On August 5, a couple reportedly failed to pay a £120 (approximately Rs. 12,000) bill at Lazy Fox after posting pictures of their meal on Facebook. The couple had reportedly enjoyed a lavish buffet that included six espresso martinis, gourmet burgers, halloumi, sweet potato fries and a Biscoff cheesecake.

Restaurant co-owner Mauricio Spinola expressed his frustration at the financial loss, stating: “This is a huge blow for a small business like ours. We simply cannot afford to lose over £100 in the current situation. We cannot ask people to give us their phone or wallet when they go out for a cigarette. The vast majority of our customers are great and would find this odd.” Spinola also mentioned that the police have been informed of the incident as they are trying to collect the unpaid bill.

Co-owner Enoely Fernandez echoed this sentiment and criticized the couple’s audacity, calling it “silly” to flaunt their food on social media. Fernandez also mentioned the difficulties faced by staff, noting, “The difficult thing is that the guy didn’t look suspicious. He wasn’t drunk. He wasn’t yelling. He wasn’t disruptive. He asked if we could smoke a cigarette and of course we said that was fine.”

In a video released by the restaurant, the couple can be seen enjoying their meal for an hour and then stepping out “for a cigarette.” However, according to a report in the Independent, they never returned.

The incident has generated a great deal of reaction from other restaurant owners in the area, some of whom have reported similar encounters with the same couple. These reports suggest that the couple may have defrauded restaurants in the past, sparking concern in the local dining scene.

(With contributions from agencies)