A novel strategy has been adopted by the owner of a Florida restaurant to address the issue of “dine-and-dash” incidents that have plagued his establishment. Ken Brackins, proprietor of Rick’s on the River, has shared details of this “effective” approach, which involves publicizing security footage of the offenders and directly confronting them.
Brackins elaborated on the process during an interview on “Varney & Co.” He explained that they meticulously compile footage of the individuals entering the restaurant, occupying their seats, and enjoying their meal. This footage is then often accompanied by music and posted on Facebook, garnering significant attention. According to Brackins, this approach has proven to be quite popular.
He continued, “Subsequently, someone typically identifies the individuals and reaches out to us via phone or email to provide their identities. Armed with this information, we afford them a brief window to rectify the situation, usually giving them a day or so to settle the bill. In most cases, they comply by coming in to make payment.”
Despite being categorized as an “affordable” establishment, the restaurant still encounters instances where groups amass unpaid bills and hastily depart, aiming to evade payment.
Through the online exposure of these videos, Brackins manages to capture these culprits in the act, encouraging the local community to assist in identifying the “dine-and-dash” culprits without resorting to law enforcement intervention.
During an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” Brackins emphasized, “We employ this method as a preventive measure, not solely to recover the money owed. Our primary objective is to serve as a deterrent to discourage such behavior in the future or dissuade these individuals from returning as customers.”
Typically, when confronted, the patrons readily comply and express their willingness to settle the bill, despite the public embarrassment they may face.
“We consistently require them to return to the restaurant to make the payment. Some may express a desire to settle their bill over the phone, but we insist that they undergo the ‘walk of shame’ by coming in person to make the payment,” Brackins continued during his appearance on “Fox & Friends.”
Brackins also recounted a recent incident involving a woman driving a Mercedes-Benz who resisted when caught attempting to abscond without paying. “I happened to be right nearby, and she even claimed that the pitcher was full when it clearly contained only a few ounces. We provided her with another draft, but that was still unsatisfactory,” he shared with host Stuart Varney.
“She attempted to make a getaway, but the waitress alerted my manager, who approached her for payment. She argued that half of the pitcher was full. However, I must emphasize that we recently experienced a hurricane in our area, Stuart, and no pitchers were blown off the tables.”
Regrettably, Brackins noted that “dine-and-dash” incidents are a prevalent issue for restaurant owners in his region and across the United States.
“This is a common occurrence here in the United States. Variations of ‘dine-and-dash’ include ‘eat it and beat it,’ ‘steal a meal,’ ‘drink and slink,’ and more. It’s a pervasive problem,” he remarked.
Nonetheless, Brackins’ viral approach has yielded significant success. “We’ve successfully resolved 11 out of the last 12 incidents. So, it has been rather effective,” Brackins stated during his appearance on “Varney & Co.” on Thursday.