10-05-2025
EXCLUSIVE Dine and dash yobs target two restaurants in same seaside town in 48 hours and then laugh in waitress' face
A group of 'dine-and-dashers' who consumed £65 worth of alcohol and left a restaurant without paying targeted another local business the following day, MailOnline can reveal.
The Sea Palace, a popular Chinese restaurant in Cornwall said the individuals claimed the food was 'disgusting' and that they 'felt sick' - despite finishing everything.
They then allegedly tried to walk out of the premises in Penzance on May 3 without paying and became 'aggressive', 'threatening violence' when staff confronted them.
The restaurant added that the group even had the 'audacity' to walk back in to ask if they had left their socks behind.
'These individuals are deliberately targeting small businesses, trying to intimidate staff and avoid paying,' The Sea Palace shared on social media, along with photos of the perpetrators.
'No one deserves to be treated like this while just doing their job.'
It is believed the same group was behind another 'dine-and-dash' incident at a nearby restaurant in the seaside town on May 2.
The Boatshed, which has excellent reviews on TripAdvisor and specialises in steaks, shared CCTV footage of the individuals.
The restaurant claimed they enjoyed more than £60 worth of drinks in an outside seating area before leaving without paying the bill. After they were shamed online, someone later came back to settle the tab.
A staff member said: 'The group's whole attitude towards staff was extremely rude and unpleasant.
'One of the staff ran up street and confronted them after they left but they laughed at her and said "What are you going to do about it?"
'These four guys didn't care and had a real cavalier attitude. We would normally try to take payment upfront when people sit outside but there are occasions that this hasn't happened and this was one of them.
'Despite the bill being paid, which we are very grateful for, we feel it is our duty to fellow traders to name and shame these people as they could do the same to another business.'
Manager of the restaurant Nigel Waller told MailOnline that it was the first of two dine-and-dash incidents they had seen this week alone.
'If it carries on we may have to consider charging people before they have their meal. This is definitely something that we don't want to have to do,' he added.
Another of the men is pictured wearing a white vest and beige shorts
It comes after a Chinese restaurant last month shared images of a 'dine-and-dash' couple in a bid to track down the culprits.
The duo, a man and a woman, ate at the Jade Palace Restaurant in Hamilton, Lanarkshire.
Rather than settling their tab, the pair are alleged to have sped off without paying the bill.
The restaurant caught the pair on CCTV and has shared images of the duo in the hopes that they can be identified.
When contacted by MailOnline, one of the restaurant owners said they did not wish to reveal the value of the meal as 'it's more about the principle of the matter'.
The restaurant shared an emotional appeal on their Facebook age, alongside pictures of the couple, urging them to come forward and pay for their meal.
The appeal said: 'We are saddened to say we had a dine and dash. These customers ran out the restaurant without paying their bill.
'We appreciate times are hard however we are a small family business, we still have to pay our bills, staff wages and stock. Please don't come take advantage of us or any other small businesses as this is NOT acceptable at all.'
