Reply #14: I was with your self congratulatory rant up until you said;

[John Q. Citizen]

"I don't care that Applebees' may be a rich, giant mega-conglomerate - this is stealing as sure as using a gun."

It's not stealing like using a gun. It was an opportunistic event for those who left without paying. It wasn't robbery. It was non-payment for services.

Of the 50-60, logic would tell us that some had ordered and not been served yet, some may have been in the beginning or middle of their meal, (when forced to exit for an undetermined amount of time) some undoubtedly had finished their meals and were just about to pay when the event occurred.

So sure, somebody may have split without paying, but you aren't going to try to broad brush nearly the entire restaurant full of people (save yourself and the other table you saw paying) without knowing what their individual circumstances were?

Heck, somebody may have been just about to pay when the alarm went off and they had a flight to catch. Maybe they stood around for 10 minutes and couldn't wait any longer.

The owner should have sent the wait staff to get a phone number from their tables that has finished up their meals. On the other hand, people who had only gotten partially through their meal would be expected to stand around for an indeterminate time so they could return to their cold and untimely meal, finish up, and pay the restaurateur for their fabulous experience in his restaurant?

I'm not so sure that makes sense either. It seems on some level or other that the owner and staff are responsible for the food and the experience at their place, and while a random fire alarm is unfortunate for all, it does seem more the responsibility of the establishment than of the patrons.

So while I believe you and the other paying table acted ethically, in that you felt you got your money's worth and so you stayed around until you were able to pay, I can't muster the indignation at the rest of the patrons that you seem to be able to. I don't see this as an example of rampant dishonesty or criminality in our population.

What I want to know was how or why the fire alarm went off in the first place?



(edit for spelling)