According to Leah Harper’s story in The Guardian in 2024, 1 in 20 people dine and dash. The term can send shivers down the spine of any restaurant, pub, or bar owner. It’s a frustrating experience that impacts your bottom line and demoralises staff. While you can’t completely eliminate the risk, you can take steps to significantly deter these opportunistic thieves.
Having worked with hospitality businesses for over two decades, from hotels to pub chains, sports venues, golf courses, big and small bars and restaurants, we’re often engaged in the conversation – how do operators best protect themselves from dine-and-dash? We’re seeing more and more big and small hospitality and leisure venues that offer catering calling us with dine and dash issues. In fact, one in three calls to our customer service team is motivated by a customer walking out without paying their bill.
As a result, we look at practical strategies to minimise dine and dash incidents and protect your business.
Train Your Staff
Proper training is paramount. Your staff are your eyes and ears; their attentiveness can make all the difference. Train them to greet and seat guests promptly because a quick and friendly welcome allows staff to assess diners and establish a presence. The team must be attentive but not overbearing, with regular check-ins on diners throughout their meal demonstrating vigilance and making it harder for them to slip away unnoticed. Another key thing is to look for warning signs such as nervousness or fidgety behaviour, avoiding eye contact, ordering expensive items and then trying to leave quickly, sitting near exits and leaving belongings behind (often a ruse).
Venue Layout
Your restaurant, pub, or bar has a physical layout that can deter diners and dashers. Minimise exit access or limit the number of exits and ensure they are easily monitored. One large-scale independent chain of restaurants in Bath and Frome has curtained off the sizeable floor-to-ceiling glass door and prefers diners entering and exiting through the side door by the bar, helping the team keep an eye on just one, much smaller exit. Avoid seating potentially risky tables near exits. Positioning them in high-traffic areas allows for better observation.
Implement Smart Technology
Technology can be a valuable ally in the fight against dine and dash. Consider hiring the CardsSafe system, which is designed to securely retain customer credit, debit, and ID cards while the cardholder runs a tab. It’s the ideal deterrent for anyone contemplating walking out of your establishment without paying because their card is safely tucked behind the bar in a CardsSafe unit. CardsSafe retains bank cards and allows secure tab-keeping. Rather than insisting on advance payment, businesses can keep tabs and up-sell while doing so.
CardsSafe technology eliminates temptation or opportunism. It has been a trusted partner in the hospitality industry, assisting with bar tabs and significantly boosting profits. Renowned establishments like Young’s Pubs, Hilton Hotels, and many independent and chain restaurants and pubs have been reaping the benefits of CardsSafe for years. The system deters dine and dash and combats card fraud, a win-win for your business.
Other considerations are table management systems that can track table status, orders, and payments, making it easier to identify unpaid bills. Strategically placed security cameras can act as a deterrent and provide valuable evidence if an incident occurs. Ensure cameras cover exits and dining areas.
Prevention is Key in Detering Dine and Dash
The best approach is to prevent dine and dash incidents in the first place. By implementing these strategies, you can make it much harder for opportunists in the first place without making your customers feel like they are under suspicion. While these tips can significantly reduce the risk of dine and dash, no system is foolproof. Stay vigilant, train your staff well, and adapt your strategies. By taking proactive measures, you can create a safer and more profitable environment for your venue by reducing losses.
