Many have tried the ‘oh my goodness, I’m so sorry I thought so-and-so had paid the bill’ trick before.
But if you’ve racked up close to £300 on steaks, lobsters and booze, it’s slightly harder to get away with.
It also doesn’t help when you’re filmed running away from the venue.
A family of six were caught on camera on October 27, when they left The Sutton Arms in Faceby, North Yorkshire without paying their £273.40 bill.
Emma Lee, who owns the family-run pub, said the group splurged out on three steaks, three lobsters and more than £70 at the bar.