A surge in thefts targeting small businesses across the nation is causing alarm among industry experts and prompting warnings of potential price increases for consumers.
The increase has been particularly noticeable with incidents of “dine-and-dash,” where individuals order food at restaurants and then leave without paying. These occurrences have become increasingly common, with some perpetrators even flaunting their actions online.
One recent case involved a serial dine-and-dasher who reportedly targeted multiple locations of a California sushi restaurant chain, racking up approximately $1,000 in unpaid bills. The suspect was apprehended after employees at one location recognized him and devised a plan to catch him in the act. According to Randy Musterer, founder and CEO of Sushi Confidential:
“I got a phone call from one of our managers saying, ‘Oh my gosh, the guy who has been dining and dashing in our Campbell location, he’s on the patio right now’.”
Following this encounter, staff waited for the suspect to order and pay. When he left without doing so, they alerted authorities, leading to his arrest and charges of defrauding an innkeeper.
These incidents are not isolated. In Chicago, three women reportedly ordered over $200 worth of food at a restaurant before leaving without paying, later posting about their “free” meal on social media. Police are currently investigating the matter.
Experts like Sam Toia, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association, emphasize that these acts aren’t victimless and have significant financial consequences:
- Dine-and-dash incidents exacerbate existing economic challenges for restaurants.
- The restaurant industry has been operating on increasingly tight margins, making even small losses difficult to absorb.
- These offenses impact not only owners but also essential staff like waitstaff, busboys, and bartenders whose livelihoods depend on the business’s success.
Toia notes that while larger chains may be able to absorb occasional losses, independent restaurants often lack the financial resilience to withstand frequent theft.
“A single bad month could put an independent restaurant out of business, shutting them down for good.”
Musterer echoed this sentiment, expressing concern for his employees. He stated:
“All these little things that happen are the cost of doing business, but when a server feels taken advantage of, they’re not used to ‘running their own small business’ and having those challenges. So it definitely hurts them quite a bit.”
Toia is calling for community support for local businesses and urging government intervention to provide resources for owners who may lack the financial means of larger corporations.
