An Adelaide restaurant has taken to social media to shame two young customers who allegedly feasted on food and alcohol before leaving without paying their hefty bill.
Tequila n Tacos in Port Noarlunga, in the city’s southeast, posted CCTV of the two men on Facebook on Friday night.
“This is not the type of post we like to make, however, tonight these young men dined at our restaurant and unfortunately after finishing almost $200 worth of alcohol and food, they put on their hoodies and ran away (literally) without paying,” the caption read.
The post gained traction in the local community and many followers of the restaurant’s page shared it and others commented in support of the hard-working staff.
Restaurant manager Viv Dhir said he decided to share the men’s CCTV footage online in the hope they would be able to pay the bill before resorting to involving the police.
“We were pretty upset about it, losing $200 is like losing a person’s entire salary in one day,” he said. The Adelaide Advertiser.
“The hotel sector is going through a crisis right now and people are on their knees. Something like this could be decisive for many companies.”
He said the couple had ordered food from the Mexican restaurant’s menu along with shots of tequila and, shamelessly, the most expensive cocktail the place offers.
Tequila n Tacos shared CCTV of two men who allegedly ate food and drank alcohol at the Mexican restaurant, racking up a $200 bill, before leaving without paying.
The popular restaurant in Port Noarlunga, south-east of Adelaide, opened in 2014.
Hospitality establishments across the country are feeling the pressure after a particularly difficult few years.
First, lockdowns and capacity limits during the Covid-19 pandemic decimated the cafe, restaurant and bar business.
This was followed by supply chain disruptions and rising inflation that not only made it more expensive for venues to supply but also reduced the number of customers as they tightened their belts.
Dhir, who opened Tequila n Tacos with his wife Jacinta in 2014, said that while business is popular, it has not been easy and his family was “feeling the crunch.”
“People should be more considerate and do the right thing, if you don’t have money then don’t come eat here.”
He said customers had previously accidentally walked out without paying, but this was the first time they had had customers deliberately wait until staff were busy and then run off.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Dhir for further comment.
