Photo / Doug Sherring, Herald on Sunday
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Photo / Doug Sherring, Herald on Sunday

Dishonest diners are enjoying their meals then fleeing without paying - forcing some restaurants to take defensive measures such as asking patrons to pay before they eat.

In one Auckland dine-and-dash incident at the weekend, a "waddling couple" were caught but became so incensed that one of the well-dressed women slapped the restaurant owner who was trying to get them to pay.

The restaurant is not on its own. Provisional results from a Restaurant Association survey show many eateries have had customers leave without paying, although the reasons seem to vary - from forgetfulness to outright dishonesty.

Would you be happy to pay your bill before eating at a restaurant? Here is the latest selection of Your Views:

  1. your views
  2. mchaggis says
    "While I consider walking out of a restaurant without payment is downright theft, I would not agree to being asked to pay for my meal, prior to consuming it!"
  3. Rodney says
    "Paying up font isn't a problem just so long as you know what you want to order and don't change your mind after you have been seated."
  4. comments
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