What if, after a good meal in your favorite restaurant, you took a little memory in your bag like the glass of the last cocktail, the pepper or even this pretty meat knife? Wouldn’t that come to the idea? It is however a more frequent phenomenon than you think. The American magazine Fast Company analyzes a trend that grows more and more on social networks, theft becoming a challenge, a game, intended to make views and glean subscribers.
“What is the best thing you have ever stolen in a restaurant?”asks @sovilay, a user of Tiktok to her subscribers, before revealing that for her part, it is a completely sophisticated cheese grater. The video is a huge popular success for its channel at almost 16,000 subscribers, since it has more than 900,000 views.
@Sovilay and I use it all the time😂 #Fyp #fyourpage #whatsthebesthing #pasta #cheese ♬ Original Sound – Sov.
In the comments section, the spectators are far from reproaching the user her offense to the user. On the contrary, they too share the best loots they bring in their gourmet getaways: Tabasco bottles, a shaker, plates … Another commentator writes even: “It’s not theft, it’s a memory.”
Micro-influencers push vice even further. Some admit regularly flying in restaurants and present their community their collection of collected objects. In a video viewed more than 7 million times, a tiktofer who presents herself as a collector, exhibits the dozens of cups and plates which she has brought back from her dinners to the outside. “I am neither the first nor the last to do so,, she defends herself. Let’s be honest: you do it (too). “
@CecemcCrary i’m just trying to build my collection🤣 #fyp #explorepage #Fyp シ #fyfyoupage #exploremore #trending #funnyvideos #Souvenir #collection #collection #florida #viralreels #viralreels #contentCreator ♬ CECE MCCRARY
Traders want their revenge
The phenomenon also affects France, where restaurateurs and traders in general find an increase in thefts. Some have also decided to counterattack. This is the case of Jérôme Jean, who holds among others a clothing shop in Amiens (Somme). In January 2023, he decided to create an association for the defense of businesses called “Ras-le-Vol”.
Shortly before, the merchant had been stealed the equivalent of 950 euros in goods. In an epidermal reaction, he had decided to spread the thieves’ face on his social networks. The images were seen by 5 million people. “I did not expect such success on the networks. I do not encourage anyone to do the same thing, especially since I give 45,000 euros fine and a year in prison. But I was exasperated by repeated flights ”he explained in January 2024 to 20 minutes.
Today, Jérôme Jean is fighting for his cause: “We have to go further by making proposals to the legislators.” His idea: give merchants right to disseminate photos of people suspected of theft. The creator of Ras-le-Vol even created a sticker: “Institution under video surveillance, we broadcast the images in the event of theft.”
