Dine-and-Dashers' Bizarre Hair Ploy Uncovered in Separate Restaurant Incidents
Security cameras have captured the moment a dine-and-dasher appears to pluck hair from his own head and deliberately place it in his food to avoid paying the bill. This incident occurred at The Clover Club in Newquay, Cornwall, last July, and strikingly mirrors a similar event reported earlier this month at The Dial in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire.
CCTV Evidence Reveals Suspicious Actions
The footage from The Clover Club shows a man wearing a white t-shirt and blue shorts pulling strands from his scalp and sprinkling them over a bowl of chips. He was accompanied by another man in a dark-coloured jumper and shorts, who left the table just as the hair-planting stunt was executed. Restaurant owner Charlie Hester, 29, recounted that the pair refused to pay their £70 bill, became verbally abusive towards staff, and were eventually asked to leave the premises.
Mr Hester expressed his astonishment upon seeing a TikTok video shared by The Dial restaurant earlier this month, which depicted an almost identical scenario. In that case, two men allegedly sprinkled their own hair over a steak and refused to settle a £165 bill. Hester immediately recognised the individuals, noting the same distinctive motion of grabbing the head.
Fears of a Nationwide Scam Targeting Independent Restaurants
The hospitality worker fears this may be the same duo travelling across the country to con innocent restaurants. "I went to work and told everyone, it was pretty crazy," he said. "There was no doubt other restaurants would recognise them. Clearly, that's all they do: go around, eat in restaurants and walk out."
With over a decade of experience in hospitality since age 15, Hester emphasised the absurdity of the scheme. "I know what a hair in food looks like. It would be in it, not on top. I find it quite silly because it's an absolutely ridiculous thing to do. It's crazy what people do to just get a free meal."
Impact on the Struggling Hospitality Industry
Hester highlighted the challenges facing independent businesses, particularly in the current economic climate. "I can't believe there are people who go around, going into small independent businesses and stealing from them. Hospitality at the moment is one of the most challenging industries and this is another factor why restaurants are struggling so much at the moment."
He hopes that raising awareness will help other establishments avoid similar pitfalls, especially since the two incidents are seven months apart and span different regions of the country.
Detailed Account of the Newquay Incident
Recalling the events of last July, Hester described how the men initially seemed polite upon arrival without a reservation. "They got some cocktails. They spent around £70, they were eating their food, and then the guy complained there was hair in his food. It was like a clump of hair on his bowl of chips."
When Hester offered to remove the chips from the bill, the diners insisted on not paying for any of their meal. After a heated argument, they eventually walked out, leaving the restaurant owner to review the CCTV footage, which confirmed the deliberate hair-planting.
Similar Experience at The Dial Restaurant
General manager Jez Hives of The Dial reported that the dine-and-dash at his establishment appeared premeditated, with other local restaurants claiming similar incidents. "It's unbelievable. I've been doing this for 25 years and at The Dial and I've never witnessed anything so mind-boggling as to why they'd do that," he said.
Hives noted the brazen nature of the act, with the individual repeating the hair-sprinkling three times. "It's so brazen it must be something he does, he must have bald patches all over his head. Even to think of doing that is just awful. Unbelievable, it was definitely premeditated."
Neither incident was reported to the police, but both restaurant owners are urging vigilance within the hospitality sector to combat such fraudulent activities.
