A family restaurant is urging a group who fled without paying for their meals to come back and settle the £60 bill.
The restaurant has released CCTV footage showing the family of four sneaking out of their Italian restaurant while staff prepared desserts, reports Hull Live.
The unknown man and woman were seen chowing down on the meal alongside two children before they allegedly did a runner from Vito's in Sheffield.
Chef Vito Ciaraolo, 59, owns the restaurant and said it was “frustrating”.
Vito has run the eatery for 32 years and says people like this are setting a bad example to the children.
The CCTV shows the woman leaving with the children first before the man left shortly afterwards.
He said: “It’s very frustrating.
"You can imagine what I would do if I would have caught them. But there was nothing I could do.
“The waitress made an order in the kitchen. She said they'd ordered three desserts but the kids and the woman had left, and it was just the man in the restaurant.
“I said to the waitress 'Go upstairs. I think they are going to do a runner.'
"I realised they were up to something. But by the time she went upstairs, one minute later, they had left.”
The family arrived at 6pm on Sunday, April 23, and ordered olives.
They ordered three pizzas and an aubergine dish as main courses, a fruit juice and three soft drinks, with the bill coming to £60.95.
Vito said none of his staff recognised the family, who sat at a table close next to the door.
He said: “They just walked in. They were new to us, and the staff said they had never seen them before.
"They were looking around to see if there were any cameras. But they didn’t see one of the cameras, which is very high up.
“They started with some apetizers, some olives, and then they had three pizzas and a Melanzane Parmigiana, they also had some soft drinks.”
Vito wonders from the way they acted whether they have tried the same trick at other restaurants.
He added: “I think they’ve gone out to have food before and have done the exact same thing which they have done to me. That’s the impression I have got.
“If someone comes to the restaurant and says they haven’t got any money, I can give you something to eat. It’s not a problem.
"That’s the kind of person I am. I try to help everybody.”
Vito says if the family cough up the money he will donate it to a good cause.
He said: “Everybody is disappointed about what happened. But they are very supportive. I have a lot of lovely customers.
“I have been here for 32 years and this is only the second time it’s happened. But If that guy gives it back, I will give that money to charity.”
Vito has not yet reported the matter to the police.
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