A restaurant owner is speaking out after she said a family of seven dined at her business but left without paying the bill. Speaking with 7News on Tuesday night, Linsey Chen said the dine and dash happened at her restaurant, Uptown Buffet, in West Miami-Dade hours before. “From a teenager to a baby. You know, they come here to eat, and they watch us. When we aren’t paying attention, they just run away without paying,” said Chen. She said that after the two adults and five children enjoyed their meal, they didn’t bother paying the nearly $100 bill. They stood up, but before heading out, Chen said the children were caught on surveillance video, too. “They took some of the sunglasses, and we also have some tip money that people leave in the front, and the kids grabbed it, and I think the parents saw it as well,” she said. Video shows two children hopping onto a bench and taking an item from a box. Restaurants across South Florida are struggling to stay afloat, especially during crises from the pandemic to people tightening their budgets. Chen said lots of her customers have been with them over the last 18 years and are part of the family. However, what happened late Tuesday afternoon disappointed her. “We trust people. All our customers are very nice. They finish eating, and sometimes they ask us for the bill. They don’t just run away without paying,” she said. Chen has since filed a report with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office and hopes the surveillance video is sufficient for someone in their group to do the right thing or to get their just desserts. “They should come back and pay the bill and apologize,” said Chen. The restaurant owner also said she wants other South Florida eatery owners to be on the lookout for customers seeking a quick meal on the house. “I know it’s very difficult for a lot of people right now, but if it’s a hard time and you don’t have the money, stay at home. Don’t come out and take advantage of other people,” said Chen. If you have any information on this crime, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000. ...read more read less