Have you ever "done a runner"...?

Moshe Gariani · Mar 3, 2017

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39139784

This group took it to an extreme.

Has always felt like a viable option, especially in these days of people routinely nipping outside to smoke, but I don't think I ever actually did it even as a drunken scrote of a student (and, unless completing some antisocial Bucket List in the future, probably never will now...).

I did once have a dream about doing a runner and being chased by chefs with machetes...

smeg · Mar 3, 2017

Yeah I've done it when I lived in the USA, we used to call it "Dine&Dash" .Being chased by restaurant staff is hilarious when you are 18 and can get away

Bozza · Mar 3, 2017

Yes, in a Brighton establishment back on a Saturday night after a game in the Withdean era with [MENTION=449]Biffer[/MENTION] and our respective wives of the time.

It hadn't been a particularly good meal and we'd been neglected a bit - we were upstairs, possibly the only people up there, but despite that the runner was completely unintentional and had neither been discussed nor planned.

We had enough of waiting to pay the bill so we headed downstairs to pay and leave. The stairs led directly to the front door and, as we walked down, a member of staff opened the door for us and gave us a cheery "Thanks - have a good night."

I can't recall who was first out of the four of us, but they kept on walking straight out the door and the rest of us followed. And that was that. More of a "walker' than a "runner", I suppose.

pasty · Mar 3, 2017

No, but did once convince my then girlfriend we were doing one. We'd just gone for a pizza hut, and she went to the loo after we'd eaten, and I paid the bill while she was there. When she came back I told her I'd left my wallet at home so we'd have to do a runner. She was really not up for it, but I managed to convince her it would be ok, so we waited until she thought it was safe and legged it. She was absolutely crapping herself while I was trying hard not to wet myself laughing. It wasn't until we got back to hers I told her the truth. Funnily enough, that was the end of the night for me :lolol:

Worth it though.

The Clamp · Mar 3, 2017

No. It is the behaviour of over privileged students and pikeys. Neither of which I have ever been.

Eggmundo · Mar 3, 2017

I was with a group abroad once, a few went off for a curry and met them in the bar later to hear they had 'done a runner' but 20 minutes later realised one of them had left his 'man bag' behind with all his money, passport etc.

Strangely enough it wasn't there when he went back.

Yes Chef · Mar 3, 2017

I have it happen occasionally, usually on really busy shifts when people leave early, and , ah, oh, we're back on this again......

Surf's Up · Mar 3, 2017

In my yoof I did a few but none since I became a responsible member of society.

marcos3263 · Mar 3, 2017

Many years ago when I was in my early 20s, I was in London with a mate going to a gig and we thought of going for a better meal rather than usual burger rubbish. Went into a Italian and got served a rubbish meal, cold and tiny portion, the service was rubbish as well. Feeling very unsatisfied we discussed at length doing a runner especially as we were in a strange town and would never be back in the area again. we were sat near the door and were both in trainers and fit in those days. However fear gripped me and couldn't go through with it. We paid up and went to a newsagent nearby and had a Ginsters as still hungry.
I still kind of regret not running to this day (or being a man and actually complaining)

Billy the Fish · Mar 3, 2017

Only in the same situation as Bozza, where the service was really crap and we couldn't find anyone to pay the bill so just walked.

Two Professors · Mar 3, 2017

Not a runner as such,but the Guardia Civil made an armed arrest of the bloke running the bar we were snacking in,so there was nobody to pay.

Titanic · Mar 3, 2017

I have only once refused to pay in a restaurant. It was on the harbour side in Fornells, Menorca with wife and 3 children in tow.

Reputation was that the King of Spain was a regular (perhaps more likely if they were really talking about Ashley Giles?). Service was incredibly slow... prices were high... after 30+ minutes the only dish served as a 'Sopa de mariscos' which was grey and looked/tasted like it had come from the bottom of a washing-up bowl. They hadn't even managed to deliver 3 children's pizzas.

After lengthy discussion I encouraged Mrs T & and the three little T's to leave, and we ended up in a side-street restaurant with formica tables, packed with locals, and enjoyed one of the finest omelettes ever.

So not quite a 'runner' as I explained to them that we were leaving, but they were pretty unhappy that we left!

Tom Hark Preston Park · Mar 3, 2017

I once bought a McDonald's and ran out without eating it

smeg · Mar 3, 2017

The Clamp said:
No. It is the behaviour of over privileged students and pikeys. Neither of which I have ever been.

I'm neither of those :wozza:

BNthree · Mar 3, 2017

Moshe Gariani said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39139784

This group took it to an extreme.

Has always felt like a viable option, especially in these days of people routinely nipping outside to smoke, but I don't think I ever actually did it even as a drunken scrote of a student (and, unless completing some antisocial Bucket List in the future, probably never will now...).

I did once have a dream about doing a runner and being chased by chefs with machetes...

Seems a really crappy thing to do a small business. Seems easier to justify it if it is a big chain like Pizza Hut or something.

Hiney · Mar 3, 2017

Yes, a couple of times as a pissed-up mess in Bognor.

The 'restaurant' was called 'The Calcutta' opposite the station

We can't have been the only ones, as they installed padlocks on the doors and had someone stationed there at the end of the night. Good job there was never a fire.

spence · Mar 3, 2017

Yes a few times in the past. Little Chef being my favorite

The Clamp · Mar 3, 2017

smeg said:
I'm neither of those

That doesn't work when writing in the past tense in historic conveyance. If you're gonna be a pedant probably best to get it right yourself, eh?

Gwylan · Mar 3, 2017

I've done the opposite ... twice.

I've stayed at a hotel, had a meal and when settling the bill for the stay discovered when I got home that I hadn't been charged for the meal (I don't check the bill when settling as that looks a bit chavvy). I had to send both hotels a cheque to cover the cost of the meals.

I don't have a chequebook now so I don't know what I'd do if it happened again

Tom Hark Preston Park · Mar 3, 2017

BNthree said:
Seems a really crappy thing to do a small business. Seems easier to justify it if it is a big chain like Pizza Hut or something.

Should be easy enough for Spanish police to track down the culprits, I'd have thought. Can't have been TOO many Romanian baptisms of that size in Bembibre on that day.

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