Woman sparks major ‘dine and dash’ debate after being forced to wait ages for the bill

A woman has sparked debate after questioning whether it's acceptable to ‘dine and dash’ after she waited a whopping hour-and-a-half for her bill.

TikTok user Lauren Petrosian was at an unnamed restaurant with a pal and claimed that she had been waiting 45 minutes for their bill - before then turning the camera and showing that place was mostly empty.

In a caption on the clip, she asked: “When's the appropriate time to dine and dash bc we've been waiting for the bill 45 mins [sic].”

In a follow up comment, Petrosian explained that they ended up waiting 90 minutes for their bill and did pay up as well as giving the waitress a 12 percent tip.

Petrosian’s post caused quite a debate on TikTok, with some saying they’re happy to walk out without paying if they’ve been left to wait too long.

Commenting on the video, one person wrote: “After 30-40 minutes, I'm gone, unless it's super busy, then I understand.”

Another added: “I ask twice. On the second time I tell them I have to leave in five minutes. I've walked out of a few places.”

A third commented: “After 20 mins I just get up and leave and 95 percent of the time the waiter magically appears with the machine.”

However, others disagreed and suggested the customer could have been more proactive when it came to getting her bill and stressed that they’d refuse to wait so long.

Someone wrote: “Omg I don’t get it why wouldn’t you just go up to the bar or hostess or another server and say you want to leave.”

A second said: “I get up and go to the hostess stand or pay at the bar.”

While a restaurant worker added: “I am a server and I mean I def would never let anyone wait that long but like… just go up and ask for the check..??”

Last year, a restaurant in Cornwall issued an ultimatum to a family who racked up a £260 bill and then ran off without paying.

The bill dodgers dined at The Britannia Inn and Restaurant in the village of Par in the afternoon of 28 October - where they ate their meal and then reportedly waited for the waitress to go and get their bill, before making a quick dash for the door while there were no staff around.

After sharing footage of the family on social media, the pub’s bosses said: "Thanks to the good public and some home detective work by ourselves, we now have the names of the adults in our CCTV photos.

"We hope the scammers come forward by Friday AM, or we will be sharing All the names with police and on social media!"