ORLANDO, Fla. — The family accused of brazenly walking out on a nearly $300 restaurant tab in Orlando is now desperately trying to settle up and convince the diner to drop criminal charges, after their identities went public and they started receiving threats, according to a new report.
The dramatic about-face comes just days after surveillance footage from At The Diner on Universal Boulevard showed what owners described as a coordinated effort by a group of about seven to 10 adults and kids to skip out on the bill without paying.
The July 19 incident quickly exploded online when the restaurant posted the video, identifying the group and vowing to press charges. One woman even appeared to linger behind pretending she might pay before bolting out the door with the rest.
Florida law treats defrauding an establishment of $300 or more as a third-degree felony, and the diner has signaled it plans to move forward with authorities despite the family’s sudden change of heart.
The group has been linked to Adeliah Jones, a woman from Flint, Michigan, who was vacationing in Florida with relatives. After their faces and details spread like wildfire across social media, Jones and her family reportedly reached out to the restaurant offering to pay and pleading for the case to be dropped, claiming they were getting harassed and threatened.
Restaurant officials have not backed down, with one owner stressing the principle of the matter, especially since children were involved in the alleged stunt.
The video showed the large party enjoying a big spread before exiting in waves, with one member even asking for car keys to be brought around front as part of the alleged getaway plan.
Social media erupted with outrage, with many calling it the latest example of entitled behavior caught on camera. “It happened again… Orlando beware!!” one post blared alongside the damning footage.
The family has not publicly commented, but their reported scramble to make amends comes as the story continues to dominate local and national headlines.
At The Diner, a popular spot for tourists and locals, has not said whether it has accepted any payment, but sources close to the situation say the owners are determined to see the matter through the legal system.
