Man who allegedly fled after enjoying Chinese meal shown being tackled by restaurant staff

Footage has captured a dramatic scene outside a Chinese restaurant after a man allegedly tried to leave without paying for his meal.

A man who allegedly racked up a huge bill at a Chinese restaurant before trying to flee without paying was tackled by furious employees who raced out onto the street to stop him.

Video captured by an onlooker showed a man wearing a yellow jumper, grey track pants and white sneakers being restrained by staff on Gouger Street in Adelaide Wednesday evening.

Three employees of the Chinatown business, Concubine, struggled with the man after he allegedly tried to leave the establishment without paying for hundreds of dollars worth of food and wine.

Shocked onlookers watched as the man tried to break free while one staff member, at about 9.30pm, called police.

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Tense video showed a man being tackled by restaurant staff. Picture: Instagram/shitadelaide

It’s understood the man managed to break free, but after staff and witnesses gave police a detailed description, he was tracked a short time later.

Protective Security officers tracked the man via CCTV and found him on Moonta Street, about 250 metres away, where he was spoken to by Eastern District patrols.

A 33-year-old man from Salisbury was reported for theft.

He will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

Concubine’s owner said the incident was “immensely” upsetting.

“We regret having the incident happen,” the owner said in a statement, according to Nine.

“It was a spur of the moment decision to try and restrain him for the police as we were immensely upset that someone came in and racked up a huge bill and tried to run off.”

Footage of the man’s struggle with staff was shared to popular Instagram page Sh** Adelaide on Wednesday, where hundreds condemned his alleged theft.

Staff tried to restrain the man until police arrived. Picture: Instagram/shitadelaide

Many were fast to come to the defence of the restaurant staff who tried to stop him from running away.

“Good on them. Times are tough for everyone and this scumbag thinks it’s OK to steal from a restaurant who’s just come out of Covid times and likely barely still scratching the surface,” one wrote in a comment.

“Well done I say, how dare he not pay,” another said.

“It’s theft. It’s how anyone should be treated if they steal someone else’s stuff,” a third wrote.