A group of diners who reportedly left a restaurant in Valencia, Spain without paying a bill of €402.80 (£347.50) may have made themselves easier to track down after one of them posted a negative review. The group of 17 individuals is said to have left Mar d’Amura restaurant without settling their bill, with one diner criticizing the service, food, and venue.
According to Mar d’Amura, the group left the restaurant individually to avoid attracting attention, as highlighted by hospitality-focused account @soycamarero. The incident sparked outrage on social media, with users condemning the dine-and-dash behavior as “shameless” and “scoundrel-like.”
In response to the negative review, the restaurant’s owner publicly addressed the situation, pointing out that the diners not only left without paying but also made unreasonable demands. He stated that one diner consumed a ribeye steak meal and then disputed its quality, attempting to negotiate the price.
The owner emphasized that the bill exceeded €350, categorizing the incident as theft rather than petty theft. He also warned that the restaurant would take legal action, including filing a police report and sharing the incident on social media.
Social media users expressed disbelief at how the group managed to leave unnoticed, with some questioning the restaurant’s oversight. Despite the initial incident, it was later reported that Mar d’Amura received payment through a Spanish service.
This incident comes in the wake of a similar case in the UK, where a couple allegedly ran out on a £231.30 bill at The Halfway House in Essex, leading to police involvement and partial payment by one of the individuals involved. The restaurant’s general manager expressed surprise at the situation and awaited the remaining payment from the male diner.