A group of men are facing public condemnation after allegedly running out on their bill at an Indian restaurant in Northampton, England. The incident, which took place on August 4th at approximately 10:15 PM, involved four individuals who dined at Saffron, an Indian restaurant on Castilian Street. After consuming nearly £200 worth of food and drinks, they allegedly fled the establishment without paying, prompting a chase by restaurant staff.

CCTV footage of the incident has gone viral, showing the men entering the restaurant, being seated, and later making a hasty exit as waiters pursued them. The restaurant subsequently shared the footage on social media, along with a copy of the bill, in an effort to identify the suspects and raise awareness about the impact of such behavior on local businesses.

The bill, totaling £197.30, included a variety of dishes such as curries, lamb chops, chicken chat, chicken tikka masala, rice, naan bread, and beverages. The restaurant owners expressed their disappointment and frustration, stating that the incident significantly impacted their takings, especially on a typically quiet Monday night. They also noted that business was already down 30% and that the unpaid bill represented a substantial portion of their earnings for the evening.

In a Facebook post, Saffron appealed to the community for help in identifying the individuals involved, emphasizing that "this kind of behaviour isn't just theft, it affects hardworking small businesses and our local community". The restaurant also urged neighboring businesses to remain vigilant and report any information to the police. The post included the hashtag "Name and shame. let's protect each other".

Northamptonshire Police are investigating the incident as a theft and have requested that anyone with information contact them, quoting incident number 25000457718.

The incident has sparked outrage online, with many social media users condemning the men's actions and expressing support for the restaurant. Some users suggested measures such as swiping a card before seating customers to prevent similar incidents in the future. Others criticized the behavior as "despicable" and called for the individuals to be held accountable.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Restaurant industry analysts suggest that "dine and dash" occurrences are on the rise due to current economic pressures, impacting independent eateries operating on thin profit margins. Another similar incident occurred in Kent in April 2025, where a family refused to pay a £300 bill at Jumeira Indian Restaurant, claiming they were unhappy with the meal and service, despite having ordered additional takeaway food. In that case, the restaurant also shared CCTV images on Facebook, leading to widespread condemnation of the family's actions.