i cried. it really sucked. i got the choice of paying the bill or being written up.

i choose to take the write up.