Survey Finds About a Quarter of British Adults Admit to Stealing From Restaurants and Pubs

Restaurant and pub owners in several countries say they are seeing an increase in items disappearing from their premises, according to a report published by The Guardian.

The report cites a survey indicating that about a quarter of British adults admit to having taken something from a pub or restaurant at some point.

In France, Michelin-starred restaurants recently reported customers taking items including knives, candles and a toilet roll holder complete with its screws and wall fixings, the report said, citing a news account of the complaints.

A restaurateur in Quebec told media in July that items taken from the establishment included a picnic table, a painting and a thermostat, according to the report.

In Britain, restaurateur Jan Ostle of Wilsons in Bristol told the BBC programme World at One that mother-of-pearl spoons used to serve herb sorbet are frequently taken. "Every few months I have to buy another 28," Ostle said, according to the report.

The Guardian report raises questions about possible causes for the apparent trend, including social media culture and more conventional motives, without reaching a definitive conclusion.