A female-owned restaurant in Casper, Wyoming, has turned to social media after a family of four allegedly dined and dashed, leaving behind an unpaid bill of $130.
Zoey Aldahash, owner of Sweet Zoey Mediterranean, posted a security camera image of the group on the restaurant's Facebook page after they reportedly consumed appetizers, drinks, entrees, and desserts during a lunch visit in May. According to Aldahash, the group left in unison and fled to a vehicle.
Rather than immediately contacting law enforcement, Aldahash appealed to her community for assistance, stating that such incidents significantly impact small local businesses due to the costs of labor, ingredients, and operational expenses.
She also left the door open for the possibility of a mistake, writing, "If this was a mistake, please contact us and make it right." The post generated discussion among locals, with some suggesting contacting the police and others proposing pre-payment policies. Several community members offered to cover the bill.
However, some criticized Aldahash for posting the image, especially considering two individuals appeared to be teenagers. The Casper Police Department, through spokesman Rebekah Ladd, cautioned against publicizing images of suspected dine-and-dashers, citing risks of misidentification, harassment, and false accusations, particularly when minors may be involved and circumstances are not fully known.
Aldahash stated that she opted not to involve the police due to a previous, unresolved dine-and-dash incident at her restaurant earlier in 2024. In that case, five customers allegedly left without paying for multiple entrees. Aldahash filed a police report but claimed her follow-up requests for updates were not addressed, and the case yielded no resolution. "In my previous experience, calling the police didn't work," she said. "There was no help, so I didn't contact the police the second time."
Casper police reportedly receive between 20 to 30 dine-and-dash reports annually, though other restaurant owners have indicated they do not always report such incidents. Aldahash, originally from Iraq, established Sweet Zoey Mediterranean in 2022 after initially selling baklava at a farmers market and later operating from a commercial kitchen. Despite the recent unpaid bill, she expressed gratitude for the supportive response from her loyal customers.
As of the report, the four individuals have not been identified, and the $130 bill remains outstanding. The restaurant has reached out to the Casper Police Department and Sweet Zoey Mediterranean for comment.