Vito's Italian Sheffield: Restaurant boss' fury as family 'do a runner' without paying for food

Vito Ciaraolo has questioned the example the family are setting for their children, after they left his restaurant on Sunday without paying in what he believes was a planned move. He said: “You can tell with their behaviour, they were looking around for a camera and sat near the door.

"It’s very, very frustrating and I am more upset as it was a family rather than a couple. What example does this give the kids? To come to a restaurant and plan to do a runner like that, it’s just wrong. It’s just wrong.”

The family skipped out on a bill over £60, which Vito has said will be donated entirely to charity should the family choose to return and pay. He said it was his staff who have been the most distressed about it, with one of the waitresses being brought to tears over the incident.

Vito claims the mother and children left the restaurant, appearing to leave the father in charge of the bill, but he ordered three desserts. When the waitress passed the unusual order on to Vito, he said they rushed back suspecting a “runner” was on the cards, only to find the father was also gone.

Vito said: “As a business we have only lost £60. I just feel angry about it.”

"If they had come in the restaurant and said we don’t have much money, can you feed us? That would have been no problem because I am happy to do that.”