2nd October 2023 – (Hong Kong) A post shared in a Tsuen Wan community group on Facebook has brought attention to an incident where a group of five men allegedly dined at a restaurant in Yi Pei Square, Tsuen Wan, and left without paying. The author of the post also attached screenshots from the restaurant’s CCTV footage and appealed for help in identifying the individuals involved, stating, “If not, it may be necessary to report to the police.”
The incident has sparked a heated discussion among netizens. Many have criticised the act as a “dine-and-dash” or “walkout” behaviour. Some netizens speculate that it might have been an unintentional mistake, commenting, “Perhaps no one noticed or remembered to pay.” A vigilant netizen also pointed out that one of the men was seen smoking inside the restaurant, suggesting that apart from reporting to the police, they should also report the violation to the Smoking Control Office.
The victim of the incident uploaded several screenshots from the restaurant’s CCTV footage on a Facebook group. The post stated that on Thursday (28th September), a group of at least five men had dined at a restaurant in Yi Pei Square, Tsuen Wan, and left without settling the bill. The author of the post asked if anyone recognized the individuals involved, saying, “Do any of you know these people? Some friends had dinner at a restaurant in Yi Pei Square on the evening of the 28th. They forgot to pay the bill. If anyone knows them, please let your friend know. Thank you.” The post also explicitly mentioned the possibility of reporting the incident to the police.
Based on the CCTV screenshots, the five men were seen chatting and laughing at the table, with multiple dishes and a bucket of beer present. Another screenshot captured them leaving the restaurant together.
The incident has sparked a lively discussion among netizens. Many people have criticized the “dine-and-dash” or “walkout” behaviour, expressing comments such as, “How can they forget to pay? It’s obvious,” “They left without paying a few hundred dollars? Ridiculous,” “They managed to leave so smoothly and naturally,” and “Report the case already!” An observant netizen also noticed that one of the men was smoking inside the restaurant, which violates the indoor smoking ban.