Bill dodgers have been slammed for "shameful" behaviour which saw them walk out of a Liverpool restaurant without paying their £400 bill.
Over the weekend, staff at Rokka in Bromborough, Wirral, said a group of diners made off without paying their £404 bill after eating at the restaurant.
Christina, 35, who works as front of house in the restaurant, said the cheque is more money than she earns in a week and the situation has left the whole team feeling "deflated."
READ MORE: Restaurant's plea to party of 14 who dodged £400 bill
ECHO readers were quick to slam the disgraceful behaviour as the hospitality industry has already "suffered so much".
One reader said: "Suitable punishment is required.
"Find them and my message is, if they are working they should be sacked. Theft and dishonesty. They and others alike may think twice before about their behaviour."
Another said: "That is really bad, unbelievable how they got away with it, vile behaviour."
A third added: "Report them, don't give them a chance, they knew what they were doing. You gave them good service, shameful they should pay more now."
Restaurant bosses have now given the group an ultimatum to come back and pay up or they will go to the police and release CCTV images of them online.
Staff said they would give the group the "benefit of the doubt".
The booking was initially made for ten people, but when 14 arrived staff moved tables and chairs to accommodate this.
Joseph Wright said: "Pay before you eat is the way to go maybe. A lot of bars and restaurants are struggling these days, £400 is a lot of money. Shame on them."
Karen Garcia said: "Disgusting, people are trying to make a living in this very difficult time only to be robbed."
Jacqui Jones added: "Like small businesses are not suffering enough at the moment."
The small restaurant, which has 14 tables said not only did they lose the £400 bill, but also lost custom from paying customers.
When it came to paying the bill, staff member Christina said four men from the group came to the counter to pay rather than waiting at their table for it to be brought to them.
In the meantime, Christina said the rest of the party left the restaurant and got into cars outside.
Christina went on to say that the group complained that they didn't like the food, that some of it was burnt and that they were missing a meal.
After refusing to take money off the bill, Christina said some of the men became aggressive and starting shouting at the staff, including two 15-year-old waitresses who work there at weekends.
ECHO reader Jane Seddon said: "So sorry you have experienced such horrid people, your younger staff must have been really frightened. Thankfully no one was hurt. Shameful behaviour."
Emma Johnson added: "It’s bad enough at the best of times, but so much worse when the hospitality industry is suffering so bad anyway, absolutely disgusting."
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