A group of six brazen dine-and-dashers left a waitress bruised after turning aggressive and fleeing a seafood restaurant without paying their nearly £400 bill.

The incident occurred on June 27 at the Aegean Breeze Seafood & Steak House in Worcester. According to the restaurant’s operations director, Paul Faulkner, the group initially complained about the quality of their food, claiming the shellfish platter tasted “earthy.”

Tensions quickly escalated as the customers became “hostile” and “verbally abusive” toward staff. When they attempted to leave without settling the £396 bill, one staff member tried to intervene. A man allegedly pushed her out of the way, leaving her with a bruise on her arm.

Faulkner told The Sun: “An employee stood in front of one of the men and was pushed out of the way, which left her with a bruise on her arm. We posted the footage online to put the word out that small businesses shouldn’t go through this.”

The restaurant, which opened in August last year and had not previously experienced such issues, shared CCTV footage on social media to alert other local businesses and help identify the individuals. In a statement, the venue described the act as deliberate and confirmed the matter had been reported to West Mercia Police, who have launched an investigation.

The restaurant also apologised to other diners who witnessed the disturbance, noting it may have been upsetting for them.

This incident highlights the growing problem of dine-and-dash thefts affecting hospitality businesses. The restaurant urged vigilance and emphasised that such individuals are no longer welcome on the premises.

Police are currently investigating the case.