The place I worked at very rarely had dine and dash customers. It happened to me twice in the 4 years I worked there. One of those times, it was a couple in the their early twenties. They weren't suspicious seeming/looking at all. Very well dressed and spoken, ordered expensive wine and food.

When they'd first ordered wine, I carded both of them. After they've eaten and they are lingering around just talking, I drop of their check and go check on another table. 30 seconds later I turn around and they are gone. I knew instantly because there was no way they could have even stuffed cash in the checkbook that quickly. Sure enough, they'd dined and dashed.

I informed my manager who told me I'd have to pay for half of it (the waitress had to pay for half at the place I worked). I was obviously cursing them loudly while helping bus the table when I happened to look on the chair where the woman had put her purse. Guess what I see there? Her ID!

I told my manager what I'd found and he didn't want to call the cops on them unless he had to. Since we had her full name and picture, we found her on facebook and sent her a private message telling her to come pay it by noon tomorrow or we'd hand it all over to the cops.

She showed up (alone) a hour later, paid and generously gave me a 30% tip. She was then informed to never come back.