Mother Who Sent Children First Accused of 'Restaurant Eat-and-Run'... Owner Says "I Let It Go Last Time" in Frustration

Store Owner "If It Was a Mistake, Payment Should Have Been Made Later... Upset"

A couple who visited a restaurant with their three young children left without paying for their food, sparking controversy.

According to JTBC's 'Case Officer' on the 17th, informant Mr. A, who runs a chicken skewer specialty restaurant in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, suffered from a 'dine-and-dash' incident on the 11th.

Mr. A stated that on that day, a couple came to the restaurant with their three children and ordered a total of 40,000 won worth of food. The couple, who were eating near the entrance, sent the children outside the restaurant first after finishing their meal, then left without paying for the food.

[Image source=JTBC 'Sageon Banjang' news screen]

CCTV footage of the incident shows the parents sending the children outside the restaurant after finishing their meal. Then, after gathering their belongings such as coats and bags, they left without paying for the food.

It is known that this was not their first dine-and-dash. Mr. A said, "This is the second time," adding, "I let the first dine-and-dash slide, but I was so angry that they deliberately did it again this time that I reported it to the police." He continued, "If it was a mistake, shouldn't they have come back later to pay? I am really upset."

Netizens who heard the news reacted with comments such as, "Aren't they ashamed in front of their children?", "If they did it twice, this is definitely dine-and-dash," "It's like feeding stolen food to their children," "Is it worth doing this with kids over just 40,000 won?", "They probably thought they could get away with it since no action was taken the first time," and "What will the children learn from this?"

Meanwhile, under current law, leaving without paying for food constitutes fare evasion. Fare evasion is punishable under Article 3 of the Minor Offenses Act with a fine, detention, or penalty not exceeding 100,000 won, and can be punished even without intent. Additionally, if the amount involved is large or if the act is habitual or planned, it can be prosecuted as fraud, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment or a fine not exceeding 20 million won.