Have you ever done a runner old bean?

[Shrimp_Stu]

In Leicester Square in my courting days back in 1999, went to Chiquito's Restaurant (the Mexican next to the cinema) on a busy Friday night. Had a lovely meal with a few beers/bottle of wine, etc. Asked the waiter for the bill; the bill duly arrived after 15 minutes....then gestured to make payment (the old fashioned pen and hand gesture - the days before chip & pin).
However, despite numerous attempts to pay - I was duly ignored by the waiting staff. Therefore, grabbed coats and casually walked out and bid the maitre d' a good night and went off into the moonlight....I think it was best part of £50+
Do I feel guilty? Yes, that I offered to pay....

 

[Maz]

Priveliged poshos looking for a thrill believing (probably correctly) that they'll get away with it - even if they got caught. Flutter the eyelashes oh I'm so sorry, daddy has a word with the magistrate and lets not let this get embarrassing.

When I was a student, I worked in Oddbins. During a summer back in London I worked in various Oddbins around the City of London region - London Bridge, Leadenhall Market, those kind of places.

The Leadenhall Market store was particularly targeted by theives. Not your common or garden hoodie scumbag, but city boys and girls looking for a bit of excitement. While it sadly never happened when I was on duty, regularly city types would try and sneak out with a bottle of champers half inched off a shelf while they thought no one was looking. Winter coats being particularly prevalent. Often they would get caught and it would be "ha ha sorry old boy, just a bit of fun you know? Here you got me, I'll pay up!" "No, sorry old boy - my colleague here is locking the door and we're calling the police". They wouldn't see the funny side of that.

I like this post! I can just imagine this kind of malarky carrying on in That London.

 

[HLaB]

I got accused of it once 5 years ago. Finished my lunch and had a sore stomach ! (does that say something ) so I went to the toilet. Came back a while later to find somebody in my seat, the waiter thought I'd done a runner!